14 TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



root does not bend, but forms directly an abundant supply of young 

 lateral roots. Roots grown by both of these methods need no pruning 

 at the time of transplanting. 



Before transplanting into permanent place, holes 4 feet deep, or 

 deeper, ought to be dug on such soil as ours, and the holes filled with 

 mellow soil. This will encourage a dee 1 "* start of the roots and the re- 

 establishment of the tap root. Though such trees as oaks, hickories, 

 and walnuts cease, in time, to make use of this tap root, it is, never- 

 theless, their great dependence in their early years. 



Transplanting of deciderous trees, as well as evergreens, should be 

 done as early in the fall as the trees come to rest. Remaining for a 

 long time healed in is very destructive to their vitality, since the roots, 

 in our climate, as soon as cut off, commence healing the wounds and 

 the generating of rootlets. This exhaustive repair is lost if the trees 

 are disturbed and forced to begin growth anew in a weakened state 

 after transplanting. In no case ought the roots of such trees as hard- 

 woods and evergreens be so exposed to the drying atmosphere that the 

 film of moisture disappears from their surfaces. 



Connifers can also with advantage be transplanted in the spring, 

 when the terminal buds indicate that the growth has been resumed. 

 This season is really preferred by man}', but at no season should con- 

 nifers be transplanted in dry, windy weather. 



AFTER CARE. 



All trees on a soil like ours should receive a constant and careful 

 cultivation until they are so large that the shade from their crowns is 

 sufficient to hold all grasses and weeds in subjugation, then cultivation 

 may be exchanged for mowing. 



In pruning to obtain suitable height of the trunk, care must be ta v en 

 that the removal of the lower limbs be done gradually and in propor- 

 tion to the thickness of the stem, the amount of foliage and the vigor 

 of the tree. If a mistake is made in this operation, the prospects of 

 a beautiful and long-lived tree is ruined. The too early removal of all 

 the lower limbs to obtain the intended height of trunk, or the removal 

 of too many of them at once, will bring about the ruination of the tree, 

 due to one of two causes : If the tree is vigorous, the removal of too 

 many of its limbs will concentrate the activity of the sap on the re- 

 maining upper branches and buds until these are forced into a growth 

 equal to that of the leader, thus taking away the pyramidal symmetry 

 of the tree (see Plates I and VIII). Combined with this injury, the 

 trees is apt to become top-heavy and bent with the prevailing winds, lay- 

 ing the naked stem with the wounds left from the amputated limbs liable 

 to sun-scalding; all of which will, in a short time, cripple or kill the tree. 

 If, however, the tree is less vigorous, stunting from such severe prim- 

 ing will ensue at once. Heading up of trees should be done gradually 

 as in the forest, where it is done by the gradual shading of the lower 

 limbs. If any lower branch should grow too fast, so as in time to 

 necessitate too heavy amputation, it can readily be kept in check by 

 pinching its terminal shoots during the growing season. The same 

 operation can also be applied to any other branch that threatens to 

 destroy the symmetry of the tree. 



