79 



Peach trees, in our climate, are highly ben- 

 efitted, by thus shortening-in annually, in the 

 spring, one-half, or thereabouts, of their entire 

 growth of the previous summer, all over the 

 heads of the trees. 



Dwarf-pears on quince, also require a simi- 

 lar heading-in, annually each spring, so long 

 as they continue to make a growth of scions. 



2d. Pruning to improve a tree's form. 

 This is quite a matter of taste. Shortening- 

 in may be made subservient to this end, by 

 cutting so as to leave a wood-bud just below 

 the cut, on that side of a twig or limb which 

 is farthest from the central parts of the tree, 

 or which faces the direction in which it is de- 

 sirable that the limb should extend its growth. 



A tree may branch out too low or too high ; 

 its top may be too open or too crowded. The 

 iimbs also may cross each other in such a 

 way as to give a disagreeable, tangled appear- 

 ance to the head of the tree. It is always 

 best to inspect a tree carefully, before com- 

 mencing operations, and then to proceed de- 

 liberately ; for one hasty cut may impair the 

 beauty of a tree forever. 



The lower side limbs of young trees, in the 

 nursery, ought to be cut in, at first, to an inch 



