THE PREMATURE LATERAL. 



101 



is the medullary canal, composed of the primitive 

 cellular tissue enclosed within the wall-like form- 

 ation of the vascular tissue, c, c ; d is the inner 

 epidermis of the green shoot, through which the 

 cambium descends ; and e is the thin outer epider- 

 mis not yet become hard. The ligneous formation 

 is seen between d and c ; and f represents the 

 blank portion of the premature lateral. 



The method here described may be tried with 

 advantage in certain cases, care being taken not to 

 pierce beyond the point indicated. 



I have thus endeavoured to point out how to 

 recognise the character of a lateral which seems 

 likely to become gross, and shown when and liow 

 to arrest its progress. In the next instance a re* 

 medy has been pointed out, in the case of a lateral 

 having been neglected or overlooked. It remains, 

 then, only to describe the treatment of such laterals 

 as are of fair growth and promise. In the case of 

 maiden or young trees it is good practice not to 

 check their growth, but only to direct it a little. 

 We shall, however, suppose the tree to be some- 

 what established and formed. In this case the 

 laterals on the summer extensions may be stopped 

 to 6 inches to strengthen the buds at the base, of 

 which, at the winter pruning, there will be left 

 only two good buds. When these have pushed in 

 the following year, in order to induce them to be 



