108 GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 



2d. Pruning the Hoots. This is performed by opening 

 a trench around the tree, just at the extremities of the 

 roots : the distance from the tree will, therefore, depend 

 on its size, and the spreading character of the roots. 

 The trench should be the width of a common garden 

 spade, and deep enough to admit of an inspection of all 

 the roots of the tree. If the lateral roots are to be short- 

 ened, this is done first. The knife should be placed on 

 the lower side of the root, and the part separated with a 

 clean draw-cut, such as would be performed on a branch. 

 If the tree has vertical or tap roots, they are most 

 easily operated on with a sharp spade, prepared and kept 

 for the purpose. A smart stroke with such a spade, in as 

 nearly a horizontal direction as possible, will separate a 

 pretty strong root. The extent to which root pruning 

 may be performed depends on the character of the spe- 

 cies, the condition of the tree as regards growth, and the 

 object aimed at. Those practising it for the first time 

 should go to work with great caution. It will l^e better 

 to operate too lightly than too severely. As regards the 

 season, it may be performed either at the end of the first 

 growth, in July or August, or in the autumn or winter, 

 when vegetation is quite suspended. We have operated 

 on cherry trees with complete success in August, in a dry 

 time, when little growth was going on. At this season, 

 a copious watering should be given after the pruning is 

 performed. 



Implements of pruning, and the mode of using them, 

 will be treated of in the chapter on implements, to be 

 given hereafter. 



The Season for Pruning. We are not permitted to be 

 very definite on this point. The climate, the nature of 

 the species, etc., control the period of pruning to a great 

 extent. In the South, what we term the winter pruning 

 that performed during the dormant season may be 

 done very soon after the fall of the leaf. In the North, 



