Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1905-04-27
HOW TO PRUNE THE LILAC
Use a Fearless Hand When You Begin
the Work But Take Care to Leave
Lowest Branches.

The lilac is one Of those dear old
fashioned shrubs that everybody loves
and nobody wants TO do without. hut il
is often mishandlcd and thus fails to
be as beautiful As II might he. Julia
Rogers. in the March number of Coun
try Life. gives some directions for
pruning that mas be put in practice
this month. and which VI commend
to those who have hlacs. Mrs. Rogers
says.
The ideal lilac bush Of any variety
Is an oval of green leaves that is GOV
cred at blooming time with its char
acteristic flower clusters. ! do not
mean literally covered. for each clus-
ter needs a background of green. And
the beauty Of the bush is further . n
hanced by the room proviaed for eaca
limb. not only 70 develop its best To-
liage and largest flowers. out TO swing
and nod In every breeze that goes by
Color. Fragrance and form In a bloom
ing lilac bush are an good points. add
grace Of motion and its charms are
doubled
"Lllacs have their blossom clusters
in their winter buds n our bush has
never seen the pruning shears. IL is
badly choksd with limbs The strug
gle Of these has produced a vast num-
Der Of inferior twigs and flower olus-
tiers.
1T IS March and Nc stand beside the
bush and hesitate. II is dreadful to
sacrifice buds which in a few weeks
will burst into radiant bloom. let us
remember that the bush will concen-
trate all its forces TO maze the best
possible flowers on the branches We
leave The sun will get IN and do its
perfect work. enabling the leaves to
make more starch than was possible
in their crowded condition. This add
tional food makes finer flowers.
First. cut ont at the ground the
snaried limbs whose knotty twigs and
stunted buds prove that they have out
lived their usefulness These dragged
nut. the bush has a younger. more
hopeful look Now prune away every
tNig great or small. hat is broken or
rubbed. or Is in any respect unhealthy
looking Cut clean and close-leave no
rough edges TO delay the healing
ess. Next cut the weakest among in
erfering twigs. Cut back wayvard
limbs TO bring the bush into symmet-
rical shape. Cut of root suckers. They
come from below the graft. and would
therefore bear the inferior flowers of
the stock.
Now II you have left a clean.
thrifty bush Of good sha and pIent
OF o you may consiaer tina, o
have done a good job. though half Of
The wood lies in a brush neap along
side. Remember. the brush had been
neglected; the first pruning was neces-
sarily radical and severe. Watch
through the summer. and the bush
will show you whether or not YOU
trimmed IL ton we'll. Lilacs have Cd
site leaves. therefore. opposite
branches Every twig you cut back has
sent out two end shoots to replace the
one lost These cover the bush with
fresh leaves the first Of the year. and
form flower buds for the next. There
is no danger Of the top remaining
scaut-
The principal thing not IN do in
lilaes and in all other shrubs is 10 Gu;
on the lower branches A bush should
rest upon the ground-its foliage and
MOWERS should meet the green grass
A 'leggy underpinning of matted stems
Is an eyesore. no matter what wealth
Of vegetation surmounts it."