86 THE FRUIT-TREE AND SHRUB PRUNER. 



flowers, but, except in the milder southern and western 

 counties, only to a small degree. It requires to be 

 thinned out and the wood well ripened in order to get 

 these flowers. 



The chief object in growing Magnolias should be to 

 induce them to make a moderate growth annually after 

 they have done flowering, and to form terminal buds 

 similar to the Camellia. Annual pruning is necessary, 

 cutting away old worn-out spray, and cutting back all 

 plants generally, for the Magnolias are much inclined 

 to make wood at the extremities like most other plants, 

 and they will get barren of flowers below if not care- 

 fully pruned every season immediately after they have 

 flowered. Thinning out, cutting back, and spurring 

 in, and giving the plants some strong liquid manure at 

 the same time, will induce a vigorous growth from the 

 spurs, which will be terminated by a flower bud by the 

 autumn. By these means they may be kept at a 

 medium stature and well feathered with foliage below, 

 with an abundance of flowers. Some are afraid to cut 

 the Magnolia much, as others would be in the case of 

 the Camellia ; but I have cut it back severely, and with 

 good results. 



The Ailantus. 



This beautiful pinnatifid leaf tree has but few allies, 

 and of those not many are known ; and although 

 natural orders have but little to do with general 

 appearances, yet it is often desirable that some idea 

 should be given of a plant by a near neighbour or other 

 person. 



The Ailantus, or " Tree of Heaven," as some term it, 

 on account of its lofty stature, is a fine and graceful 

 tree. It is allied to the shrubby Trefoil (Ptdeci) ; 

 natural order, Xanthoxylacece ; Xanthoxylum, the t} r pe; 

 a Dioecious plant. The Ailantus is a handsome 

 deciduous lawn or near park tree, with beautiful light 

 foliage. But little pruning is necessary for it ; in 

 its early stages, however, it will require some attention 

 in order to form a really handsome specimen. 



