248 Principles of Plant Culture. 



425. Pruning for Density applies either to increasing or 

 decreasing the density of the head. In ornamental and 

 shade trees, a compact head is often desirable, while in 



fruit trees, a head that ad- 

 mits abundant light and air 

 (Fig. 164) is important 

 ( 243 ) . To increase density, 

 encourage lateral branching 

 by pinching all the more 

 FIG. lei. showing how to disbud prominent terminal grow- 



shoots of some coniferous trees, fag points (Fig. 162). In 

 Picking out the terminal bud A in . 



spring usually causes both the ad- SOUie COniferOUS trees, as 



jacent lateral buds to develop. t h e Xorway Spruce,* dis- 



budding of the terminal shoots (Fig. 161) in spring is 

 advisable, and in woody plants too tall for pinching, the 



more prominent 

 terminal growing- 

 points may be cut 

 back with the pole 

 shears (431), 

 causes the 

 head to grow more 

 dense. 



In pruning to 



form an open head (Fig. 164), 

 it is wiser, as a rule, to thin out 

 the smaller branches at some dis- 

 tance from the trunk than to re- 

 move large branches at their 



(right-hand side) by persistent union with the trunk, 

 pinching of the terminal grow- _ 



ing points. 426. Pruning for Strength. 



a of the Trunk. Trees and plants grown in closely- 



* Picea excelsa. 



