TRIMMING YOUNG TREES 205 



HOW TO TRIM YOUNG PLANTS 



The general questions involved in the pruning of 

 woody plants when they are transplanted are dis- 

 cussed in "Principles of Fruit -Growing"; and 

 that account is here reproduced, after the study of 

 which we may proceed to a consideration of va- 

 rious specific applications. 



"So far as the root is concerned, it is advisable 

 to cut away all roots which are broken or badly 

 torn. These should be cut off just back of the 

 injury. It is the custom to cut off the ends of all 

 roots of the size of a lead pencil or larger, for a 

 clean, smooth wound is supposed to heal quicker 

 than a ragged one. These cuts are made from 

 within outwards, so that the wound is more or 

 less slanting across the roots, and so that it rests 

 firmly upon the ground when the tree is set. 

 When the tree is planted, all the roots should be 

 straightened out to nearly or quite their normal 

 position. If it is found that one or two roots 

 run off to an inordinate length, they may be cut 

 back to correspond somewhat with the main root 

 system. 



"Perhaps half the entire root system of the 

 young tree is left in the ground when it is dug. 

 It is, therefore, evident that the top should be cut 

 back to a corresponding amount. In fact, the 

 top should be more severely shortened -in than 

 the root, because the root, in addition to being 

 reduced, is also dislodged from the soil, with 



