9 6 



PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING. 



V 





bear cutting-back freely the same year they are removed, as 

 for example, the peach, which, as already observed, readily 

 produces new shoots. The same characteristic is possessed 

 by the sugar-maple and some other trees, 

 which, as many have observed, when planted 

 along the borders of streets, and cut back to 

 single poles, form heads at once of new 

 branches. 



When the tops are too low (which is rarely 

 the case), the lower branches may be pruned 

 off and the top carried up to 

 any desired height. This 

 should not be done until 

 the stem has thickened suffi- 

 ciently to sustain the top 

 the side-shoots always tend- 

 ing to increase the diameter 

 of the stem which bears 

 them. If the young tree pos- 

 sesses great luxuriance it 

 may be desirable to throw 

 more of the growth upward FIG. i 2 8.-The same, 

 than these side-shoots would 

 allow, if remaining till the 

 following spring, the usual time for pruning, 

 the ends of the side-limbs may be clipped or pinched off, and 

 a portion of the lower ones removed with the knife. 



Pruning Nursery and Young Trees. Brief suggestions have 

 been already furnished on this subject in connection with the 

 explanation of general principles. Directions of a more mi- 

 nute and practical character, and applicable to the different 

 kinds of trees, will doubtless be useful and acceptable. It is 

 of great importance that a tree be pruned right, on the start 

 for the misplaced shoot, which might be easily rubbed off 

 with the finger, when just beginning to grow, many ultimately 

 become the heavy limb and the misshapen top. 



Pruning Single Shoots. Young shoots are cut back for va- 

 rious purposes, such as heading-down to an inserted bud, 

 shortening-in those that are too long, or cutting out super- 

 numeraries. It is important that even these simple operations 



FIG. 127. Mode of 

 Reducing th e 

 Height of a tall 

 young tree by 

 cutting at the dot- 

 ted line. 



after the operation 

 is completed. 



In such a case 



