INJUDICIOUS PRUNING. 21 



often its due attention ; then, when the winter 

 surprises us, we are apt to find a huge, entangled, 

 overgrown mass to unravel, demanding very 

 much more labour and skill. This is a vicious 

 custom with unskilful gardeners, because a severe 

 use of the knife in the winter is to them the great 

 resource and panacea for all evils. All their errors, 

 they think, are thus obliterated until the next 

 season's wood shall recommence. A tree severely 

 cut back, and tightly nailed in, looks so very 

 knowing, and argues so much forethought. No 

 matter the age or kind of tree, a smart semi- 

 circle is described over its unhappy limbs, and 

 branch after branch disappears " at one draw." 

 The employer, meanwhile, looks on with amaze- 

 ment and wonder. The growth, progress, and 

 periods of repose required by Nature are highly 

 suggestive to the thoughtful mind. The period 

 of rest is now come, that of active labour ceases. 

 All that was necessary to be done should have *i >-s 

 been accomplished before the stage of repose* 1 

 Some little supplementary work still remains, for 

 plants, as well as animated beings, are never ab- 

 solutely idle ; but the severer discipline applied 

 to the tree should not be reserved for the winter 

 pruning. During their stage of growth, super- 

 abundant vigour is restrained and checked, because 

 at that early period wounds are not so difficult 

 tcL_healj and the mere growth of the tree will 

 soon cause them to disappear. A tree neglected 

 c 3 



