78 PRUNING. 



Small trees may be pruned with safety at any 

 season of the year. Summer is usually found to 

 be the most convenient. 



When a branch or portion of a tree is cut off, the 

 vigor of the sap from the roots is thrown into the 

 rest. If, for instance, there are fifty leaf buds on a 

 young tree, and all the buds are removed but one, 

 the whole strength will be thrown into that one ; 

 it will receive all the sap, and soon form a single 

 thrifty stem of itself. It has hence been thought 

 that pruning young trees closely when transplant- 

 ed, would be beneficial in the same vvay ; but it 

 must be remembered that the roots of a transplant- 

 ed tree are not in the state of vigor which they 

 would otherwise possess. On the other hand, the 

 great object is to restore the roots, which are shot 

 forth only in proportion to the action of the leaves. 

 As many of the branches and leaves, therefore, 

 should be suffered to remain as the case will admit ; 

 for if there be too many, the perspiration from 

 them will exhaust the tree faster than the roots 

 will restore. When, therefore, the roots are but 

 little injured, little or no pruning will be advisa- 

 ble ; and it is only to be resorted to in proportion 

 to the amount of mutilation of the roots. 



It often happens that fruit on large trees is 

 worthless, and it becomes an important object to 

 change the top, by grafting or budding it with 

 some better variety. In this case, instead of cut- 



