$0 PRUNING 



trees : 



(1) For fruit trees, thin out branches so as to allow free 

 access of light and air ; remove all dead wood, snags, superfluous 

 suckers and shoots. 



(2) Always use a sharp knife or saw, and cut in such a way 

 as to ensure quick healing. 



(3) When cutting back lateral branches, always cut at a fork. 



(4) In removing a large branch, saw it off roughly (cutting 

 the under-side first, and then the upper a few inches further from 

 the stem than the first cut) a foot from the trunk, and finally saw 

 off and plane the surface of the stump left. 



(5) Smear coal-tar over the cut surface ; otherwise the action 

 of sunheat may crack the wound, thereby allowing moisture to 

 enter and enabling parasitic fungi to obtain a footing. 



(6) When cutting branches, especially large ones, avoid 

 leaving stumps several inches long ; always cut a branch in a line 

 and flush with the outside of the stem or branch from which it 

 springs. 



(7) The cut should always be made in a slanting or upright 

 direction, so as to throw off the rain. 



(8) In general, pruning should be performed when growth is 

 least active. 



PKU XING-SAW. 



Thumb-nail Pruning. A term applied to the nipping off of 

 the terminal young bud, as done by the thumb-nail and forefinger, 

 being a form of pruning conveniently applied to tender plants. At 

 one time it was recommended for young Hevea rubber trees, being 

 adopted when the trees were about 10 to 12 ft. high, the object 

 being to induce a more rapid growth in girth of the stem and a 

 branching top. This, however, is not now generally practised. 



Root Pruning. This is sometimes employed in the cultivation 

 of fruit trees, its object being to counteract a too luxuriant 

 woody growth, which results in paucity of fruit. The usual 

 method of carrying it out is to cut a trench round the tree at a 

 suitable distance from the stem, and as deep as the roots ,go. All 

 the roots as they are found are cleanly cut, and if a long tap-root 



