PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING. Ill 



day, and the whole operation be performed with skill and 

 accuracy. If the trees are tall the marking may be done on 

 horseback. 



Pruning the Roots. — This has been tried to a limited extent 

 only, and has proved useful in checking over-luxuriant growth 

 attended with unfruitfulness. Its tendency, by lessening the 

 , supply of sap, is to render trees more dwarfish, and operates 

 not unlike grafting on dwarf stocks ; or in the same way, but 

 in less degree, that transplanting produces a like result. It 

 should usually be done early in spring, and with a spade 

 ground sharp and kept solely for this purpose, so that the 

 roots may be cut off smoothly, and not torn or bruised, as 

 with a dull spade. Any required degree of check may be 

 given to the tree by cutting the roots short or near the foot of 

 the stem — a less check by allowing greater length. 



To Recapitulate. — i. Begin to prune when the tree is young. 

 2. Prune a little every year. 3. Aim to keep the tree in such 

 shape that very heavy pruning is unnecessary. 4. The gen- 

 eral pruning is best done in very late winter. 5. Light head- 

 ing-in in summer sometimes induces the formation of fruit- 

 spurs. 6. Always prune back heavily on transplanting. 7. 

 Each kind of species of tree needs its own kind of pruning. 



