180 STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



principles. Instead of the pruner being able to control the 

 tree, it will be found that the tree is master of the situation, 

 growing its own way without proper foundation. The lemon 

 tree is either a most tractable or the most obstinate of servants, 

 but the choice rests with the intelligence of its master. The 

 great object in view is to grow lemons for "profit," which must 

 be progressive as the age and strength of the tree advance, 

 always with due regard to its future life and well-being. The 

 method is based on well-formulated physiological principles, of 

 which the following are the most important: 



(a) A tree is most profitable when the flow of sap is evenly 

 distributed over all its surface, each branch maintained prop- 

 erly covered with elaborated growth all along from its base 

 extending outward in methodical form; and when it is held 

 under absolute control so that the root shall always be capable 

 of feeding the whole top, which is kept within easy reach from 

 the ground. 



(b) The sap circulates faster through a shoot running 

 straight up in the air than through a branch going out in a 

 lateral direction. 



(c) There is little or no elaboration along the length of a 

 straight shoot until the top is reached. 



(d) There is a larger amount of elaboration along a branch 

 in proportion as it goes out in a lateral direction. 



(«) There can be no fruitfulness without elaboration; there- 

 fore, 



(/) A lateral branch is more fruitful than an upright one. 



{g) If a young, vigorous shoot (commonly called a sucker) 

 running straight up is allowed to persist on a branch, it will 

 draw most of the sap and tend to starve the other growth below. 



(/t) A branch may be built slightly crooked and strong in 

 short sections made up of wood of different ages, and so pruned 

 that a rush of sap never being permitted it is forced to elaborate 

 a lot of small fruiting growth all along its length. 



(i) Fruitfulness and excellence are the results of a slow but 

 steady circulation. 



(j) An over-accelerated circulation tends to foster unneces- 

 sarily vigorous or rank wood formation. 



{k) A tree must never be permitted at the top to .outgrow its 

 root system, but allowed only sufficient wood formation to keep 



