294. Pruning a neglected Spiraea 

 Van Houttei, The old wood was not cut 

 out after flowering, as the feathery effect 

 in summer and winter was wanted 



295. Thin slender lower growths 

 after removing old wood: cut bacK 

 slightly all shoots left. This lessens 

 quantity of bloom but improves quality 



296. All the old wood cut away, 

 nothing but the new growth left. Next 

 year most of the wood now in picture 

 will be removed 



297. More than half the plant was 

 cut out. Some small shoots of flower- 

 ing wood were sacrificed, but on those 

 left there will be better flowers 



Prune Your Own Shrubs— By Leonard Barron ?s 



PRUNE EVERY SHRUB AS SOON AS IT IS THROUGH FLOWERING — WHY EVERY ONE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THIS 

 SUBJECT— THOUSANDS OF BEAUTIFUL BUSHES RUINED BY IGNORANT LABORERS WHO CALL THEMSELVES "EXPERTS" 



Photographs by Henry Troth 



THE flowering shrubs which have already 

 bloomed should be pruned now. Most 

 people who spoil the flowering shrubs, do so 

 because they prune them at the wrong time 

 of the year. The expert gardener who 

 really knows what he wants, and how to 

 attain it, can prune at any time of the year, 

 but for the inexperienced amateur it is wise 



298. Always bend down as far as is safe and 

 convenient any good-sized shoot or branch that is 

 to be cut through. Place the cutting edge on the upper 

 or outside curve. The natural spring of the wood (o 

 regain its normal position helps the Knife wonderfully 



to follow this safe rule — prune after flower- 

 ing. This is stating the idea in the shortest 

 terms, and in practice is the same as the 

 rule commonly given, viz., to prune spring- 

 flowering shrubs in the early summer, and 

 the late flowering kinds, like the hydrangea, 

 in the winter. 



Pruning is done for these definite objects: 

 first, to keep the bushes in proper shape; 



secondly, to keep them within bounds; thirdly, 

 to insure an abundance of bloom next year. 

 These three objects can be attained at the 

 same time, but generally the third feature 

 is sacrificed to the other two. The broad 

 principle to observe is to remove all branches 

 which have flowered. This causes other 

 buds to push out and new wood is made for 

 the next crop of flowers. All dead wood or 

 overcrowded branches will of course be 

 removed in the ordinary course of events. 



All the common or popular spring-bloom- 

 ing shrubs flower from buds made on the 

 shoots of the previous year they have the 





299. 

 show of 



Pruning HyJrangea paniatlata for the largest 

 bloom. As it flowers in the fall, prune 



in winter or spring before growth starts. Cut bacK 



severely for abundance of bloom 



flowering is done, room is made for a full 

 growth of the new shoot which will flower 

 next season. These shoots are strengthened 

 by this exposure to plenty of light and air, 

 and are in every way better. Moreover, the 

 amateur can see just what he is doing. 



The expert horticulturist who can tell the 

 old wood from the new, will prune in winter 

 or early spring, and be quite successful, and 

 he will get a more profuse blooming. 



PRUNING FOR BLOOM 



There is no great difficulty about the prun- 

 ing of flowering shrubs so as to have the 

 greatest show of bloom next year. The 

 reason why some flowering shrubs fail to 

 produce flowers in profusion is, that they are 

 all cut off by the well meaning but unintelli- 

 gent way in which the average man cuts into 



buds all ready to develop as soon as there is 



sufficient warmth. Bv pruning as soon as 



225 



300. Pruning a deuizia. The "stool" after prun- 

 ing. Only strong new wood left. In this style of 

 pruning a few stubs may be left. The extra trouble 

 of getting lower is noi repaid in practical results 



