6 ELLWANGER & BARRY'S CATALOGUE. 



has a habit of growth peculiar to itself, and this very peculiarity is one of its beauties. 

 If we prune all trees into regular shapes we destroy their identity. The pruning 

 knife, therefore, should be used to assist nature, and handled with judgment and care; 

 to lop off straggling branches, to thin the head of a tree which has become too dense, 

 and to remove dead wood. Sometimes it becomes necessary to prune severely to keep 

 a tree from attaining too great size. 



Shearing" may be practiced on hedges, but never on trees or shrubs. 



PRUNING SHRUBS. 



Many persons trim and shear them into regular shapes, imagining that regular out- 

 line adds to their effect and beauty. While symmetry and regularity of form are to be 

 admired in a shrub, this quality should never be gained at the expense of health and 

 natural grace. Each shrub has peculiarities of habit and foliage, and we should aim 

 to preserve them as far as possible. Judicious pruning to secure health and vigor is 

 necessary ; but trimming all kinds of shrubs into one form shows a lack of appreciation 

 for natural beauty, to say the least. Weigelas, Deutzias, Forsythias and Mock Orange 

 flower on the wood of the preceding year's growth, hence these shrubs should not be 

 pruned in winter or spring, but in June, after they have finished flowering, when the 

 old wood should be shortened or cut out, thus promoting the growth of the young wood 

 which is to flower the following season. 



Spirseas, Lilacs, AItha?as and Honeysuckles may be trimmed during the winter or 

 early in spring, but the branches should only be reduced enough to keep them in good 

 shape. The old growth should occasionally be thinned out and the suckers and root 

 sprouts removed when they appear. The best time, however, for pruning all shrubs is 

 when they have done flowering. The Plumed Hydrangea should be severely cut back 

 and thinned early in spring. 



PRUNING EVERGREENS. 



Use the knife occasionally to thicken the growth and preserve the shape. This can 

 be done in April or May, just before the trees start to grow. 



