AN OBJECT LESSON IN PRUNING. 
THIS illustration shows our method of pruning. All three of the figures shown are photographs of the same 
plant at different stages of its development. On the left is shown the plant as taken from our breeding 
bed April 27, 19D5. Notice the roots; how they start from the crown. The illustration on the right is a photo- 
graph of the same plant taken a few minutes later and after it had been pruned ready for setting. It was then 
taken to our experimental plot and reset and allowed to grow until June 26. The central illustration shows 
the plant as photographed on that day, fffty-nine days after resetting. It will be seen that the roots sent out 
many laterals or feeders where the cut was made, as shown by the dotted lines; yet less than one-third of the new 
roots are shown, as the roots were so tender they broke off when taken from the ground. Otherwise the 
root system would have compared in size with the foliage. During that fifty-nine-day period the plant built up 
twenty leaf stems, four crowns and a large, well-developed body. This is due to the fact that a Thoroughbred 
plant is strong and vigorous, its roots are fully ripened and thoroughly calloused, and when properly pruned, set 
out and cultivated, is bound to be successful. 
humus is made. This soluble food becomes a To prevent this over -supply requires especial 
part of the moisture or water-film that surrounds treatment of the particular soil you are culti- 
the soil grains where it is absorbed by the roots; vating. Inasmuch as sandy and clay soils can- 
if the supply of soluble food be in excess of the not be handled alike, we give cultural methods 
plant's demand it will leach away, causing waste, for each separately. 
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