LUTHER BURBANK 
Of course we cannot get at the branches of the 
roots to renovate them as we have renovated the 
aerial branches, nor would they require the same 
kind of attention if we could. 
There is no danger that a plant will have too 
many rooilets, for these are the mouths that reach 
out into the nutrient earth and take up the chem- 
icals in solution that are part of the materials for 
the building of branch and leaf and flower and 
fruit alike. But there is danger that the root sys- 
tem may not develop in the best manner, and there 
is obvious need that the soil into which the roots 
penetrate should not be depleted of its nourishing 
properties. 
As to the manner of development of the root 
system, of course it is too late to make radical 
changes if we are dealing with an old tree. With 
young trees just starting growth or recently trans- 
planted much may be done, as will be pointed out 
presently. But with the old tree all that can be 
accomplished is to see that the root already in is 
being given a fair chance. 
ATTENTION TO THE COMMISSARY DEPARTMENT 
To this end the ground about the tree should 
be cultivated with plow or spade, even at the 
hazard of destroying a certain number of super- 
ficial rootlets. The grass and weeds that have 
been permitted to spring up in the neglected or- 
[46] 
