46 PRUNING 



to the hedge or bush. When old hedges need cutting back to the bare 

 wood, as they occasionally do, the work should certainly be undertaken 

 in spring so as to allow the longest possible period for the naked places 

 to become furnished with growth again. The inside branches of a 

 hedge or clipped bush are necessarily stunted and gnarled, and do not 

 break readily into new growth. The same rules as to time of pruning 

 apply also to those level banks of cherry laurel and rhododendron, .so 

 often employed to furnish shady places in gardens. The ordinary annual 

 pruning may be done between July and September, but the occasional 

 hard cutting back must be done, say, in March* or April. 



Pruning large-growing Trees. This branch of pruning is not 

 generally understood nor often practised. The great majority of trees 

 are planted and left to assume such forms as conditions and circumstances 

 permit. It is the pruning of ornamental trees only that is in question. 

 Forestry, or the growing of trees for profit, is a thing quite apart 

 from ornamental arboriculture in park and garden. The forester aims 

 solely at building up a trunk which will yield the maximum amount of 

 useful timber, whilst the tree occupies the least possible space. The 

 main object of the arboriculturist is to so control the growth of his trees 

 as to produce individually beautiful specimens. He may desire a noble 

 contour of branch and foliage, or a lofty tree showing a fine trunk, or 

 one with its leafy canopy reaching to the ground; but the production 

 of cubic feet of timber is, in itself, a secondary matter. 



In pruning such trees as I am now considering the oaks, elms, ashes, 

 maples, chestnuts, and others of a similar type it is rarely necessary 

 to give any consideration to the production of flowers and fruit. The 

 flowers are frequently of little beauty, and even in the case of beautiful 

 flowering trees, like the horse-chestnut, such pruning as is required 

 should be done before the trees reach their adult stage. It may be said 

 of all trees that the earlier their training is commenced the less of it will 

 be needed. 



Formation of the Tree Trunk. In the great forest areas of the 

 globe trees are generally found growing in masses and as close together as 

 their minimum requirements of light and space permit. The trunks 

 which the forester loves to obtain are straight, erect, and naked, the 

 branches being killed off by want of light as the tree increases'in height, 

 leaving only the canopy of leafy growth at the top. Only occasionally 

 are there found wild specimens well filled out on every side, evenly 

 balanced, and furnished almost to the ground with foliage, such as it 

 is generally the planter's aim to obtain in pleasure-grounds and gardens. 

 In these latter places, however, where often trees from many different 

 parts of the world are congregated on a few acres of ground, and planted 

 singly or in small groups, many species, especially those of exotic origin, 



