346 



TBEBS, 



cross-bows. The trees start into leaf, and all promises well ; but . 

 unless under very favorable .cij;Cumstances, the leaves 'beggar- the. 

 roots, by their demands for more sap, before August is half over. 



We mean to be understood, therefore, that we think it safest in . 

 practice, in this part of the world, when you are about to plant a 

 tree deprived of part of its roots, to reduce the branches a little 

 below this same proportion. To reduce theih to precisely an equal 

 .proportion, would preserve the balance, if the ground about the 

 roots obuld be kept uniformly moist But, with the chance^ of its . 

 hfecoming partially dry at times, you must guard against the Jleaves 

 flagging, by diminishing their number at the first start. As every 

 leaf and branch, made after growth fairly commences, will be accom- 

 panied simultaneously by new roots, the same^ will then he provided 

 for as a matter of course. - < , 



The neatest way of reducing the top of a tree, in order not to 

 destroy its natural symmetry,* is to shorten-back the young growth 

 of the previous season. We know a most successful planter wlo 

 .*lways, under all circumstances, shoj-tens-back the previous ' year's 

 wood, on tr^splanting, to one bud / tha^ is, he cuts off the whole 

 summer's .growdi down to a good plump bud, just above the pre- 

 vious year's wood. But this is not always necessary. A few inches 

 (where the growth has been a foot or more) will usually' be all that 

 is 'necessary^ It is only necessary to watch the growth of a trans- 

 planted tree, treated in this way, with one of the same kind un- 

 pruned; to compare the clean, vigorous new shoots, that will be 

 made the first season by the former, with the slender and feeble, 

 ones of the latter, to be perfectly convinced of the value of ,the 

 practice of shortening-in, transplanted trees. 



The necessity of a proper supply of food for, trees, is a -point 

 that we should not have to insist upon, if starving, trees had the 

 powei of crying out, like starving pigs.. Unluckily, they have not ; 

 and, . therefore, inhuman and ignorant cultivators will feed their 

 cattle, and let their orchards i starve, to death. Now it is perfectly 

 demonstrable, to a man who has the use of his 6yes,'that/'a tree^ean 



* Cotting off large branches at random, often quite spoils the natui-al 

 habit of a tree. Bhartening-iack, all over the head, does not affect it in the 

 least. < 



