PRUNING NURSERV STOCK 



183 



poses the most rational method seems to be to leave all 

 sound roots and shorten back the tops, which not only 

 helps to bring about a proper balance between root and 

 leaf, but also improves the subsequent character of 

 growth of the tree. 



152. Low-headed trees have so much to commend them 

 that they are annually becoming more popular. To se- 



FIG. 141 



HEAD ON TREE WHERE ROOTS 



WERE CUT BACK 



FIG. 142^AT PI ANTING TIME 



THE BRANCHES WERE 



CUT BACK 



cure them it is advisable to buy from nurserymen who 

 make a specialty of such trees or to purchase only year- 

 ling stock, because the heads on such stock may be started 

 as low as desired. In the former case all that is necessary 

 is to thin out and cut back the top as may be desired. 

 In the latter the "switches" for the "trees" are little more 

 than that, have their bud svstems intact, therefore the 



