WINTER FIELD MEETING. 65 



back the piimary stem which has not become thoroughly 

 ripened, thereby destroying the terminal bud : the result 

 is that a two-forked growth takes place as the accessory 

 buds take the place of the terminal. This is seen in the 

 Red Maple in exposed situations on roadsides and on the 

 borders of fields, but in the groves, where the different 

 trees protect each other, this seldom happens. The prin- 

 cipal reason why one cannot study the ramification of 

 branches from shade trees in cities and towns is because, 

 first, in transplanting, it is thought to be necessary to 

 prune the stem and branches to make them correspond 

 with the roots which have been mutilated by the spade in 

 the process of removing. This pruning is often performed 

 by persons who do not understand the natural laws which 

 govern the ramification of the branches ; the result is, a 

 branch is removed here arid there, without any regard t* 

 the natural symmetry of the tree. 



Thus, as is the case with many of the shade trees grow- 

 ing in Salem and vicinity, the natural plan of the branches 

 is destroyed. Shade trees need priming but it should be 

 performed by, or under the immediate direction of, some 

 one who knows the natural laws which govern the sym- 

 metry of the tree to be pruned. For instance, a tree 

 whose leaves are opposite should not be made to grow 

 branches alternately on the primary stem ; nor should we 

 try to grofr opposite branches on the stem of a tree whose 

 leaves are alternate, for as soon as this is done the natural 

 symmetry of the tree is lost. With the growers of fruit 

 trees, pruning is often a science, indeed so much so that 

 the nurseryman is always with his assistants to point out 

 each limb that is to be removed, until the men become 

 proficients in the business. But as a natural form of sym- 

 metry is not required in fruit trees ; a man may be ever 

 so expert in this business and not know how properly to 



ESSEX INST. BULLETIN, VOL. XIV. 5 



