siderable to affect it materially ; but it is the diversion by the tree of its 
usual and natural functions to the separation of artificial injuries. And 
as soon would I think of cutting off the shanks, and tail, and horns of an 
ox, in the midst of feeding for the beef market, that “all the stock of or- 
ganizable matter be directed to the parts that remain,” as of lopping off 
the superfluous branches of a tree, at this season, with a like expec¬ 
tation. 
Prune them at the season of the year when your tree has no active 
duties on hand, and although the healing of the wounds may be less 
rapid, no shock will be produced, no sap will be lost, nor valuable time 
consumed. Prune at any time from the falling of the leaf in autumn to 
the swelling of the bud in spring. The earlier the better. The tree is 
now in a state of comparative torpor, and but slightly feels the shock. 
It must not be forgotten that this advice is given in reference only to 
such fruit trees as bear our winters well; and that even for them it is adap¬ 
ted more particularly to the trees of the young orchard, where the great 
object is a robust constitution and a rapid growth. After the trees are 
old enough to bear, it often happens that the formative or wood-making 
function maintains the ascendancy over the fruit bearing function, and the 
tree continues to grow rapidly, but does not come into bearing. In this 
case occasional touches with the knife in the growing season, will correct 
the difficulty and restore the equilibrium. 
Having decided on the time to prune—how shall we do it ? The first 
and most important rule is, “ Don’t do too much of it.”* The next, 
make up your mind what you prune for before you touch a twig. 
Supposing that you have planted trees of two to four years old, I ad¬ 
vise that you give them no pruning at all the first season. No matter 
how many shoots start out from all parts of the trunk—the more the 
better—let them alone. Every shoot and twig will send out leaves which 
are constantly taking up more nourishment than is required for their own 
support, and all the surplus is appropriated to the assistance of the roots, 
which have been crippled and debilitated in removing the tree. Nor is 
this all, they serve to protect the trunk from the scorching heat of the 
summer’s sun, and by depositing their surplus nourishment around the 
* With tho hardy fruits. 
