Care in Planting Trees 169 
As a result of these losses the balance between crown and 
root, between consumption and supply of water, is disturbed, 
and, unless this balance is at once reéstablished by pruning 
at the top and by favorable conditions for replacement of 
lost parts at the root, a part of the crown must die. 
This trouble may be nearly or entirely avoided by trans- 
planting with a ball of earth, when the root system is not at 
all disturbed. ‘This is usually practicable only with small 
plants; as a rule, transplanting is done with the naked roots. 
Care should then be had to take up as much as practicable 
of the root system, keeping it intact, using a fork rather 
than a spade, and keeping in mind that the root tips are the 
important pari; then the roots should be immediately pro- 
tected against drying out by covering with moist soil, wet 
bagging, moss, etc., and be kept moist until the tree is reset. 
If it has not been possible ecure the entire root system 
practically intact, then a proportionate amount of the crown 
system should also be removed by cutting _back branches, 
ising at the same time the opportunity for co: correcting the 
“form (see page 98). This pruning is best done just before 
setting the tree, or, more conveniently, at once after setting 
while the knowledge of the conditions of the root system is 
still fresh in mind. If it is neglected, parts of the crown 
will die and these may not be the parts we are willing to 
spare. It does not matter much if the pruning at the top 
were more severe than necessary; the opposite matters 
much more. 
When receiving nursery stock it should be opened at 
once in a shady cool place and the root packing should be 
examined. If it is dry and hot, the chance of securing a 
living | plant_3 is small. Nev ertheless Ss, _by by proper treatment 
plants may sometimes be recuperated ; some species especially 
will stand a good deal of maltreatment and are able to recover. 
