326 Coffee Culture on tbe Soutbern Coast of Cbiapas, 



of a plantation, the following points connected with this subject will 

 now be considered: 



a. General considerations on pruning. 



b. Principles of pruning. 



c. Advantages of pruning. 



d. Topping. 



e. Pruning. 



f. Rules for pruning. 



g. Manner of pruning. 



h. Time of pruning. 



Each of these points will be considered separately. 



a. General Considerations on Pruning. At first sight it might seem 

 that pruning would be prejudicial to the trees, since it maybe said that 

 this operation is contrary to nature, which has given the trees their 

 branches and their appointed size, which should neither be reduced 

 nor diminished by artificial means. Experience has demonstrated, 

 however, that it is better to prune the trees, for if these are planted in 

 their native zone, the force of their sap is so great that if it be not 

 suitably directed, they become in a short time a tangle of branches 

 which the sun cannot penetrate, and thus lose their fructifying power. 



From the time of Laborie, that is, for about eighty years past, 

 pruning has been employed, and with very good success, to increase 

 the productiveness of trees. According to this writer, pruning consists 

 in cutting from plants whatever in them deviates from natural symmetry, 

 and preserving what is in accordance with it, directing in this way the 

 vegetative principle to purposes of order, profit, and regeneration. 



It is a well-known fact that fruit-trees are greatly improved by 

 pruning, and there is no reason why the system applied to them should 

 not produce equally satisfactory results as applied to coffee plants. 



The rule to be followed with regard to pruning will depend on each 

 particular locality, upon the nature of the soil, the temperature, altitude 

 above the level of the sea, exposure, etc., but the principle is the 

 same; that is, to remedy the deviations of the tree from natural laws 

 caused by conditions of soil, climate, situation, etc., and to make it 

 return to those laws ; art in this way aiding nature. Regarded in this 

 way, pruning is as necessary as weeding. 



b. Principles of Pruning. For a better understanding of the ad- 

 vantages to be obtained by pruning, it will be well to define some facts 

 and to lay down some rules concerning it. 



The branches growing from the trunk of the tree are called primaries; 

 those that grow from the primaries are called secondaries ; those that 

 grow from the secondaries, tertiaries, and so on successively. 



Each branch of the tree bears fruit only once, sending out in the 

 following year other branches which in their turn bear fruit. 



