24 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



cutting necessary, fill up the hole carefully, spreading out 

 the fibrous roots as the work proceeds, and make the soil 

 very firm. Do not add any manure, but introduce some 

 fresh turfy loam in place of the old soil. The strongest 

 roots are usually found opposite the gross growths. In 

 that case, only one side need be operated upon. With 

 large trees of considerable age, it is well to root-prune one 

 side one autumn and the other side in the following season, 

 for if this work is too severely carried out at one time, the 

 tree may die, or rest for a year or two, making only a few 

 small leaves. In the case of old wall trees where the spurs 

 are very numerous, it may be advisable to remove some 

 of the pairs of lateral or side branches, and to thin the spurs 

 out freely. 



It is considered that the tap or anchor roots favour 

 the growth of shoots and branches, and the upper and 

 more fibrous roots and rootlets favour the growth of 

 fruit buds. 



In no case, however, should standard trees be root- 

 pruned, as their roots when shortened have less grip of 

 the soil, and this may cause the trees to blow over in a 

 gale. Large pyramids or bushes should be very severely 

 pruned ; even whole branches may be removed with good 

 effect, before the trees are root-pruned. This is done 

 because the transpiration from a mass of foliage after the 

 roots have been reduced may be more than the tree can 

 afford until new roots have formed. 



