22 CHOICE OF TREES. 



/ Should a tree have been taken up for such a 



\ length of time or even longer, and the roots 

 have become shrivelled and dry, I always 

 immerse them in strong soap suds (in a cold 



\ state) for two or three hours, after which I 



| plant it. 



It sometimes happens that roots are form- 

 ed in two separate whirls round the trunk of 

 the tree, this is frequently caused by trans- 

 planting the stock in an improper manner, 

 for if the lower part of the soil in which it 

 was transplanted be poor and barren, and the 

 stock be planted deep, the roots which were 

 upon it at that time, will seldom make much 

 progress afterwards, and a new set of roots 

 will frequently form themselves near to the 

 surface where the soil is better. Also if the 

 stem of the stock be injured just within the 

 surface of the soil, it will generally push 

 roots at such a place, although the stock was 

 properly transplanted. When two separate 

 whirls are formed, it very generally happens 

 that the lowest tier of roots is weak and 

 stunted, whilst the upper one is healthy and 

 vigorous. It is very evident under such cir- 

 cumstances that the lowest should be pruned 

 away, because the sap has in that case in a 

 great measure deserted such roots, which 

 appears by their weakness, and by the trunk 

 of the tree below the upper whirl of roots, 

 being generally smaller than it is above 

 them. In pruning them away, cut through 



