30 TRANSPLANTING TREES. 



ger has only to mark the swelling buds, preserving all those- which 

 he wishes developed for the formation of spurs, or for extending the 

 leaders, and rubbing off all the rest. This will check the demand 

 upon the roots, consequently stop their extension, and they will send 

 up a diminished supply of sap. Thus, a check upon the vigor of the 

 whole system will be induced. 



In the course of a month, more or less, another set of young buds 

 will be produced ; and yet another, some four to six weeks ensuing 

 These must be rubbed closely off, checking the growth, and causkg 

 the production of fruitful spurs and buds. 



"Pruning the Roots. This is practiced as well to promote fruit- 

 fulness as to lessen the dimensions of trees. The roots are the organs 

 that absorb from the ground the principal food of the tree, and in 

 proportion to their number, size, and activity, other things being equal, 

 are the vigor and growth of the stem and branches. Hence, when a 

 tree is deprived of a certain portion of its roots, its supply of food 

 from the soil is lessened, growth is checked, the sap moves slowly in 

 its channels, is better elaborated in the leaves, and the young 

 branches and the buds begin to assume a fruitful character. 



" Roots are also pruned to prevent them from penetrating too deeply 

 into the earth, and induce the formation of lateral roots near the sur- 

 face, similar to the cutting back of a stem to produce lateral branches. 

 The principle is the same. 



"The work is performed by opening a trench around the tree, the 

 distance from the tree will 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 reach all the roots of the tree. If 

 the lateral roots are to be shortened, 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 possi- 

 ble, will separate a pretty strong root. The extent to which root 

 pruning may be performed, depends on the character of the species, 

 the condition of the tree as regards growth, and the object aimed at. 

 Those practicing it for the first time should go to work with great 

 caution. It will be 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." 



Pruning, to form particular shapes, to promote the formation of 

 blossom buds, to enlarge the fruit, to cure disease, to increase or lea- 



