PRUNING AFTER PLANTING 89 



told by the earthstain it is generally disclosed by the aspect of the 

 bark. In a light sandy soil a plant may generally be planted a little 

 deeper than it stood in the nursery and in a heavy soil, disposed to 

 be too wet, by nature and drenching, it may be planted a little higher, 

 but there is always danger of unthrift 'by much change from the 

 depth at which the plant previously grew. 



Reduction of the Top Growth. Unless the plant be a woody ever- 

 green the characteristic shape of which it is essential to preserve 

 (and moving with <a ball of earth is prescribed for such) it is desir- 

 able to prune away half or more of the top growth at transplanting, 

 to allow for the break of a smaller number of buds and to secure more 

 vigorous growth from them. This is the ultimate motive for cutting 

 back although it is generally expressed in terms of helping the plant 

 to live; the real reason is to help the plant to live well, from your 

 point of view. Therefore cutting back should be done always with 

 regard to the symmetry of the new plant; not arbitrarily cutting back 

 everything, say one half, but removing many shoots entirely and re- 

 ducing others less, perhaps, if that will make for a good form. Any 

 plant ought to be glad to lose its dangling arms to save the length 

 of its ears; if that is what you desire. However, cut back and promote 

 a stronger growth in directions which are to be preferred and then 

 give the plant food and drink and soil stirring to make that strong 

 growth possible. 



Shade After Transplanting. Although the necessities of com- 

 mercial work require transplanting seedlings or rooted cuttings at all 

 hours of the day, the amateur may usually choose his time and for 

 taking plants from shelter to the open ground the closing hours of the 

 day are best because the transpiration is less in the cooler hours of 

 the night. This refers, of course, to evergreens and herbaceous plants 

 especially. Sometimes one can wholly -avoid a wilt of the plant by 

 working on a cloudy day or in the evening, and spraying after planting. 

 In any case shading the leafy plant from direct sunshine for a time is 

 desirable. For small plants perhaps nothing is better than inverting 

 an empty flower pot over them. The hole in the bottom of the pot 

 will give them all the air they require. For larger plants, inverted 

 boxes, shades of paper or cloth, or other shadow-devices, are worth 

 more than the trouble of providing them. 



PRUNING AND TRAINING. 



It may be necessary to give explicit suggestions for pruning and 

 training different plants in the later chapters which will be devoted to 

 them. In this place a brief suggestion of the general purposes of 

 pruning may be made. 



