262 PRUNING. 



proportionally, the sap has less superficies to cover 

 than when they are allowed to extend to an improper 

 length and thickness ; in consequence, there is a 

 greater supply for every part of the tree. 



" The branches which are shortened always remain 

 slender, by reason of the small superficies of the 

 branch ; and the rapidity with which the sap moves, 

 very little of it is retained by the branch, and, of 

 course, nearly the whole is deposited in the body of 

 the tree. This truth, with the fact that the foliage 

 remains nearly a month longer on the trees so short- 

 ened than on others, accounts for the wonderful rapid- 

 ity of growth effected by this method of pruning. The 

 smallness of the branches is of advantage likewise 

 when it is necessary to prune close to the stem, as the 

 wound made by that operation is proportionally small, 

 and may be expected to cicatrise in the course of three 

 years. 



" It may be worth remarking that, if the branches 

 are properly shortened, trees never become what is 

 termed hide - bound. Even mismanaged trees, on 

 which a dryness of bark has occurred, may be brought 

 to a proper condition in the course of three seasons. 

 In cases of this kind, the distance from the body at 

 which the branches are amputated must be regulated 

 by the size of the tree — the larger the tree the greater 

 the distance. 



" It has been found, experimentally, that trees un- 

 der 18 feet in height and 15 inches in circumference, 

 advance, taken averagely, as much both in height and 

 circumference in six years, if the branches are properly 

 shortened, as they do in fifteen, if these are not short- 

 ened, or are improperly pruned. The more trees are 

 pruned close up to the stem before they are 18 feet 



