100 FRUIT-GROWING 



tapering point to it. It is effective but slow in 

 action. The newer types built on the order of 

 a "meat saw" are an abomination. When they 

 were first introduced I thought they would be 

 good for working in close places, but I soon 

 found that they quickly lost their set and that 

 the blades were so flexible that it was almost 

 impossible to make them run straight. On the 

 other hand the curved saw that I speak of, 

 making its cut not when you push but when you 

 pull, is capable of very rapid work, and its 

 shape allows it to be used in close quarters. It 

 is also capable of very accurate work. 



In spite of the length of this chapter I have 

 not told all there is to know about pruning for 

 two reasons. In the first place I do not know 

 that much about it. In the second place no man 

 even if he knew could tell it all for it is work re- 

 quiring judgment, like fly-fishing or playing 

 poker or making bread. 



You know, one of the differences between a 

 man and a monkey is that a monkey, if he is 

 cold, will sit by a fire and warm himself but 

 when the fire goes out he is through. He will 

 not add another stick to the pile. He will not 

 originate although he may have all the materi- 

 als for creation ready to his hand. Some men 

 are like that ; they take life very much as they 

 find it and they add mighty little to the fire. 



A good pruner can never be a "monkey man" 



