410 
FAMILIAR LESSONS ON PRACTICAL GARDENING. 
of health and vigour, if the roots and stems 
are healthy. Pruning with a view to effect 
modification of form, must be varied accord- 
ing to the circumstances : any form may be 
imparted to a plant, if the pruning is com- 
menced early, and followed up perseveringly. 
It is exceedingly important to know how 
to make the cut in pruning, although this is 
a point not often thought about by the unini- 
tiated, who are apt to consider that it is more 
important to know where to cut than how to 
cut ; the knowledge of both is, however, essen- 
tial. No matter what the subject may be, 
the cut should be made just above a bud, and 
in the case of plants which produce some 
buds that expand only leaves, and others that 
expand flowers, it is essential to cut just above 
a leaf-bud. When a plant produces these two 
kinds of buds, the leaf-bud may be known 
from the blossom-bud by its form ; the latter 
being always of a rounder, blunter figure than 
the former, which is more elongated and 
pointed. The cut should be made at about 
an angle of forty-five degrees, commencing at 
the back of the bud, and coming out on the 
other side just above the bud ; when cut thus, 
the wound is rapidly covered with new wood 
as soon as the bud pushes, and. consequently 
soon heals. This cut is shown in the sketch 
at a. The other figures, b to f, represent 
different modes of making the cut, which are 
all more or less objectionable, and not at all un- 
common ; they will be sufficiently understood 
without description, and the difference between 
each of tkem, and the proper way of making 
the cut (as at a), will at once be seen. 
Pruning should not be deferred entirely 
till the season of rest. During the growing 
period, while the young shoots are forming, 
they should be thinned according to the prin- 
ciple by which the pruning of each kind of 
tree is regulated ; those which remain are 
then more fully exposed to light and air, and 
not only acquire greater strength, but are more 
perfectly ripened — a matter of the highest 
importance, especially in plants which are 
cultivated either for their blossoms or their 
fruit. This thinning very much lightens the 
labour of regular pruning : it should be done 
— not too suddenly and severely, but gradually 
and moderately — while the shoots are still 
young and succulent, so as to be easily 
pinched off by the thumb-nail. It would be 
well if all pruning could be performed at this 
stage of development ; much useless expen- 
diture of energy would be avoided, and much 
would be gained by directing the develop- 
ment of the plants into a proper channel at 
the first. The young shoots must not be 
roughly torn off the branches ; if they are a 
little too woody to be easily separated with 
the thumb-nail, it is better to use a knife. 
ROOT PRUNING. 
This operation is, in practice, especially 
applicable to fruit trees. The growth of a 
tree depends on the quantity or quality of 
the food absorbed by its roots from the soil. 
If the food is abundant or rich, vigorous 
growth follows, and vigour and strength are 
essential to the production of good fruit ; but 
then vigorous growth has a constant tendency 
towards barrenness, particularly in cold 
climates. In dry hot climates another agent 
is at work : the growth becomes well ripened. 
It is to check the barren vigour just alluded 
to, and at the same time to allow the application 
of a sufficiency of rich food to maintain the 
strength of the tree, and enable it to bring 
good fruit to perfection, that root pruning is 
resorted to. The same end of producing 
fruitfulness would be secured by planting in 
poorer soil, but then the general vigour of the 
tree would not be so well maintained, and it 
would not have strength to mature large crops 
of good fruit. Moderately rich soils, it must 
be remembered, are much better for fruit trees 
than those which are very highly charged 
with manure, being more conducive to per- 
manent health and vigour ; either of the ex- 
tremes of rich or poor are alike objectionable. 
Root pruning is not therefore to be adopted as 
an excuse for planting in such as are over- 
charged with rich manure. 
But root pruning has also another effect ; 
it induces early fruitfulness and maturity, and 
prevents the trees from attaining a large size. 
The mode of procedure is this : — After a young 
tree has been two years planted, a trench is 
opened at about a foot from the stem, and 
eighteen inches deep, either half way or en- 
tirely around it ; all the roots which are thus 
exposed are severed, the cut being made with 
a sharp knife, from below upwards. If a 
young tree, and the soil is good, it is merely 
returned again, and the check thus given is 
sufficient to cause the production of fruit-buds 
generally all over the tree. If the tree is 
older, and the soil is exhausted, a portion of 
fresh soil is applied as a refreshment to the 
plant. All roots that strike downright should 
on these occasions be at once cut off, by 
thrusting a sharp spade underneath the tree, 
