THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRUNING 



37 



and they all obtain a definite maturity of size and shape. 

 But a branch never attains its full size until it ceases to 

 grow and thereby begins to die. Branches are not or- 

 gans, but competing individuals. 



If all these statements are true, then three conclusions 

 follow : a, there is struggle for existence among the 

 branches of a tree (Fig. 

 25), and some of the 

 contestants perish ; b, 

 the destruction of these 

 .branches must conduce 

 to the betterment of the 

 remaining ones ; c, all 

 the branches of a tree 

 are not necessary to it, 

 but some of them may 

 be a detriment to it. Iii 

 other words, pruning is 

 a necessity. 



40. An instance from 

 nature. — 1 wo years ago 

 a wild, black cherry 

 tree came up near my 

 door.* 



The first year, it sent 

 up a single straight 19- 

 inch shoot, which pro- 

 duced 27 buds and one 

 branchlet 8 inches long. 

 This branchlet bore 12 buds. At the end of the first sea- 

 son, therefore, the little tree had produced a total of 39 

 buds, one branchlet and 27 inches of growth. The second 

 }ear, 19 of these 39 buds produced branches, and 20 did 

 not start. These 19 branches made a total growth of 231 



FIG. 25— WHITE PINE PI.ANTATION, 



BEFORE THINNING 

 Note how branches have died from lack 

 of light. Compare with Fig. 26. 



* The reader will Fnd it interestin-^ to ^tudy some little seedling tree in the way 

 the tree here discussed has been studied. 



