PRUNING AT TRANSPLANTING. 27 



he says: we quote " that the vigor of a tree, subjected 

 to pruning, depends in a great measure, on the equal 

 distribution of sap in all its branches," he is measurably 

 correct ; but when he adds : "the most vigorous parts, 

 should be pruned short, at the same time leaving the weak 

 shoots long," we think he errs; for our experience has 

 been, that cutting back the strong shoots to two, or three 

 buds, and leaving the inferior shoots long, has broken 

 the form of growth we would have in the leading shoots, 

 and left us at two years, with a mass of puny branches 

 to be cut away as refuse and unsightly. 



All this varies however in the varieties of trees ; some 

 have little or no tendency to throw out small twigs, as Te- 

 tofsky and Red Astrachan apple, Bartlett and Clapp's 

 Favorite pear, etc; and while it has been said, and is by 

 many advocated to-day, that a tree once rightly started, 

 and then left to itself, free of pruning, will most fully de- 

 velop its sap, and come into bearing more healthfully 

 than when trained to meet the mind of man. 



Again in pruning, it is said by DUBREUIL, that when 

 the tree comes into bearing, the leaving of a large quantity 

 on the strong shoots, and removing it mainly from the 

 feeble, that the sap on the strong wood, will be absorbed 

 by the fruit, and it will make little growth, while the 

 parts will increase in size ; this does not coincide with 

 our experience. A practice of this course two years 

 found us with little, or no good sized or rich fruit ; but 

 with our tree, all cluttered and out of shape. 



We would, that the limit of the work designed by the 



