A Note on Axis Restoration in a Gymnosperm Tree

Injury to the major axis of a tree with excurrent growth often results in the development of a dwarfed or unsymmetrical crown. In the case of certain gymnosperms the lost apical shoot can be restored by bending upward one of the adjacent lateral branches and fastening it in upright position. In this way it may be induced to develop into a radical, lead shoot and dominate the further growth of the tree. While this practice is fairly well known it should occasionally be brought to the attention of the general public. The following paragraphs record another instance of the successful substitution of a lateral branch for the lost apical shoot of an injured pine tree