rJUNlNd: WHAT KoK, il(»\V, AM) WJIKX. 
125 
not to be commended, though, no doubt, variegated forms are greatly 
brightened by means of an annual trimming. 
With regard to the manner of cutting, we must bear in mind that 
young trees possess the power of quickly covering clean cuts with new 
bark, and therefore whenever a shoot or branch is removed it ought to 
be cut smooth, and even with the part of the tree from which it 
springs. The question of removing branches from old trees is more com- 
plicated. The vine provides an example of vegetation that takes kindly 
to the removal of its branches at any age. The Peach and the Apricot, 
on the other hand, when but a few years old resent the loss of a branch, 
r'orest trees exhibit similar differences, and no branch should be taken 
from a tree if there is a doubt as to its power to overcome its loss. 
A paragraph relating to the method of root-pruning may fitly termi- 
nate this section. Shortening roots at the time of transplantation is an 
old practice, and its method and rationale are well described by Eeid, 
who in 1683 wrote " The Scots Gardner." French gardeners, when 
transplanting young trees, cut back the roots almost close to the stem : a 
practice which in a modified form still obtains in the West of England. 
It is, of course, not always convenient to lift a tree out of the ground in 
order to shorten its roots, w^hich no doubt is the ideal method if it were 
always practicable to carry out. An almost equally effective way is to 
cut a narrow trench with a sharp spade round the tree to be root- 
pruned, which is effected, as far as side roots are concerned, in cutting 
the trench ; and the roots passing dow^nwards may be cut through by 
passing a shallow tunnel under the tree at about a couple of feet from 
the surface. It is a commendable practice to root-prune all kinds of 
fruit trees during the earlier years of their existence ; and though there is 
a prejudice against the practice being applied in the case of the Apricot 
and of the Peach, I have discovered no harm to follow. As a matter of fact 
the annual chopping away of an inch all round the ball of trees culti- 
vated in pots affords proof conclusive of its beneficial effect. 
With respect to old trees that have been neglected, caution is 
necessary not to shorten too many roots in one year or at one pruning. 
Those that are shortened may, however, be cut to within a few feet of 
the main roots from which they branch. Incautious root-pruning has 
proved fatal to many a full-grown tree. 
In the case of shrubs it is intended to transplant, the chief value of 
cutting the roots hard — twelve months or so beforehand — is that the 
bulk to be moved is lightened to a very considerable extent, and the risk 
of losing the plant is avoided. Deciduous trees and shrubs require less 
care than evergreen ones. 
A brief consideration of the question when to prune remains now to be 
noticed. It has already been sufficiently indicated that, as applied to the 
age of the trees, pruning in very many cases is best performed while the 
tree is yet young. This rule, however, is a general one, and the 
exceptions to it are numerous. Without going into that I shall devote 
what remains to be said to a brief review of the season of the year when 
pruning is most advantageously performed ; and this brings us to the 
recognition of two broad principles w^hich underlie its performance. We 
prune either (1) to increase bulk or (2) to repress growth within stated 
E 2 
