Very well said. I would also add that it can depend what your goals are. In the parent's other metaphor (the grape vine) useless grapes are a vicious curiosit

Very well said. I would also add that it can depend what your goals are. In the parent's other metaphor (the grape vine) useless grapes are a vicious curiosity that must be stamped out. Propagation of species has no purpose in the fastidious pursuit of the longest strongest grape vine and so surely must be pruned.