66 



TRANSPLANTING. 



pruned tree, and Fig. 105 the same with the shoots shortened 



back. 



Where peach and other trees have been once a year trimmed 



up to a single stem, while in the nur- 

 sery, the mode of shortening is shown 



by Figs. 105 and 106. 

 A few experiments only are needed 



to convince any one of the advantages 



of thus cutting in the shoots. Some 



years ago an orchardist carefully 



transplanted one hundred and eighty 



apple-trees into good mellow soil. 



The roots had been cut rather short 



in digging. One-half had their tops 



shortened back, so as to leave only one 



bud of the previous season's wood; 

 the heads of the 

 other half were 

 suffered to remain 

 untouched. The 

 season proved fa- 

 vorable. Of the 

 ninety which had 

 their heads 

 pruned, only two 

 died, and nearly 

 all made fine 

 shoots, many be- 

 ing eighteen 

 inches long. Of 

 the ninety un- 

 pruned, eight died ; 



most of them made but little growth, and 

 none more than six inches. Both the first 

 and second year, the deep green and lux- 

 uriant foliage of the pruned trees afforded 

 a strong contrast with the paler and more 



feeble appearance of the others. A similar experiment was 



made with seventy-eight peach-trees, of large size, three years' 



growth from the bud. One-half were headed back ; the rest were 



Fig. 103.— Three-Year-Old 

 Pear-Tree. 



Fig. 



104.— Pear-Tree 

 Pruned. 



