CHILDREN'S GARDENS 



will encourage a strong growth of flowering 

 wood for the autumn. 



Shrubs, as a rule, are in flower so short a 

 time, comparatively, that the production of blos- 

 soms should not be the highest aim in their cul- 

 tivation and treatment. A badly mutilated shrub 

 loses much of the grace and charm of its foliage, 

 and when the maimed twigs and branches are 

 exposed in the winter much of their beauty is 

 lost. Shrubs should never be so severely pruned 

 as to impair their vigor and destroy the natural 

 outline. 



The thinning out and cutting back of weak, 

 old, and diseased shoots gives the younger, more 

 vigorous shoots more light, air, and space, and 

 enables them to develop their best form. " Trim- 

 ming shrubs into shape " can not be too strongly 

 deprecated. The ideal is to encourage the best 

 typical form. 



Severe pruning tends to enfeeble shrubs, and 

 the removal of large branches usually interferes 

 with natural and graceful outlines. Generally, 

 shrubs will be most vigorous and in their best 

 form the year through when no pruning is at- 

 tem|)ted beyond removing weak and overshad- 

 owed branches, in order to atford the stronger 

 ones a better opportunity for growth. 



Pruning is one of the most important factors 

 in the successful care of shrubs. It requires 



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