Removing First Flush on Pines

It does not seem to matter how many decades I have worked on pines I always hesitate when it comes to cutting that wonderful bright green Spring flush.!! 

It seems a shame but knowing how important this task is makes it a necessary part of the refinement of all 'two flush' pines.  Within a few weeks this pine will respond by pushing out multiple second flush buds.

 Our Japanese Red Pines are usually the first to be cut each year followed some weeks later by our Black Pines.