ROOT PRUNING. 201 



lying- down, and those roots mature and get ripe, there was no prun- 

 ing necessary. There is a great big- bunch of roots, such as the 

 president said was on those plants he sent to Baraboo, and if that 

 was all planted in a heap it would be no good. If that is the way 

 a man is going to set his plantation, he had better cut off all the 

 roots than to poke them in in that way. I can refer you to a grower 

 in Reedsburg, Wis., who would not set such a plant, who raises the 

 largest plants I ever saw, and thej' hardly ever fail; but you want 

 to use 3'our lingers to spread out the roots. I do not believe the 

 president would send me such plants as he has been talking about, 

 trim them at home and send them to me. He would say, "They are 

 the best I had, and so I sent them to you." (Laughter). Is not that 

 the way? 



Pres. Underwood: I think we are a little apart in understanding 

 this subject. I agree with Mr. Hirschinger that we want to have 

 plenty of roots, and I am also willing to admit that it is not neces- 

 sary to prune off the roots of the black raspberry plants: that is, not 

 very much. I think it would be some advantage to cut the long 

 tips off so as to start this healing process, this callousing, so as to 

 send out a new growth, and if that root is properly laid out, and 

 you take pains to spread it out with your fingers, I believe the large 

 root is the best thing to have. I would rather have the pruning at 

 the other end. I think the theory of a "short haul" is all right in 

 brush, but I do not believe it applies to sap. I would rather not 

 have so much top; I would take off the top. If it is a tree, of course, 

 the ends of the roots would have to be cut off somewhat so it can 

 make a new growth. If you have a tree that has not much of a top, 

 of course, the stem rnust be a good one, and having a nice large 

 root and the ends of the roots being cut off so as to help it send out 

 new roots from the callous that comes on the end of the root, 

 your tree is apt to make a good growth. The process bj^ which the 

 sap passes through the roots depends a good deal upon the soil 

 and the atmosphere. It does not cost anything for the sap to 

 travel; it is not like a railroad. Of course, if it was the difference 

 between two inches and three or four feet or ten or twelve feet there 

 might be some difference; but I cannot see that there is any differ- 

 ence in transplanting a tree, the sap does not travel a great distance 

 anyway; I do not care how long the root is. In a dry climate, a 

 large root will be more likely to receive the moisture necessary to 

 keep that tree in good condition than would a little, short root that 

 has been cut off. I believe that so thoroughly that when I bought a 

 car load of shade trees and the roots were pruned off close to the 

 stem I refused to receive them, but piled them up in a heap and 

 told the party to come and take them away. I could not sell that 

 kind of stock. Down in Texas, where they can put a stick in the 

 ground and it will grow, it does not make so inuch difference what 

 kind of root they have, but that will not do in a dry climate. 



Mr. Hirschinger: At what time would you prune back the bushes 

 the first season after setting? 



Pres. Underwood: I was just speaking about pruning before set- 

 ting-. In raspberries there is not much to prune. Buyers think they 



