PRUNING. 



253 



When once this has started, the decadence of 

 the tree has commenced, for moisture enters 

 the opening, and fungi and decay attack the 

 very heart of the tree. It follows, therefore, 

 that in the priming of trees the predominance 

 of the lead should be maintained by shortening 

 back all rivals as long as the tree is under 

 control. That is the first consideration. If 

 the proper lead has been destroyed or broken it 

 should be replaced by tying up the nearest and 

 most suitable lateral to form a new leader, or 

 by shortening back the top of the tree to a 

 whorl of branches and waiting for a new lead 

 to grow. The latter method is best for many 

 Conifers. 



But even when a proper lead has been 

 secured, some trees, owing to adverse influ- 

 ences of soil or climate, seem more inclined 

 to keep low and spreading than to develop 

 into tall, stately specimens. It then becomes 

 necessary to shorten back the side branches, 

 and probably to entirely remove some of them, 

 so that the vigour of the tree is directed into 

 the lead. This should, if possible, be done 

 whilst the tree is young, for when the foun- 

 dation of a clean, straight trunk has been laid 

 at that stage, and a well-defined lead obtained, 

 little further attention is necessary. It is sur- 

 prising how even old trees will respond to the 

 same treatment. We have seen Oaks which, 

 having become stunted and full of twiggy 

 growth, had to all appearance reached their 

 full height, increase their stature by several 

 feet in a few years under the stimulus of 

 judicious pruning. 



The proper shape for a young tree of the 

 common type of growth is that of a rather 

 narrow pyramid. As the tree gets larger, the 

 diameter of the tree increases in proportion to 

 the height. Finally, when the main stem shows 

 promise of maintaining its ascendency until the 

 natural height of the species is reached, the 

 tree may be left to develop itself. Figs. 321 

 and 322 show two trees, one of which has been 

 neglected, the other having been attended to 

 whilst young. 



In a state of nature the lower branches of 

 round-headed trees, such as the Oak and Beech, 

 mostly die and fall away as the tree increases 

 in height. Under cultivation it is a good plan 

 to anticipate Nature and to remove them with 

 knife or saw. This prevents the formation of 

 ugly dangerous snags on the trunk. As a rule 

 the bare portion of a trunk should be about 

 one-third of the entire height of the tree. 

 This, however, is a matter that depends on the 



character of the species and on the form of tree 

 desired; nor need it preclude those charming 

 effects in gardens where the branches of trees 

 are allowed to rest on the ground. It should 

 be borne in mind that whilst pruning enables 

 the cultivator to promote the development of 

 wood where it is most needed, and to prevent 



Fig. 322.— Example of Young Tree kept in shape by pruning. 



the formation of useless and unsightly branches, 

 the building up of all woody parts is directly 

 dependent on the amount of leaf surface. A 

 weak, lanky growth, unable to support itself 

 without staking, may result from too hasty a 

 removal of the lower branches or a too severe 

 thinning of the heads of young trees. 



When a branch, more especially a large one, 

 has to be removed it should be done in such a 

 way as will ensure the quick healing over of 

 the wound, which in the meantime must be 

 shielded from the attacks of fungoid and other 

 diseases. The thing especially to avoid when 

 amputating large branches — or, indeed, small 

 ones— is the leaving of stumps several inches 

 long. It has been argued that it is wise to 



