TREES THEIR PLANTING AND CARE. 57 



Figs. 22 and 23 illustrate trees properly pruned for plant- 

 ing, the dotted lines showing where the cuts should be 

 made. 



Pruning too at the time of transplanting is often neces- 

 sary in order to start the branches at the desired height. 

 If low-branching trees are desired, it is often necessary to 

 head them in severely from the top, as in Fig. 19. This 

 is especially the case with trees taken from swamps, 

 pastures, and roadsides. If all the branches are cut off to 

 a "bean-pole" condition, as is often done with very tall 

 and top-heavy trees, much care must be exercised that the 

 branches do not all come out nearly at one point, as in 

 Fig. 24. A leader should always be started, as shown in 

 Figs. 18 and 23, and the laterals must grow slowly and at 

 considerable distance apart to prevent the formation of 

 forks that will split down when the trees are heavily 

 loaded with snow or ice. The height at which the main 

 branches shall be started depends upon the surrounding 

 conditions. For covering avenues or walks a height that 

 will clear the heads of pedestrians when the branches are 

 weighted with rain or snow is sufficient; and for a drive a 

 height that will clear any carriage or loaded team that may 

 be driven under them is sufficiently high, unless it is 

 desirable to get views or vistas under the branches through 

 to pleasing objects. 



With trees from the nursery less pruning is needed than 

 if taken from the woods or roadside, as their root system is 

 generally more compact, owing to transplanting and culti- 

 vation ; but it will be better to prune as much as is neces- 

 sary to start the tree in proper shape, cutting out all shoots 

 not in proper position to form the head, and shortening in 

 all of the permanent shoots, always preserving and en- 



