2 THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRUNING 



that not all the branches could develop in the 

 severe struggle for existence. 



The effect of this struggle for existence is to 

 be seen even in the buds upon the current year's 

 growths, as on a and &. The largest and strongest 

 buds are on the tips, and, as a rule, the buds are 

 smaller and weaker the nearer one approaches the 

 base of the shoot. This unequal development of 

 the buds is undoubtedly associated chiefly with 

 the amount of sunlight to which the different 

 parts of the shoot were exposed. 



It is further to be observed that the twin ter- 

 minal buds are not often alike. The difference 

 is marked at b. It is evident that, if each of 

 these buds develops a branch, the two branches 

 will be very unlike. 



Let us now trace the history of this interesting 

 lilac branch. The first growth ended at the point 

 marked 1893. In 1894, a shoot grew from each 

 of the terminal buds, and three other shoots 

 developed. It is noticeable, in the first place, 

 that the strongest shoots are those arising from 

 the terminal buds, while the lowest buds developed 

 no shoots and still remain dormant (s). In the 

 second place, it is to be observed that no two of 

 the five branches are alike. Three branches are 

 strong, but two, m, n, have succumbed in the 

 struggle for existence, and are now dead. That 

 is, pruning has begun. 



Tracing the strong branch at the right (running 



