OS PRUNING. 



high, tne side-shoots of this stem must be pruned off neither 

 too soon nor too late. If too soon, the trees become slender, 

 top-heavy, and bendover and assume a crooked form. If 

 too long neglected, they then become low, bushy, and much 

 of the vigor of the tree is uselessly expended in producing 

 what has to be cut off and thrown away. Instead, therefore, 

 of pruning off the side-shoots closely and at once, it is better 

 to remove only a very few of the larger ones at the bottom, 

 and pinch off the ends of all the rest, which directs the sap 

 into the leading shoot, and the tree thus advances more 

 rapidly in height, at the same time enough is left to form 

 wood on the stem and stiffen it, and to furnish stout well 

 proportioned trees. These stumps are all afterwards pruned 

 closely. Sometimes a side-shoot will be disproportionately 

 large, in which case it should be cut off closely at once, 

 before it makes a crooked stem, and renders a large wound 

 necessary in its removal. 



By treatment similar to this, any form may be given to a 

 tree ; for as the sap. tends naturally to all parts of the tree, 

 and more strongly to the growing points or summits, by 

 pinching off or cutting back any part, we throw the sap and 

 vigor of the tree into the rest. If" we wish to alter the form 

 of the tree but slightly, shortening the tips of the shoots will 

 be sufficient ; but if a decided change is wanted, the shoots 

 must be freely cut back or wholly removed. 



An even, well-balanced, and properly thinned head for 

 standards, may be obtained by an early application of the 

 preceding rules ; varying their adaptation to the peculiar 

 form of growth of each variety. For example, the Early 

 Strawberry and Northern Spy apples, and the Madeleine 

 and Louise Bonne of Jersey pears, are remarkable for the 

 tendency of their leading shoots to run straight upwards, 

 and it is consequently requisite, in most cases, to cut back 

 the upright leader in order to form open and spreading 

 heads. With other sorts of more diverging growth, the 

 only care needed is to keep the head evenly balanced, and 

 properly thinned. 



The mode of pruning old neglected apple trees, with a 

 view to restoring the vigor and fruitfulness of the trees, is 

 more particularly pointed out on page 124—5 ; it may be 

 only necessary here to remark that the chief requisites to 



