Chap. IV.] 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
143 
energies of trees are converted to the production 
of seed, for the re-production of their species in 
youth and vigour. 
In the case of trees which are free growers 
but shy bearers, put them or parts of them out 
of health somehow. Dig half their roots to 
death -— ring half their branches — or half bark 
their stems. For we must grow fruit, not 
timber, in our gardens and orchards. But do 
not dig all your trees to death, and then swear 
that they killed themselves by diving. And in 
the case of trees of minor growth, top-dress 
them, and break the surface over their roots 
charily. 
As the generality of roots do not leave the 
tender superficial seedling either in vertical or 
horizontal lines, but in lines forming angles 
with these, the lateral increase of these com¬ 
mencements of roots, as they become imbedded 
and embodied in the trunk, forms the projecting 
spurs of old trees, or what is called “ the swell 
of the roots.” 
When trees which have spurs are felled by 
horizontal cutting, the annual growths of the 
spurs are not cut directly across , but diagonally, 
or slantwise: indeed, sometimes the cut ap¬ 
proaches to being lengthwise with the grain. This 
Origin of spurs 
and the swell 
of the roots. 
