10 



TRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



uniform ones into three groups and transplant in flats 

 filled with soil also of uniform quality. Keep the plants 

 of one set very moist, those in another set very dry and 

 those in tlie third set mnderatelv moist. In three or four 

 weeks transplant the plants to the open ground, treating 



those of each lot in 

 three ways, thus : 

 Transplant some with 

 the least possible loss 

 of any parts, others 

 after removing 75 per 

 cent of the leaf sur- 

 face and the third lot 

 after the destruction 

 of about half the root 

 and the leaf area. If 

 the open ground con- 

 ditions are fairly uni- 

 form, it will usually 

 be found that the 

 plants kept wet in the 

 flat will suffer most, 

 those kept dry least, 

 and those deprived of 

 considerable leaf sur- 

 face in each lot will 

 suft'er less than those 

 from which none of the leaf area is removed. Don't 

 BELIEVE this statement simply because it is printed in 

 this book. Try it. Prove it. Then you will understand 

 why nursery stock should have the tops cut hack to bal- 

 ance the loss of root digging. 



12. The extent of the root system is usually greater in 

 agricultural plants than that of the trunk, branches and 

 leaves ct)ml)ined. Thus the plants are able to draw 

 water from an enormous area of soil particles, propor- 



FIG. 9— ROOTLET SEEN IN CROSS SECTION 



a, xylem and phloem; b, central cylinder; c, 



endodermis; li, cortex; e, root hairs. 



