206 PERMANENT NUESEEIES. 



the first vigorous Lud below this defective growth, as in the first 

 case. 



B. Pruning. 



This wholesale remedy should be adopted only in the last resort 

 and should, therefore, be restricted to the three cases given below. 

 It is evident that only broad-leaved species can be so treated. 



(i) When seedlings have a tendency to grow abnormally tall 

 and lanky, with a narrow spare crown. This tendency can only be 

 corrected by cutting them back. The new shoots that come up 

 will generally develop normally. The formation of a brush of 

 shoots should be avoided by nipping off the weaker shoots as they 

 show themselves. 



(ii) When the seedlings become hide-bound, that is to say, when 

 the bark of the stem, and often of other parts also, becomes tough 

 and dry and the cambium becomes inactive and unable to exercise 

 tension enough to split the unyielding bark. Here again the sole 

 remedy is cutting back and absolute renewal of the entire portion 

 of the seedlings above ground. 



(iii) When a stronger regrowth can be produced. Occasionally 

 stronger plants can be produced by cutting back the original 

 seedlings, and the plants thus produced have their numerous small 

 roots close to the surface, a very desirable quality indeed. 



3. The schooling of root-suckers. 



Either (A) suckers already produced may be put down in the 

 lines, or (B) only cuttings of roots of species that throw up suckers. 



TRUE SUCKERS. The best suckers to use are such as have sprung 

 up on small roots and have already developed some roots of their 

 own ; they then approach nearest in character to seedlings. The 

 portion of the parent root removed with the sucker should be cut 

 with a clean oblique section at both ends to facilitate the absorp- 

 tion of water. Although every part of the stem and of the main 

 roots of a sucker is always thoroughly lignified and is hence able 

 to conduct water rapidly, still it is advisable to reduce, by judicious 

 trimming, the foliage of the sucker in order to prevent any chance 

 of excessive transpiration. The suckers should be put down in the 

 same manner and with the same care as seedlings of their own size. 



ROOT-CUTTINGS. These are short sections, from a few inches to a 

 foot long, of roots not more than two inches thick.' They should 

 be taken in preference from knotty or otherwise irregularly-shaped 

 roots, as they are then more likely to succeed and to send up strong 

 shoots. They ought to be inserted in the soil obliquely with their 



