No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. . Zil 



shall we cut off all roots to about 3 inches from the stem, or shall 

 we leave all roots 10 to 12 or more inches long. 



To decide as to the best method, a series of experiments were con- 

 ducted at Newark, Del., first on heavy well-drained clay loam, with 

 heavy subsoil 8 to 10 inches beneath the surface. Another trial was 

 made at Seafor'^. Del., in a well-drained sandy loam with a stiff sub- 

 soil two feet beneath the surface^ with 54 trees each of 2-year apple, 

 2-year pear, 1-year peach and 1-year plum. Of these 18 each were 

 stub-pruned, 18 were pruned to 3 inches and 18 were pruned to 8 to 

 10 inches. Results at Newark of the 8-inch roots, 82^ per cent, lived, 

 3-inch roots 97 per cent, lived, stub roots 62^ per cent, lived. 



At Seaford, Del., 8-inch roots, 94 per cent, lived; 8-inch roots, 100 

 per cent, lived, and stub 86 per cent, lived. 



Of those at Newark, 8-inch roots gave 82 per cent, first-class trees, 

 3-inch roots gave 92^ per cent, first-class trees, stub roots gave 22 per 

 cent, first class trees. 



At Seaford, 8-inch roots gave 86 per cent, first-class, 3-inch roots 

 gave 96 per cent, first class, stub roots gave 51 per cent, first class. 



In summing up we find that 3-inch pruned roots gave best results. 

 Eight-inch roots came second, while the stub or string-fellow method 

 gave very poor results. 



I am frequently asked by some one who is not particularly in love 

 with work and to whom the string-fellow is very alluring, as by this 

 method all that is necessary is to make a hole in the ground with a 

 crowbar, stick in the close-trimmed tree and close the hole, with no 

 dirt to handle^, whether this method is not as good as planting in 

 large holes. This question can best be answered as follows: 



In a moist soil, in a moist climate, in a moist year, fair results may 

 be obtained. In stiff soils, in dry soils, in a dry climate, in a dry sea- 

 son results are sure to be a failure. 



When shall we begin pruning? The first few years training of a 

 young tree determines largely the form and future usefulness of the 

 tree. When a young tree starts from the seed, bud or scion in a 

 nursery row it sends outside limbs along its stem and these aid in 

 giving the natural taper to the stem from the ground up giving it 

 stiffness. If these are removed too early while the tree is young this 

 symmetry is destroyed, the sap is driven to the top, the top increases 

 faster than the trunk, it becomes spindly, the trunk cannot support 

 the heavy top and the results are deformed trees which, when they 

 come into the hands of the orchardist, need staking to support them. 

 The experienced nurseryman never makes this mistake. Trees com- 

 ing from a first-class nursery never need staking; it is only those im- 

 properly grown. The short time a tree is in the nursery is insuffi- 

 cient to give the tree the proper form. The real training between 



