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CHAPTER XIV. 



PRUNING SHADE TREES 



ROPER pruning is essential to success in shade tree 

 development. A tree may be well planted, duly cared 

 for and abundantly nourished, but the result may be most 

 unsatisfactory without judicious pruning. For insuring 

 development of root and branch, for producing attractive- 

 ness of appearance, for adapting size to environment, and 

 at times even for enabling the tree to live at all, pruning 

 is necessary. There is sometimes a distinction made 

 between pruning and trimming. When this is done, 

 pruning refers to that minimum of cutting that may be 

 necessary to encourage the thrifty growth of the tree and 

 encourage its development along natural lines while 

 trimming has reference to changing or restraining the 

 form to conform to architectural features or conditions. 



The underlying principle of pruning is the establishing 

 of a correct relation, as to size, between top and root 

 system. In nature a definite balance of this relationship 

 is maintained. In the growing of the shade tree the 

 planter must assist nature in order that both upper 

 growth and root system shall be adapted to the area 

 available. The pruning of branches and leaf-buds 

 throws all the vigor of the tree into the remaining parts 

 and results in more vigorous growth for both top and 

 roots. In addition to this it is necessary that the tree 

 should be trimmed for the purpose of creating a symmet- 

 rical crown, graceful outline and a height of branch which 

 will not interfere, in street trees, with sidewalk traffic or 

 with wires. 



The first pruning is at the time of planting. Before 

 the young tree is set out, both top and roots should be 

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