PRUNING OF PLANTS. 285 



should be extremely cautious as to the extent of 

 the root surface removed, since the small, grow- 

 ing roots are the feeding roots upon which the 

 plant is dependent for nourishment. 



III. Pruning to Prevent Overbearing. 



If sexual reproduction or the development of 

 fruit predominates to such an extent as to be 

 detrimental to vegetative growth, it should be 

 checked by the removal of fruit buds, or a por- 

 tion of the fruit, or even of some of the fruit- 

 bearing branches. At the same time the 

 vegetative growth should be encouraged by 

 increasing the food supply through renewed 

 cultivation and the application of nitrogenous 

 fertilizers. 



IV. Pruning Hardy Shrubs. 



If the shrubs are grown for a hedge as, 

 the barberry (Berberis vulgaris), burning-bush 

 (Pyrus Japonica), or osage orange the new 

 growth should be sheared each year, forming a 

 compact head. 



i. Early Flowering Shrubs, such as lilac, 

 syringa, weigelia, and many roses, which pro- 

 duce blossoms from buds developed the previous 

 summer, should be pruned after they have 

 bloomed. The terminal bud should be pinched 

 out of the new growth to induce lateral branches, 

 which will develop blossom buds for the next 

 year. Pruning these shrubs in early spring 

 would remove the blossom-bearing wood. 



