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LEAST COST! 



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'■r.K 



IN THE Northern States all growth in trees 

 and shrubs appears to stop about the middle 

 of August. The pear and apple trees no longer 



increase in height. Every growing shoot is 

 tipped at the end by a round pointed bud called the 

 "terminal bud," and, while the garden is full of 

 plants that seem to be growing rapidly, the trees 

 already feel the approach of winter. This month 

 is the ripening month, and the soft, succulent, 

 green growth now "ripens" and turns to wood. In 

 the more southern states this ripening period may 

 be delayed, yet it as surely comes even in iate mid- 

 summer. If there are pear, cherry, apple or other 

 trees in the home lot, look at them carefully, and it 

 will be found that every young twig is capped by its 

 terminal bud, and already the green shoots change 

 color and grow hard and woody. This change be- 

 gins at the lower end of the shoots, and extends up- 

 ward till all the stem is dark, hard and stiff. The 

 buds at the sides of the shoot are covered with 

 hard shiny scales, the leaf stems turn yellow, the 

 leaves themselves change color and already begin 

 to fall. 



The grand procession of the seasons is passing 

 before us. We see now, from day to day, the 

 preparation for the long sleep and rest of winter. 

 The fruit trees, the grapes, the currants and the 

 blackberries and raspberries ripen their wood, and 

 the sap in their veins flows slower and slower, and 

 finally, within the next six weeks, seems to stop 

 completely. 



If a stem or cane of a grape vine is cut in the 

 spring or early summer there is a free flow of sap 

 from the cut made in the cane. The plant "bleeds'' 

 and loses a part of its very life blood and is greatly 

 injured. If the cut is severe it may soon die. 

 When in the middle of August the growth ceases 

 the flow of sap diminishes, and by this time, or 

 when the wood is ripening, has nearly stopped. 

 When all the wood is brown and hard the vines 

 may be cut anywhere and the stem will remain dry 

 and unharmed. Here is the key to the home lot 

 work for this month. We can now cut, trim and 

 shape our trees, bushes and vines. Now is the 

 time to replant and rearrange the home lot both to 



make room for new plants and to arrange the old 

 ones to the best advantage. We may start first 

 with 



THE CURRANT, 



Because it is the first thing to complete its growth 

 and drop its leaves. If your currant bushes are 

 young and small the matter is easy and hopeful. 

 If they are very old, of irregular shape, perhaps 

 matted with grass and weeds that have grown up 

 between the stems, the work is less encouraging. 

 A yearling bush (growth of one season) has only 

 one straight stem, say two feet long, with lateral 

 buds at the sides and a terminal bud at the top. 

 Now if you cut off (use a sharp knife and cut with 

 an upward stroke close above a bud) six inches from 

 the top, it is plain the last bud left takes the place 

 of the terminal bud, and the new shoot that will 

 next year grow out of this bud will form the top or 

 leading shoot of the bush. The top bud always 

 makes the strongest and most vigorous shoot. In 

 the currant from three to six of the buds send out 

 shoots in a group or crown about the terminal 

 shoot. In this way the head or bush is formed, 

 and it is plain that wherever you cut this stem now, 

 there the future head or bush will be formed. A 

 short cut, or none at all, will, next year and ever 

 after, give a high bush or a tall stem. Cut the 

 stem shorter and you will have a shorter bush, 

 placed nearer to the ground, and of a more com- 

 pact or closer shape. This is the key to this entire 

 art of 



TRIMMING OR TR.AINING SHRUBS AND TREES 



by pruning. Leave the first stem of a young tree or 

 bush untouched and next year the terminal bud and 

 the half dozen buds close below it will grow, forming 

 new shoots or branches. This head or group of 

 branches will be at the top of the stem, and all the 

 buds below it will fail to make shoots and will pro- 

 duce only leaves. Thus with the knife you may 

 control now the future shape of the bush or tree. 

 In future years all growth in trees is controlled in 

 precisely the same way. Leave the ripened shoots 

 of this year untouched and next year's growth will 

 be long, straggling and probably misshapen. Ever 

 after, the tree will keep the habit you now impress 



