Pruning shears
An excellent Pruning saw. The blade is on a swivel
It should be borne in mind that Pruning has two objects: one is to merely trim the tree or to make it assume some designed shape; the other is to make the tree more vigorous or more fruitful, or to make some other change in its character. These ideals are well illustrated in the Pruning of ornamental shrubs. If one wants to have the shrubs sheared into some particular shape, the shearing may be done at almost any time of the year; in fact, it is better to do it two or three times each year in order to keep the trees trim and neat. If, however, the desire is to secure more flowers, the case is a very different one. Some shrubs and trees bear their flowers on the wood of the preceding year. Such, for example, are the early flowering shrubs like lilacs and the snowballs. The flower buds are made the fall before. In this case, Pruning the shrub in winter cuts off the flower buds. The ideal time for Pruning them, therefore, is just after the flowers have passed. The flower buds will form later in the season for the production of the flowers the following spring. Other shrubs, however (particularly those which blossom late in the season), bear on wood of the current year’s growth. That is, the clematis blossoms in late summer and fall on wood which grew that same season. The greater the quantity of strong wood which grows in any season, therefore, the greater the quantity of bloom in that season. With such shrubs, it is well to Prune in winter or early spring, and to Prune rather heavily. The abundance of new shoots which arise may be expected to bear flowers later on in the same season.
Following are some shrubs which, for best results in flower-bearing, may be Pruned when dormant (in winter): camellia, Jackmani type of clematis, cornus, hibiscus (shrubby), hydrangea, many loniceras or honeysuckles, philadelphus or mock-orange, some spireas.
Shrubs which may be Pruned when in leaf (just after blooming): lilac, deutzia, weigelas, exochorda, spring-flowering loniceras, tree peony, flowering almond, some spireas and viburnums, wistaria.
The marginal illustrations show how apple, pear and plum trees may be Pruned when received from the nursery. Cut back the roots to fresh, unbroken wood.
Various kinds of useful tree Pruners are shown in the margins. [See also Scraping.]
Pumpkin. [See Squash.]