ROO 



510 



ROO 



are constantly imbibing nourishment, with a superabundance of roots, the 

 and even developing parts; for if the loss, in their case, is not so much felt, 

 roots of trees planted during the winter If performed at all, it should take place 

 be examined after an interval of a few 

 weeks, they will be found to have emit- 

 ted fresh radicles. 



The food they imbibe is slowly ela- 

 borated in the vessels of the stem and 

 branches, and there deposited. In ge- 

 neral, roots have no buds, and are, 

 therefore, incapable of multiplying the 

 plant to which they belong. But it 



in the autumn ; for, at that time, the 

 root, like the other parts of a plant, 

 are comparatively empty of fluid ; but 

 if deferred till the spring, then the roots 

 are all distended with fluid, which has 

 been collecting in them during winter; 

 and every part taken away carries with 

 it a portion of that nurture which the 

 plant had been laying up as the store 



constantly happens in some species, upon which to commence its renewed 



that they have the power of forming 

 what are called adventitious buds ; and 

 in such cases, they may be employed 

 for purposes of propagation. 



There is no rule by which the power 

 of a plant to generate such buds by its 

 roots can be judged of: experiment is 

 therefore necessary, in all cases, to 

 determine the point. When there is a 



growth. 



"It must now be obvious that, al- 

 though root-pruning may be prejudicial 

 in transplanting trees, it may be of the 

 greatest service to such established 

 trees as are too prone to produce 

 branches and leaves, instead of flowers 

 and fruit. In these cases, the excessive 

 vigour is at once stopped, by removal 



difficulty in procuring a suitable stock, ' of some of the stronger roots, and con- 

 pieces of the roots of the plant to be ' sequently, of a part of the superfluous 

 multiplied are often taken as a substi- < food to which their 'rankness' is owing. 

 tute, and they answer the purpose per- \ " The operation has been success- 

 fectly well ; for the circumstance which fully performed on the wall trees at 

 hinders the growth of pieces of a root Oulton, by Mr. Errington, one of our 

 into young branches, is merely their | best English gardeners, and by many 

 want of buds. If a scion is grafted - others, and, I believe, has never proved 

 upon a root, that deficiency is supplied, I an objectionable practice under judi- 

 and the difference between the internal 1 cious management. Its effect is, pro 

 organization of a root and a branch is ; tanto, to cut off the supply of food, 

 80 trifling as to oppose no obstacle to 1 and thus to arrest the rapid growth of 



the solid union of the two 



ROOT-PRUNING has been thus con- 

 sidered by Dr. Lindley, in his excellent 

 Theory of Horticulture : — 



" In the nurseries, it is a universal 

 practice to prune the roots of trans- 

 planted trees: in gardens, this is as 



the branches. 



" Under all ordinary circumstances, 

 the roots must necessarily be injured 

 more or less by removal : in that case, 

 all the larger wounds should be cut to 

 a clean smooth face, and not in long 

 ragged slivers, as is often the case, and 



seldom performed—which is right. If I which is only substituting one kind of 

 a wounded or bruised root is allowed ; mutilation for another; but at an angle 

 to remain upon a transplanted tree, it of about 4.5'^, or less, 

 is apt to decay, and this disease may " If the ends of small roots are 

 spread to neighbouring parts, which bruised, they generally die back a little 

 would otherwise be healthy: to remove | way, and then emit fresh spongioles; 

 the wounded parts of roots is, therefore, : but the larger roots, when bruised, lose 

 desirable. But the case is different with the vitality of their broken extremity; 

 healthy roots. We must remember that their ragged tissue remains open to the 

 every healthy and unrautilated root uncontrolled introduction of water ; de- 

 which is removed, is a loss of nutriment cays in consequence of being in con- 

 to the plant, and that, too, at a time tact with an excess of this fluid; and 

 when it is least able to spare it; and often becomes the seat of disease which 

 there cannot be any advantage in the spreads to parts that would be healthy. 

 removal. The nursery practice is pro- i " When, however, the wound is 

 bably intended to render the operation '■ made clean by a skilful pruner, the 

 of transplanting large numbers of plants vessels all contract, and prevent the 

 less troublesome: and, as it is chiefly introduction of an excess of water into 

 applied to seedlings and young plants the interior; the wound heals by granu- 



