PRUNING AXD TRAILING. 'A'AM 



stopped growing, remaining stationary, it often happens 

 that if it is cut back in winter to a few buds, the whole 

 force of the sap being made to act on these few buds, 

 vigorous young shoots will be produced, and, these send- 

 ing down new woody matter to the stem, new roots are 

 formed, and the whole tree is renewed. In young trees 

 where the growth has not been checked, an annual cut- 

 ting back of the new growth is likewise necessary, and 

 will strengthen the branches on the lower parts of the 

 tree, and thicken up the trunk, enabling it to maintain an 

 erect position. 



Pruning to Reduce or Diminish Fruitfulness. — 

 Ever}- thing that is favorable to rapid, vigorous growth, is 

 generally unfavorable to the immediate production of 

 fruit. Hence prunning, to induce fruitfulness, is per- 

 formed after vegetation has commenced. If a tree be 

 severely pruned immediately after its leaves have put 

 forth, it is so checked as to be unable to make a vigorous 

 growth the same season, the circulation of the sap is 

 impeded, and the young shoots that would have made 

 wood branches, had the growth been unchecked, will be- 

 come fruit spurs. Pinching the extremities is, however, 

 the usual mode of pruning to induce fruitfulness. The 

 same result is produced by pruning the roots, which also 

 lessens the dimensions the trees would otherwise obtain, 

 by diminishing the quantity of food they receive from 

 the soil. 



Pruning at Transplanting. — At this time all bruised 

 and broken roots and branches should be removed with a 

 sharp knife. When trees are taken from the ground, a 

 greater or less portion of the roots is destroyed or injured, 

 and the natural balance between the root and top is de- 

 stroyed, and the tree in this condition will either die or 

 make a slow growth. In England, the climate is so moist 

 that trees mav be removed and leave nearlv all the 



