PRUNING RESERVE TREES. 



49 



Fig. 48. Old Oak restored to 

 vigor by numerous large amputa- 



not, however, the number of leaves, but the total 

 superficial area of leaf surface, which determines the 

 vigor of growth of the plant. 

 An ordinary practice of the 

 nurseries affords a familiar ex- 

 ample. 



A seedling tree several years 

 old bears, perhaps, twenty or 

 thirty leaves ; its stem is not 

 thicker than a quill, and it 

 does not grow vigorously. If, 

 however, this plant is cut down 

 to the ground in the spring, it 

 will be replaced, in four or five 

 months, by a stout vigorous 

 shoot often an inch in diameter, turns, 

 but carrying perhaps only six or eight very large 

 leaves ; the superficial leaf area of the new plant is 

 larger, although the actual number of its leaves may 

 be considerably smaller. This is what good pruning 

 accomplishes ; i. e., while it may reduce the number of 

 leaves on a tree, it increases their capacity to elabo- 

 rate plant food through increased superficial area. 

 Scientific pruning provides too, it must be remem- 

 bered, an abundant leaf area on the branchlets left 

 at the extremities of all shortened branches, and ar- 

 ranges the branches themselves in a manner to expose 

 the largest surface of foliage to the oblique rays of 

 the sun. It will be seen, then, that this apparent con- 

 tradiction between the practice and theory of pruning 



4 



