240 Principles of Plant Culture. 
423. Pruning for Slenderness is seldom necessary, as 
a slender growth may readily be produced by close planting. 
It is accomplished by persist- 
ently removing or cutting back 
the lower branches, and per- 
mitting only a few to develop 
near the terminus of the stem. 
424, Pruning for Density 5. sg ere 
applies either to increasing or cane not pruned. 
decreasing the density of the head. In orna- 
mental- and shade trees, a compact head is often desir- 
able, while in fruit trees, a head that admits abundant 
light and air (Fig. 162) is important (243). To increase 
density, encourage lateral branching by pinching all 
the more prominent, terminal growing points (Fig. 
160). In some couiferous trees, as the Norway spruce,* 
disbudding of the terminal shoots (Fig. 159) in spring 
is advisable, and in woody plants too tall for pinching, the 
more prominent terminal 
growing points may be cut 
back with the pole shears 
=== (431), which causes the head 
ve hi ly to grow more dense. 
il i In pruning to form an 
F16. 159. Showing how to disbud shoots open head (Fig. 162), it is 
of seme coniermun treme Menge ie wiser, as a rule, to thin out 
both the adjacent lateral buds to develop. the smaller branches at some 
distance from the trunk than to remove large branches at 
their union with the trunk. 
425. Pruning for Strength. a—of the Trunk. Trees 
and plants grown in closely-planted nursery rows often have 
* Abies excelsa. 
