HOW TO PEUNE. 225 



ish chestnut, or indeed any very old trees ; for while 

 it would in nowise benefit the tree by imparting to 

 it life or health, it would certainly very much detract 

 from its romantic and picturesque beauty. We might 

 just as well pluck the grey hairs from the locks of 

 the octogenarian, as prune the whitened withered 

 limbs from old trees. The latter recommendations, be 

 it observed, only apply to hardwood trees, and not 

 to pines generally, which are elsewhere treated of. 



Where a large branch or limb takes place, the 

 trunk or stem of the tree immediately above where 

 it occurs diminishes in size to an extent about equal 

 to what the branch or limb increases. And in order 

 to prevent this evil (for it cannot be cured), the limb, 

 or part of it at least, is cut at such distance from the 

 stem as circumstances may direct. Sometimes one- 

 half the entire length of the branch is cut off, some- 

 times two-thirds, and in other cases less or more, as 

 the age, size of the tree, state of its health, amount 

 of branches, &c., would suggest. 



Let it be further explained that, by cutting off a 

 branch or limb, the sap which formerly flowed into it 

 does not now, after the branch is cut off, flow into 

 the trunk either above or below where the branch 

 was situated. What is therefore done for the benefit 

 of the tree, by amputating the limb, is to stop the 

 excessive growth in that particular part, and by in- 

 directly inducing the stem above where the limb 

 formerly grew to produce a class of new branches of 

 its own. 



A clean stem or trunk is a quality in a tree much 

 to be admired, and worthy of being obtained ; and in 

 many cases the only way of doing so is by the aid 

 of pruning. Not, certainly, in the way and manner it 



p 



