CHAP. XII PRUNING 79 



others ; and, by removing the young fruit or pruning off the 

 fruitful branches, the crop time might be altered somewhat 

 at the will of the growers. 



In pruning so as to increase fruitfulness, it is necessary Observation 

 to observe, first of all, on what portion of the tree or plant "^^^^''^"'y- 

 the fruit is borne. In some plants it is borne by the wood 

 of the same season's growth, in others by the wood of the 

 second season, and in others again it is borne on the wood 

 of the stem or the mature branches. In the first instance what 

 it will be necessary to prune out branches that are backward I'he plin^to 

 in growth, and that have little or no fresh wood on them, prune. 

 In the second instance the young wood must be cut back so 

 as to allow the strength of the plant to be put forth in push- 

 ing out flowers instead of continuing to increase the new 

 wood. And, in the third case, the small branches and the 

 young wood not required to increase the spread of the tree, 

 must be taken away by the pruner. In all cases, however, Suckers to be 

 suckers or " robber steins,^' as they are called, must be re- on'^e.^^ 

 moved from trees or bushes grown for their crops, as 

 suckers rob the plant of much of the sap or food necessary 

 for the growth of the flowers or fruit. Pruning does not Hacking 

 mean simply chopping at a tree with a cutlass so as to pn^ning' 

 decrease its bulk, but it means an important operation, that 

 should not be undertaken without forethought, or without 

 some knowledge of its principles. If a branch is to be re- cut off 

 moved entirely, it must be cut off close to the stem, with a cfosTt? the 

 clean cut, and particular care must be taken not to injure stem, 

 the bark of the tree, for this bark will grow and in time 

 heal up the wound ; but, -if it be torn away or jagged, a 

 much longer time will be taken up in the process of repair 

 of the wound, and the wood of the tree itself may become 

 decayed and thus cause permanent injury. In order to pre- The wound 

 vent decay by the action of the air and moisture, or by *° ^^ ^""""^^ • 

 insects, a good plan is to paint over the wound with tar or 

 some such substance, if the branch pruned off be a large 

 one. In cutting away small shoots, a sloping cut should be 



