210 PRUNING. 



It is on this account that a young tree, cut back in the nur- 

 sery, presents a much more perfect form at the end of the 

 second year, than those that have been transplanted. 

 Some of the French cultivators advise to defer the cutting 

 back for the formation of the permanent branches, till the 

 plant has stood one year after transplanting ; but the course 

 is attended with many difficulties, and on the whole it is 

 better to cut back when the tree is planted, even if we 

 obtain but a moderate grow^th, for the older the buds are 

 on the lower parts of the tree, the more obstinate and 

 unmanageable they are. 



Pruning the Branched Yearling. — Among trees of this 

 kind, some have branches a foot or more in length, while 

 in others they resemble short, stiff spurs, two to four inches 

 long. These two characters require diflerent modes of 

 treatment. Where there are branches of sufficient force 

 and properly situated to form the first series of main 

 branches, they must be treated in the same manner as 

 though the tree were two years old. The 

 strongest and best situated are selected and 

 pruned to within four to six inches of their 

 base, according to their vigor and position ; 

 the lowest should be not more than six inches 

 from the stock. The small, feeble, superfluous 

 ones are entirely removed ; the leading shoot^ 

 which, in such cases, is short and provided 

 with plump buds, does not require a heavy 

 shortening ; in most cases one half will be 

 quite sufficient. Fig. 105 rej^resents a tree 

 of this kind : the cross-lines indicate the cuts. 



Fi?. 105. 



Yearling i)ear tree AVherc thc lateral branchcs are short and 

 with bran. hes. the gp^^p_iii^e, thcv will rcQuire verv careful treat- 



pruning indicated ^ t i/ x ^ 



by the spaces. mcut ; the strougcst and best placed are 

 reserved. If the lower ones have good terminal buds, 

 thev are left entire ; those above them are shortened, the 



