20 TREES AND SHRUBS 



growth has commenced, or the twining shoots will 

 get into a tangled and unsightly mass. Any growth 

 not required should be cut away in winter. 



Akebia. — "Akebia quinata has flowered here, on an 

 east wall, profusely for the last seventeen years, under 

 the following pruning treatment : Cover the space 

 allotted with the strongest shoots, and when new 

 growth pushes from the eyes or spurs in the spring, 

 do not regulate it, but summer-prune away all super- 

 fluous growth before it gets entangled. It is from 

 ' spurs ' that the flowers are produced, and the more 

 these are kept clear, the more matured they become, 

 and flower correspondingly." — E. M. in The Garden. 



.lEscuLUS (Horse-Chestnut). — The common re- 

 presentative of this requires little or no pruning, but 

 the other species are benefited by a thinning out of 

 misplaced and useless branches in late summer to 

 allow light and air to the centre of the tree. This 

 is especially important to all the ^sculus in a young 

 state. JEsculus parviflora should have a good thin- 

 ning if the branches or suckers become at all thick, 

 cutting all growths not required clean away from the 

 base. 



Amelanchier. — These should be pruned after the 

 flowers are past, the removal of badly-placed and 

 weakly shoots being all that is required. If the 

 plants are becoming too large, they can be shortened 

 back at the same time. 



Amorpha. — If flowers are desired of A. fruticosa 

 it should be kept thinned out, and not be cut back ; 

 but the flowers are not showy, and it is usually kept 



