AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 253 



cause the shoots of the previous year are shortened in the op- 

 eration (Fig. 121 a, 6). 



The vigor of the subsequent growth is commonly in direct 

 proportion to the extent to which this pruning is carried, heavy 

 pruning being followed by strong growth, and vice versa. It 

 is the natural tendency of the growth to push from the extrem- 

 ities, but the leading shoot of a stock three fourths of an inch 

 in diameter at the butt, and four or five feet high, if left un- 

 pruned, may grow two feet or so upward in a season ; if cut 

 back to within two or three buds of the previous year's growth, 

 it will usually more than double this growth, either in a sin- 

 gle shoot or more ; while, if cut down near the root for grafting 

 or otherwise, or having been budded the previous fall, it will, 

 with ordinary care, push upward a strong fine growth from 

 five to nine feet, the roots also being strengthened by the op- 

 eration. All winter pruning of young or old trees should be 

 performed with as little injury as possible to the bark ; every 

 young shoot cut away should be taken off just outside the 

 shoulder or swell at its base, leaving this upon the stem to 

 heal over and strengthen the tree (Fig. 121 c). If severe 

 wounds are made, coat them with paint, or pitch, or grafting 

 composition, No. 3, or shellac dissolved in alcohol. 



Winter pruning applied to trees after they are planted out 

 to bear is chiefly intended to open the head for light and air, 

 to allow of movinjg freely in the tree for gathering the fruit, 

 and to keep its form symmetrical (Fig. 121 d). 



EXCESSIVE WINTER PRUNING. 



Sometimes, in neglected orchards, so much cutting seems 

 necessary to open the head of the tree, and permit the easy 

 gathering of the fruit, that an inexperienced cultivator is 

 tempted clumsily to overdo the work ; and this excessive and 

 coarse pruning induces a strong upright growth of barren, 

 gluttonous shoots, which, if left to grow, disfigure and injure 

 the trees (Fig. 122, page 254). Let all your trees be careful- 

 ly pruned while young, never permitting an ill-placed or a 

 superfluous shoot to grow more than a single season at the 

 most ; and if pruning an orchard that has suffered from pre- 



