1849. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
369 
mentioned) sometimes approach very near one pa¬ 
rent or the other, but this result is not exhibited in 
the fruit which is the immediate result of the cros¬ 
sing, but only in the tree which grows from its seed. 
Otherwise, perhaps the above would not be so sin¬ 
gular an occurrence. It will be observed that it is 
totally different from the impossible change which 
is sometimes claimed of one plant to another of a 
different species or even different genus. 
Trimming Ornamental Trees. 
Those who, with most praiseworthy enterprise, 
labor to embellish the country, as well as their own 
residences, by planting, very frequently commit a 
serious error in attemptiug to improve the natural 
forms of ornamental trees. Instead of pruning 
merely for the purpose of correcting a bad form of 
the heads without interfering with the varied grace 
of its outline, they copy as their models the prac¬ 
tice of the farmer, who trims up his apple trees 
that he may plow beneath them, or of the herd of 
cattle, which strip off all the lower shoots to grati¬ 
fy their love of browsing. Fine specimens of elms 
and maples are sometimes seen in the natural land¬ 
scape, whose stems have been rendered leafless by 
the animals which once fed beneath them, or whose 
lower branches have been smothered and destroyed 
by the shading influence of the surrounding forests 
where they formerly stood. These specimens are 
copied by the planter, without reflecting how much 
finer would be their appearance if they formed one 
mass of luxuriant foliage nearly down to the surface 
of the earth. In short, the practice has become 
quite common to trim up trees to a tall naked stem, 
merely because others have done it. 
We have endeavored, in the annexed simple fig¬ 
ures, to exhibit this error, and to show the superi¬ 
ority of low and fully developed forms, where (c) 
represents trees as true taste would form them, and 
( d ) the too common style of sending up naked poles. 
Ornamental grounds are sometimes so thickly set 
with trees, that the eye can find no avenue for dis¬ 
tant objects • and to remedy this inconvenience, the 
whole of them are suffered to stand, but a general 
slashing is made among the lower branches, and a 
vista is opened in various directions among the nu¬ 
merous tail and denuded stems. Incomparably bet¬ 
ter would be the appearance of such trees as in (c) 
with intervening lawns, through which the best dis¬ 
tant views might be obtained. 
The stems of trees or of tall shrubs are some¬ 
times trimmed below, to admit the cultivation of 
smaller shrubs or herbaceous plants. A much finer 
effect is obtained by placing the smallest plants near 
the walk, to be succeeded by the taller species, as 
they gradually recede from it, the back ground being 
occupied by trees. The whole thus forms a rich 
mass of varied foliage, and when skilfully disposed, 
produces a magnificent effect. 
Trees of regular or stiff outline, are made still 
more stiff and meagre by a naked stem, (/,) for 
this reason, such present a finer appearance when 
the lower branches rest directly upon the surface of 
the ground (e). But trees of a drooping habit, as 
the weeping willow, without a distinct and vi¬ 
sible trunk, would be too straggling in growth. 
Hence, even the European Larch, ( g ) which al¬ 
though possessing a spiry or regular conical form, 
has quite drooping, smaller branches, may with 
great propriety, be allowed a short visible stem. 
For these reasons, no kinds of roses should be 
propagated as tree roses , except those of a droop¬ 
ing habit. 
Trimming Apple Orchards. 
Farmers who own large orchards, usually find it 
convenient to prune during the mild weather of 
winter. There are few but have discovered that 
good and fair fruit is better grown, when the head 
of the tree is thinned enough to allow all parts a 
full chance. Small, smothered leaves, within a 
dense mass of brush, can never furnish a good sup¬ 
ply of materials to the swelling fruit. Hence, even¬ 
ly distributed and thrifty shoots, forming a well ba¬ 
lanced and handsome head, must be the aim of eve¬ 
ry orchardist. 
Many discover, after years of neglect, that 
their trees have become dense, matted, and 
scrubby; and to remedy the defect, the saw 
and axe are unsparingly applied, and large 
limbs are at once lopped, and the trees left 
naked and disfigured. The wounds, being 
large, must be covered with a water-proof 
composition, and a long time is required for 
their healing. 
A better way is to begin early, while the 
trees are yet comparatively young, and on the 
I, first appearance of crooked and thick-grow- 
j; ing shoots, to cut them out with a knife or 
chisel. This, if repeated each winter where 
j it appears to be needed, will preserve the 
I trees in good form and condition, so far as 
pruning is concerned. Even where the trees 
have become old and need much pruning, it 
I is decidedly better to accomplish the desired 
thinning gradually in successive years, by a 
sparing and evenly distributed pruning, than 
to cut in heavily at once. In all instances, 
the cutting of very large limbs should be, if 
| practicable, avoided. 
Some of the best orchardists in the country 
never allow a heavier tool to be used in their 
orchards than the knife and chisel. The lat¬ 
ter, for cutting expeditiously such branches 
as may be at a considerable height from the 
I ground, avoiding at the same time the trouble 
fj of handling ladders, and the bruises and inju- 
^5 ries to the bark, caused by ascending the 
98 tree, may be placed on the end of a pole (fig. 
98,) a blow of a mallet at the lower end of which, 
will quickly separate closely and smoothly to the 
tree, any limb an inch and a-half in diameter. 
While the importance of pruning is not to be for¬ 
gotten, the indispensible necessity of manuring and 
rich and clean cultivation must be constantly borne 
in mind. A fertile soil and vigorous growth may 
to a great extent compensate for other neglect; but 
