LARCH. 



93 



and most regular in each trench. In a few years af- 

 terwards, when the plants have acquired some 

 strength, the earth should be removed gradually, 

 baring the roots to from two to five feet distance 

 from the stool, or as far as the main spurs have kept 

 straight, cutting off any side-shoots within this dis- 

 tance, should it be found that such late root-pruning 

 does not induce rot. This process of baring the 

 roots will scarcely injure the growth of the trees, as 

 the roots draw the necessary pabulum from a consi- 

 derable distance, nor, if done carefidly, will it endan- 

 ger their upsetting ; and the roots, from exposure to 

 the air, will swell to extraordinary size * so as to 

 render them, ere long, the firmest rooted trees in the 

 wood. The labom* of this not amounting to the 

 value of sixpence each, will be counterbalanced thrice 



* The landlord agriculturist is sufficiently aware of the influ- 

 ence of the baring the upper part of the root of turnip, while the 

 plant is young, in extending the future growth of the bulb, and 

 that a dry situation gives most root in proportion to stem. These 

 are general laws in vegetation. There are few observers who 

 have not remarked the very large size which roots have attained 

 when the trees have originally been planted on dikes, and the 

 dike earth removed, leaving the roots bare. Should any person 

 examine the very great difference of thickness between the up- 

 per and lower part, from the heart of a root near the bulb, he will 

 at once discover the influence of exposure to the air and freeness 

 from pressure in promoting the swelling. 



