84 



Principles and Practice of Pruning. 



i. The cut should always be made with a sharp knife, which does 

 the work smoother, better, and more completely at the control cf the 

 operator. 2. The cut surface should be as small as practicable, in 

 order that it may heal over readily. The two annexed figures show 

 the right and the wrong way of doing this work, Fig. 102 being a 

 well made cut, and Fig. 103 being one performed by a careless work- 

 man, exposing a large cut surface and leaving an inconvenient and 

 sharp stub above the bud intended to grow. 3. The cut should not 

 be made too high above the bud, nor too near it. If too high above 

 (Fig. 104), in the space between the buds or joints, this portion, not 

 being fed by leaves, dies, and the wood must be afterwards pruned 

 again in order to make a smooth stem. If the cut is made too near 

 the bud, as in Fig. 105, the drying surface abstracts moisture and 

 enfeebles the bud, which either fails to grow, or grows feebly. 



F'g. 102. Fig. 103. Fig. 104. Fig. 105. 



Fig. 106. Fig. 107. 



Fig. 1 06. Pruning down to ih- 



Trees that are soft and porous, as the serted bud-tke dotted line,*, shows, 



peach and grape, should have more 



WOOd left above the bud, tO prevent bnd after starting and tying up. 



drying ; and in pruning down to all 



inserted buds, it is generally safest to leave an inch or two until 

 the young shoot has fairly commenced growing, when the stump 

 may be pared down close to ft by a single draw-cut of a sharp knife, 

 made sideways, so that the point of the knife may not strike the 

 shoot (Figs. 1 06 and 107). 4. In shaping the heads of young trees, 

 prune down to an inside bud, where an upright shoot is required ; 



