282 YARD AND GARDEN 



fundamental principles in the treatment and 

 care of the stock that is being transplanted. 

 As soon as the tree is received from the nur- 

 sery, it should be pruned. First, cut out all 

 the broken branches ; second, cut back all the 

 side branches to within a few inches of the 

 stem, leaving at least two sound buds; third, 

 the leader should be cut back; and fourth, all 

 the broken or bruised roots should be cut away- 

 just above the wound with a sharp knife, mak- 

 ing the cut in such manner that, -as the tree is 

 set on the bottom of the hole, the cut surface 

 of the remaining stub will come in direct con- 

 tact with the soil. It is also advisable to 

 shorten slightlj'- any straggling roots which 

 may appear. 



These rules apply particularly to fruit trees 

 that may be set out on the home grounds, but 

 in the planting of shade and ornamental trees 

 the process is not very different. Of course, 

 the owner does not relish the idea of buying 

 a fifteen-foot Norway maple, for instance, only 

 to cut off its top and half of its roots before 

 he plants it. But it is always best to cut back 

 the tops of the trees to a considerable degree 

 when they are transplanted, for the root sj^s- 

 tem is almost invariably reduced and if the top 



