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stability, it woukl be iiniMiulcnl too severely to reduce their 

 strength, by cutting at one and the same time their down- 

 ward, and their lateral roots. As to the taproot, my practice 

 always has been to leave it untouched, until the tree be 

 taken up. The power of renovation which it unquestiona- 

 bly possesses, and the erroneous opinions of some respecting 

 it, are points that have been sufficiently illustrated, in Sec- 

 tion IV. and the Notes, so as to satisfy any phytologist of 

 the striking analogy, which subsists between the branches 

 and the roots, and that if shortening may be safely practised 

 on the one, it cannot be injurious to the other. 



Before we quit the subject of preparing individual trees, it 

 may be proper to repeat what has been already stated, that it 

 is an error to imagine, as is done by many, that cutting round 

 is an operation which should ahcays be resorted to. When 

 advisable, however, two good consequences result from it. 

 In the first place, it gives superior facihty both in the taking 

 up, and the replanting of the tree ; and in the second place, 

 it furnishes a vast multiplicity of fibrous roots, far more nu- 

 merous than could be furnished by unassisted nature ; and 

 these act as so many superadded mouths, to take up, by 

 means of introsusception, the food proper for the nourish- 

 ment of the plant. This, we should reflect, is the more 

 peculiarly needful in a process so violent as transplanting, 

 however carefully performed and scientifically directed, must 

 imply. 



Next, as to the preparation of trees in large masses. In 

 executing designs of any extent, where many subjects are 

 wanted, this comes to be a work of necessity as well us im- 

 portance, because materials for such designs could not be 

 furnished by individual trees. It is therefore proper, that it 

 should be done with the least possible expense and labour. 

 For any design great or small, a separate spot, which I have 

 called a transplanting nursery, is extremely desirable, as con- 

 tributing in an eminent degree to the facility, not less than 



