126 
and they are inserted directly the sap is in full flow and the bark 
easily lifted from the wood. 
Whichever method of budding the vine is used, it is desirable 
to fasten the tender young shoots to a stake as they grow in length, 
as they are very easily disjointed when young. 
See New Methods of Grafting and Budding.—Dubois and Wilkinson, p. 12. 
PRUNING. 
Several objects are aimed at when pruning. It helps to control 
the growth of the plant and train it in such a way that the opera~ 
tions of cultivation, of treating and dressing the trees and vines 
whenever required, and of gathering the fruit, are made easier and 
less costly. It equalises the wood and fruit production of the tree, 
checking the one to favour the other if need be, suppressing rank 
growth of the boughs, or limiting the productiveness of the plant in 
such a way that the quality is not affected by the excessive quantity 
of the fruit crop. Pruning aims at producing on the smallest area 
of a growing plant the largest amount of marketable fruit. 
It checks the growth of suckers, water sprouts, and unsightly 
knobs and enlargements along the stem and branches; it tends to 
keep the plant in a thriving’ and healthy condition, promoting the 
growth of luxuriant foliage which tend to shelter the fruit and 
limbs from sunburn. 
PRUNING OUTFIT. 
The tools required for pruning are few, but it is essential that 
they should be of the best quality and of a type suitable for the 
work to be done. It is also essential that they should be kept in 
good order, sharp and smooth, as a jagged or blunt blade will inflict 
upon the wood bruises and injuries which will either cause the sap 
to sour and the limb to die back or will delay the healing of the 
wound, and thus leave a door open to the entrance of the fungi of 
eanker and other moulds productive of rot and decay. 
Secateurs, or pruning shears, are easier to handle than the 
priming knife. They do the work quickly, neatly, and without 
giving a jerk to the branches of trees and vines as does the pruning 
knife. 
The plate illustration represents Rieser’s Secateur, which ean 
be procured in Perth. It is sold with a duplicate blade, made of 
