02 PRUNING. SECT. XII* 



severance, \vfllavailanything; but continuing fruit- 

 less and sickly, admonishes the owner to take it up, 

 and try another plant, rectifying the soil thoroughly, 

 if the evil is thought to arise there. The smother fly 

 does sometimes repeatedly attack the same tree, 

 which is a sign of inherent weakness, for the juices 

 of a sickly tree are sweeter than those of a sound one, 

 and so more liable to such attacks. Sometimes a 

 tree of this kind, when removed to a good soil, and 

 pruned greatly down, does very well. A soil too 

 rich of dung also often occasions trees to be blighted, 

 and the remedy is to impoverish it with a sharp 

 sand. 



In order to health and strength, a tree must not 

 be kept too full during summer, as it prevents the 

 proper ripening of the wood, and makes the shooti 

 long jointed. If more than one shoot proceed from 

 the same eye, reserve the strongest and best situated. 

 A crowded tree cannot be healthy, and it becomes 

 both lodging and food for insects. The blossom bud& 

 of a tree being always formed the year before, they 

 will be few and weak in a thicket of leaves, as de-^ 

 barred of the necessary sun and air : But in .order 

 to avoid an over-fulness, do not make any great am- 

 putations in summer, lest the tree should ooze its sap 

 and gum. 



In clearing a tree of superabundant wood> takt 

 care not to cut off the leading shoot of a branch. 

 All shoots after Midsummer should be displaced as 

 they arise, except where wanted to fill up a vacancy. 

 In a too vigorous tree, the Midsummer shoots may 

 be left for a while on those branches that are to be cut 

 out at winter pruning, as cutting such trees in summer 

 encourages its over luxuriance ; so that a little rude- 

 ness in a rampant tree may be permitted as a neces- 

 sary evil, provided it becomes not too shady, or ui> 

 sightly. Watering wall trees with an engine smartly 



