90 GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 



pruning, or they are cut so close that a portion of the 

 wood of the main branch or stem is taken with them, 

 and a wound made that years are required to heal up. 

 Both these extremes ought to be avoided. 



The surface of the cut made by the removal of a branch 

 should in no case be larger than the base of the branch. 

 Where a branch is united to another, or to the main stem, 

 we notice both above and below the point of union, a 

 small projection or shoulder, as at the cross line in fig. 82. 

 The knife must enter just below that shoulder, and, by 

 being drawn upwards in a straight line, the base is so 

 completely removed that no shoots can be produced there ; 

 and yet the cut surface on the stem is no larger than the 

 base of the branch. When the saw is used, the surface 

 of the cut should be pared smooth with the knife, to pre- 

 vent water lodging on it, and facilitate the healing of the 

 wound. 



2d. Pruning the Roots. This is performed by opening 

 a trench around the tree, just at the extremities of the 

 roots : the distance from the tree will, therefore, depend on 

 its size, and the spreading characters of the roots. The 

 trench should be the width of a common garden spade, 

 and deep enough to admit of an inspection of 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 possible, 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 practising it for the first time, 



