PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING. 95 



upon the remainder of these shoots may tend to produce 

 efficient fruit-buds. To prevent the breaking of these buds 

 into new sheets by too great an accumulation of the sap, 

 a partial outlet is left for its escape through the leading-shoot 

 of the branch, which at the same time is affect- 

 ing the desired enlargement of the tree. In the 

 annexed figure (Fig. 126), a branch is repre- 

 sented with its side-shoots thus undergoing con- 

 version into fruit-spurs, the dotted lines show- 

 ing the position which these shoots would have 

 taken if left unpinched. 



It will be seen that two great objects are here 

 attained the fruitfulness of the tree, and the 

 increased vigor of the leading-shoot, by direct- 

 ing the surplus sap to its growth. FIG. 126. Sum- 



This constitutes essentially the art of summer mer Pruning - 

 pruning dwarf and pyramidal trees, more especially the pear 

 and appie. It may be applied with advantage to young stand- 

 ards, to produce early fruitfulness. 



It often happens, and especially when the pinching is done 

 too early, that the new buds send out shoots a second time the 

 same season. When this occurs, these second shoots are to be 

 pinched in the same manner as the first, but shorter; and 

 third ones, should they start, are to be similarly treated. The 

 bruising given by pinching off with the thumb and finger is 

 more apt to prevent this result than clipping with a sharp 

 knife. 



Giving Desired Form to Trees by Pruning. A tree may be 

 moulded into almost any desired shape by a proper use of the 

 knife, or even by the rubbing and pinching process.* If a 

 young tree from the nursery is too tall and slender, or has too 

 high a top, it should not be altered much the first year after 

 removal, but allowed to become tolerably established with its 

 new set of roots. The second year it may be cut back freely 

 (Figs. 127 and 128), taking care to leave buds for the forma- 

 tion of an evenly distributed head. Some kinds of trees will 



* A late writer says: " The finest standard pear-trees we ever saw, had never 

 had a knife or saw about them. The thumb and forefinger had only been used. 

 Rub off all unnecessary buds that grow in a tree and remove as they appear. 

 This keeps the tree clean, and the growth in the proper channels. It is easily 

 done." 



