\ ; : Pe oe 
384 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Mr. Somerville and myself. I have not time to tell everything 
I know in afive minute paper. Isaid watering was better done 
after sundown, at night or on cloudy days. My method at 
home of watering is a quicker method than the one he describes ~ 
I take a crowbar and make several holes througn the mulching © 
or dust mulch and turn in the water until lam satisfied it has 
reached the roots. It is less work than to remove the dirt from 
the roots and then put it back again. 
A SUMMER’S WORK IN HORTICULTURE. 
MAX W. BUEL, MINNESOTA SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE, 
ST. ANTHONY PARK, 
(A record of tbe year 1897.) 
Commencing about the first of last April I engaged to work for the 
summer in the horticultural department of the Minnesota Agricul- 
tural Experiment Station, under the supervision of Prof. Green. 
The first work of the season was pruning, and the firstto be done 
were two rows of small white elms, one on either side of the main 
road leading into the grounds. These trees are in an exposed situa- 
tion, where they receive the full force of the strong southwest winds 
which had made many of them lean badly toward the northeast. 
The pruning of the year before had straightened many of them up, 
but still there were some which were badly in need of doctoring. 
In the pruning of these trees it was constantly the aim to prune as. 
much as possible on the northeast side and as little as possible on 
the southwest, bearing in mind at the same time the, precautions 
necessary to produce an eggshaped top with an undisturbed lead- 
ing shoot; and still, at the same time, removing enough of the — 
small twigs to avoid a brushy appearance. 
In the pruning of all trees there are two general principals which 
should be borne in mind: first, pruning parts of a tree while dormant 
tends to increase growth in the part pruned, and, secondly, pruning” 
in the summer during the growing season tends more to decrease 
growth in the part pruned. 
All shrubs which are mostly valuable in ornamental plantings on 
account of their foliage should be pruned about the middle of spring 
while those that are used for their blossoms should not be pruned 
until after flowering, because earlier pruning would greatly reduce 
the flowering wood, 
Cuttings for the propagation of most trees are made in the fail, 
especially such as privet, which must always be made then so that 
they may be wellcalloused to insure growth in the spring. How- 
ever, some cuttings which grow very easily, such as willows and 
poplars, are nearly ascertain to start when made in the spring as. 
fall made cuttings are. 
When cuttings are to be made ona large scale, small branches 
43—% in. in diameter are made into ten inch lengths, which are tied 
up one hundred in a bundle with butts all one way, so as to make the 
planting easier and quicker. Spring made cuttings are kept mois 
