28 THE OECHARD AND FRTJIT GAKDEIs". 



Figs bear on one-year old wood, which must not be 

 shortened, as the fruit comes on the ends ; but the tree 

 should be judiciously thinned out in its non-active sea- 

 son, and superfluous thickness may be prevented by 

 disbudding, i. e.^ by rubbing off leaf- buds wherever they 

 are too thick. 



Pilberts produce on one-year old wood, and the pruner 

 must use his knife to encourage its production by 

 shortening back robust sprays, to make them throw out 

 laterally, and this may be done early in February, when 

 the blossom shows, and cutting it away can be avoided. 



One main object to be kept in view in pruning is to 

 let in air and light abundantly to the fruit in summer, 

 and to all the branches and to the heart of the tree at 

 all seasons. Winter pruning should not be done so 

 early that the tree will shoot again, but in trees that 

 produce from spurs it may, under particular circum- 

 stances, take place before vegetation ceases, when the 

 impetus given to the shortened branch will cause spurs 

 to form. In every branch pruned consider the future, 

 as in every tree that is cut i, peculiar circumstances will 

 occur which can only be judged of on the spot, and at 

 the time. Practice nnd observation patiently carried 

 on can alone effect skill in pruning fruit trees. 



The knife for pruning should be sharp and clean, to 

 make a neat, clean cut, which as a general rule should 

 be on a slant, in woody stems, that the rain may run off. 

 All dead branches should be neatly removed, and for 

 this purpose a saw will often be required. "When the 

 branch is partly sawed through from the upper surface, 

 make a cut with the saw a short distance, to meet the 

 first, from the under side, and when the branch is nearly 

 sawed through, let it be held or tied with care, to sup- 

 port its weight, and to prevent a splintering breakage at 

 last. A splintered break in sawing a tree is a great 

 eyesore, besides being injurious to the tree in letting 

 moisture sop into the wood. 



It is often the fate of cultivators to have to take in 

 hand and make the best of gardens of long standing, 

 full of moss-grown, ill-used, cumbrous old trees, crowded { 



