PRUNING. 



169 



When a tree has, by any accident, lost its leader, 

 a circumstance that frequently happens, we must 

 single out one of the most upright of the branches 

 to supply its place, and proceed in thinning out the 

 rest precisely as is directed above. 



In removing a branch, we should cut as close to 

 the stem as can be done without ruffling the bark. 

 Some writers recommend a snag of an inch or two long 

 to be left as a means to prevent bleeding. But such 

 snags are absolutely of no use for this purpose ; and 

 when they rot and fall off, they are apt to leave holes 

 which are not only very unsightly, but extremely 

 prejudicial to the wood, being sometimes instru- 

 mental in introducing rottenness to the inmost core 

 of the tree. When we cut close and smoothly, 

 without leaving any stump, the bark soon covers the 

 wound, and leaves no more vestige of it than if it 

 had never existed. 



The proper instruments for pruning are knives 

 of various sizes, a chisel with a long handle, to ena- 

 ble the operator to reach high branches, and the 

 saw. These instruments should always be kept 

 sharp and in good order ; but the last mentioned 

 should only be used for branches that are too large 

 to be cut by either of the other two. On no pre- 

 tence whatever should bills and axes be employed. 



