NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 69 



ter to cut it in April rather than in June or July, but if 

 you paint the wound, so as to prevent weakening" the 

 tree, I do not see that there would be very much differ- 

 ence in cutting it off in December or April. If there is 

 anybody here that differs from that, I would like to hear 

 from them. In all probability there is. 



There is one thing I would like to know. Take a tree 

 that we will say is about as large as one of these flower 

 pots on the stage, a half-grown tree ; now we have all 

 heard that it is a good thing to cut off some of the roots, 

 and I have heard some people say that it was a good thing 

 to plow back pretty well toward the tree in cultivating. 

 Now 1 cannot see any advantage in that. We all know 

 if we cut up close to the butt of a tree, you are very apt 

 to cut or injure some of the roots, and that would do 

 harm. I would like to know how long it continues to be 

 a benefit to approach that tree with the plow and cut those 

 roots, — when it ceases to be a benefit and becomes harm ? 

 If anyone can answer that question, and tell the reason, 

 I should like to know it. My idea of it is that it does not 

 do the tree any good to cut the roots within a few feet 

 of it, or to cut them off by going along close up to the 

 tree. I do not doubt that there is some benefit in cutting 

 them back a little, but the question in my mind is how- 

 near to approach, how near it can be done with safety, and 

 when it ceases to be a benefit and becomes an injury. That 

 is what I cannot determine. 



Mr. Ives: Do you cultivate your trees right along? 



Mr. Knapp : Certainly I cultivate. Especially the 

 young trees ; but I think after they get into really thriving 

 condition, and the ground is sodded down, to some extent 

 around them, one gets fully as much advantage by letting 

 them alone and not disturbing them too much by too 

 close cultivating. However, if you let them alone, very 

 soon there comes a time when something must be done, 

 either the grass must be cut and left on the ground, or 



