Tree-Pruning in Economic Forestry 157 



stated, the removal of dead wood is merely a matter of 

 sentiment, though of its practical utiHty there can be no 

 doubt, and in all cases where the stag-headed trees are 

 conspicuous, the removal of the dead wood is to be recom- 

 mended. 



Pruning Shrubs. Generally speaking, shrubs are 

 pruned with little or no consideration as to whether they 

 will be benefited by the operation. While symmetry and 

 regularity of outline are to be admired in a shrub, these 

 qualities should never be gained at the expense of natural 

 grace and production of flowers. The judicious pruner 

 will, therefore, aim at preserving the peculiar habit of each 

 shrub as far as possible, while interfering but little with the 

 production of flowers. The various species of Deutzia, 

 Forsythia, Philadelphus and Weigela flower on the wood 

 of the previous year's growth ; therefore such shrubs should 

 be pruned immediately after the flowering season- say in 

 June, but never in spring or winter at least, if the pro- 

 duction of flowers is to be taken into account. Again, the 

 various species of Syringa, Spiraea, Lonicera and Hibiscus 

 may safely be pruned during winter, the flowers being 

 produced on the young wood ; while Hydrangea paniculata 

 grandiflora must be severely pruned in early spring, for only 

 by so doing will the greatest wealth of flowers be produced. 

 Chimonanthus fragrans should be pruned in February ; 

 while the various species of Ceanothus should not be touched 

 till all danger of frost is past. Kerria japonica should 

 be pruned in autumn, when old wood may be cut away. 



All pruning operations should be carefully carried out 

 with a sharp knife and not with the pruning shears, the point 

 of amputation being always close to an eye or bud. Too 

 severe pruning should be avoided, a judicious thinning out 

 of the branches being far preferable to indiscriminate shear- 

 ing and cutting back. 



How and when to Prune. The latter part of May or 

 beginning of June is undoubtedly the best season for prun- 

 ing the majority of hard-wooded trees, as during that time 

 the motion of the sap is most vigorous, and in consequence 

 the wounds caused by amputation heal most quickly. 



