PLANTING AND MAINTENANCE 131 



be used to loosen the soil, with interludes of re- 

 moving this with spade or shovel. Work always 

 sidewise to the plant and parallel with the line 

 of root growth; which is of course, generally 

 speaking, outward from the center like the 

 spokes of a wheel; or else work with back to the 

 plant, until the root tips have been uncovered 

 anyway. This avoids cutting across the roots 

 and saves a much greater percentage of them 

 than the more careless method of working 

 around the plant, facing it. 



Gradually its hold may be loosened by tip- 

 ping it forward and back and lifting on it 

 gently, as the soil is continually picked apart 

 and scraped away from between and beneath 

 the roots. Follow all long roots away and down 

 as far as may be necessary to free their tips, 

 and never yank at the plant or use violence 

 to liberate it. A strong, steady pull, with per- 

 sistent loosening of the earth where the strain 

 shows its hold to be strongest, will bring the 

 tenderest root fibers out uninjured, whereas a 

 quick jerk will snap even great woody growths 

 in two. 



Once out of the ground, root pruning and top 

 pruning, as already directed, should be per- 

 formed; and immediate replanting is of course 

 most desirable. If this is not possible for any 



