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can be adopted, not on account of its beauty alone, but it ad. 

 mits readily sun and air through the branches. During the 

 second season's growth of the young tree, the small shoots on 

 the stem or trunk should not be taken off, as they retain the 

 sap in the lower part of the stem, which will give it a stout 

 body. But they must be kept within bounds and not allowed 

 to grow too long, by pinching often through the season, as al- 

 lowing them to grow too fast would check the growth of the 

 leader. Late in the fall, or early the following spring, all the 

 side shoots should be removed and a branchless trunk formed 

 to three feet from the ground, as already spoken of. 



To form the pyramid or umbrella shape, all straggling and 

 tender side branches must be watched closely as they grow 

 long and weak, and draw the sap from the leader ; pinching 

 off the ends of all such will regulate an equal circulation, 

 which will cause every branch to grow stocky and strong. Let 

 every shoot, commencing with the lowest, be about ten inches 

 shorter than the one next above it, and so on to the top, and 

 allow no surplus shoots to grow. Thus is obtained the fine 

 symmetry of the perfect tree and a uniform growth on every 

 limb. 



What can be more repulsive to the eye than to see gardens 

 encumbered with tall, straggling skeletons, unshapely and un- 

 fruitful, packed closely together, that afford no pleasure to the 

 passer-by, nor remuneration to the owner for his outlays. 

 Most trees have a natural tendency to grow tall without acquir- 

 ing proportionally a stocky body, and very often, for that rea- 

 son, the tree bends under its own weight, and hence the ne- 

 cessity to resort to propping it up. To avoid this altogether, 

 prune, and let the sun and air circulate freely through the tree, 

 that every branch may have ample room to fulfil its functions 

 properly. It is well known to all fruit growers that the most 

 perfect specimens of every kind of fruit grows in the sun not 

 only perfect, but their skins are smooth and glossy, and bril- 

 liant in blush. This will give us an idea about pruning, and 

 what to prune, and how to prune. A little experience and 



