38 Preventive System of pruning Fwest Trees. 



planting, and rural life, who much admires and appreciates 

 the system. 



The advantages to be derived from it, if properly under- 

 stood and practised, being incalculable, I will not attempt to 

 describe them, but endeavour, in as concise and clear a man- 

 ner as possible, to explain the mode by which such advan- 

 tages may be derived, and refer those who wish to be more 

 minutely informed on the subject to my work, where every 

 process to obtain such great results are clearly detailed, and 

 at greater length than the present paper will allow. 



First, then, we must begin with the plants in the nursery 

 at an early age, when they have made a few shoots ; some of 

 them will be stronger than others, and two often of nearly an 

 equal size. After the shoots have grown a foot or two, more 

 or less, according to the kind of tree and other circumstances, 

 break out the central or terminal bud ; pinch off part of the 

 last or present year's terminal shoot, or cut it off if it is too old 

 or tough to pinch off with the finger and thumb ; the strongest 

 horizontal side shoots must be shortened, and prevented from 

 extending too far, by the above method ; and the more up- 

 right strong shoots, that are competing with the leader, must be 

 cut in rather shorter, to cause them to throw out more smaller 

 branches, as the strongest and most upright shoot must always 

 be left uncut for the leader to form the stem of the future tree. 

 This work must be followed up through every summer while 

 in the nursery, and after they have been planted out and be- 

 gun to make vigorous shoots ; for summer is the best time to 

 do it : and twice through the summer would be much better, 



*e> 



as some kinds of plants make too vigorous shoots in the growing- 

 season ; first time about June, second time in August or Sep- 

 tember. These are the properest seasons for shortening the 

 branches ; and as it is such easy and delightful employment, 

 and the seasons so pleasant, I do earnestly hope the fair sex 

 will be induced to study and learn the art, when they may 

 spend many a pleasant hour in healthful and really profitable 

 employment, either alone, or with their spouses or brothers, 

 in imitation of our first parents, when in their state of inno- 

 cence in the plantations and gardens of Eden ; how worthy to 

 be imitated ! but I beg pardon, I am digressing from the 

 main subject. 



By following up this system with the plants, from their 

 infancy, we procure numerous small branches with buds and 

 leaves, whereby the trees are supplied with nutriment for their 

 support, and the increase of the stem ; the quality of the timber 

 is improved by the more numerous elongations from the buds 

 of the young shoots and branches that descend longitudinally 



