AND CITY BEAUTIFUL 
83 
surfaces should be well covered with grafting wax to pre¬ 
vent evaporation. Let the wax cover the ruptured bark 
below where the scion is inserted as well as the top of the 
cut. The second season, one of the branches should be 
removed if both scions grow. When the stub is one inch 
or less across, but one scion should be inserted. If both 
were allowed to grow, a fork would be formed which would 
weaken the tree. The scions should be wrapped in moist 
cloths to prevent them from drying out. Cleft grafting is 
successfully done only in the spring, when buds are swell¬ 
ing. It is most successful on bright, warm days, free from 
cold or drying winds. For transplanting see Chapter VI. 
PRUNING. 
Pruning is often the most neglected part of the work 
about the home. It is very simple if one will only take 
some pains to learn how to prune correctly. Some butcher 
their trees and shrubs while others allow them to grow 
entirely to brush. When well done, pruning is the act of 
removing a part of the plant that the remainder may bet¬ 
ter serve our purpose. It is practiced for four results, 
each requiring a slightly different method. They are: 1, 
To change the form—Formative pruning. 2, To stimulate 
development, growth, fruit, flowers, etc.—Stimulative 
pruning. 3, To prevent some impending evil as a disease, 
dead or dying members—Protective pruning. 4, To 
hasten or retard maturity—Maturative pruning. The 
best time to prune is directly after blooming or toward the 
end of the dormant period, March in New England; Janu¬ 
ary and February, south; are good months. It is better 
not to have large cut surfaces exposed to drying winter 
winds. They should be painted or covered with grafting 
wax. The worst time to prune is when the wounds bleed 
in spring or in the fall. Early flowering shrubs should 
be pruned after blooming. 
TREES 
Dead or dying branches should be removed at any 
time. Always cut back to living wood. Twining or cross- 
