PRUNING HARDY SHRUBS. 



25 



new wood thrown up from the base may have as long a season as 

 possible and become well ripened. A warm, dry autumn is very 

 beneficial to this class, and productive of abundant bloom the following 

 year. 



Deciduous shrubs grown for the beauty of their coloured stems 

 in winter are becoming deservedly popular, and so far as pruning is 

 concerned, these are in a class by themselves, and it is only by severe 

 pruning that their full beauty can be brought out. 



The pruning of shrubs affords much enjoyment to many amateurs, 

 and is much more than a passing pleasure, for by assisting to build up 

 property developed specimens of rare and beautiful shrubs a lasting 

 monument is created of which one may well feel proud. Nowadays 

 it is no uncommon thing to find many ladies and gentlemen of 

 wealth devoting nearly all their spare time to the cultivation of hardy 

 shrubs and trees ; and some are very much better informed in the art 

 of pruning than many of our so-called practical men, as it is only by 

 close observation that the correct pruning of the large number now 

 under cultivation can be efficiently carried out. 



Every lover of beautiful shrubs who aspires to undertake the 

 pruning of them should be well equipped with a suitable set of tools, 

 and these should always be kept in the best possible condition. There 

 are now many very excellent and easy-cutting tools which can be 

 selected and purchased from most of our leading nurserymen and 

 sundriesmen throughout the country. 



Probably the various kinds of secateurs are amongst the most 

 useful inventions adapted to gardening, but in my opinion, though I 

 may hold conservative views as to this, nothing has yet been invented 

 to surpass a well-sharpened pruning-knife. 



The long-handled tree-pruners, which are made in various lengths, 

 are unquestionably the most sim.ple and useful implements for pruning 

 branches that are out of arm's reach, as they enable one to decide pre- 

 cisely what to cut away and what to leave, so that the plant may 

 assume the desired shape. A pruning-saw is another very necessary tool, 

 as the long, narrow blade can be used on branches where an ordinary 

 hand-saw would be too big and a knife not strong enough. There 

 is now on the market a very handy form of pruning-saw attached 

 to a long wooden handle of lo or 12 feet. The teeth of this saw are 

 set in the opposite direction to that of ordinary hand-saws, and this 

 enables the user to manage the implement with much greater ease 

 than if they were set in the usual manner. 



For stout branches a large hand-saw is essential, and it is an 

 advantage if it be small-toothed, as it will not tear the wood as a coarse- 

 toothed saw does. It should be unnecessary to emphasize the de- 

 sirabiUty of keeping well sharpened all saws used for pruning, for 

 when sharp the work is not only done quicker but also very much 

 better. 



Two or three chisels of different widths should be kept for paring 

 the surface of any branch that has been cut with a saw, for a smooth 



