Evening journal., 1899-12-07
CARE OF TREES

PRINCIPAL FUNCTION OF THE
ROOT. SYSTEM DESCRIBED BE
LOW.
The principal function OF the root
system is to anchor tree, and to ah.
sorb the moisture and tho soluble plant
food from the soil The foliage, under
the influence Of light. transforms the
nutritive materials with the carbonic
acid OF the air into food for the vari-
Gus parts of the plant There is a re-
ciproeal relation between the absorb
log capacity OF the roots and the food
producing power OF the leaves. A
strongly dsyeioped root system makes
large healthy foliage possible. but
tso vigorous root development could
net have been attained without the
food first prepared by an active foliage.
Neither the roots nor the leaves can be
disturbed without derangng this har-
Wonious intor-relationship.
When q tree Is taken from the nur-
sery large proportion OF the original
root system remains in the ground The
harmony botween the. top and the root
Is thereby broken upsand the branches
must bescorrespondingly while
the new roots arc making It is gem
orally conceded That both root-pruning
and top-pruning are helpful to trans
planted tree, but there is wide differ
pnce of opinion among fruit growers
about she details Of the pruning opera
tions The extreme views. on the one
hand. find expression through those
who advocate that root and TOP be left
rs uoary Intact RS practicable: on the
otter uTourL those who advocate a
removal tN ali the roots and nearly all
OF the tor.
An unusual interest has recently
been aroustN, by the vigorous presenta-
;ion Of rood pruning by II. NJ. String
fellow. Galveston, Texas. Mr. String
fellow reno yes all roots from the
ycung trec. and then cuts the top 10 a
short stem "A foot or more in length.
Tho system mas been coupled with his
name. and is popularity known as the
Stringfellow. or the stub-root system Of
tree pruning
it is asserted by Mr. sulngfellow
that "tho best form OF tree for planting
Is exactly the opposite OF that recon-
mended by al authorities from time
immemorial" The tree should be
prunod as follows: Hold the tree ton
down and cut all roots back to about
an inch. slopingl the cuts so that when
wards. Experience has shown that the
roots are generally emitted perpendicu.
larry TO the plane. or surface OF the cut
This final pruning should be done
shortly before planting 80 as to present
fresh surface for the callus to form
on II trees are to be kept some time
or shipped by q nuirerymar, about two
inches Of root should be left, the plant.
or 10 cut back as directed when the
tree Is set About foot Of top shoult
be left moro For less makes no differ
ence"
Trees that are pruned by the stul
method are said to develop large root
that take q downward direction. Thes,
Become anchored in the moist subsoi
from whence a never-failing supply o
moisture is drawn during tho hot sum
MGR months On the other hand lon
rooted trees develop a permanent,
lateral and surface system and q"
comparison with these will prove tha
when the strain of fruit bearing comes
the close Druned tree. with it's root
deep and strong, out OF reach of IN
plow. Winter cold and Summers hea
and drought, will stand up for man
years. giving good crops. long after tn
other, with its lateral and surface syl
The following commercial advar
tages are also aacrlbod to the stul
pfuned trees:
7 Enormous saving TO nureerymc
IN digging the stock.
Equally great saving in packlr
TIE etock
81 Economy IN transportation
4 Economy in planting
Lessons the danger Of sprcadir
usccts and diseases
g Enables The planter 10 set ext
large trees. which the nurseryman n
10 throw away. and thus obtain fru
much sooner.
The emphatic merit asserted for
aubpwncd tree is its predisposition
fern y large tap-root system. wh
the disadvantage Of a long-rooted tr
lies in It's inclination TO develop a sr
face system OF roots. The fundameni
study 10 the sb-ingfellow method
concerned with the direction which {
now roots Of the tree assume: and IL
can be shown that the removal OF {
roots Is an assurance of q strong det
rooted tree. the Strirgfeliow meth
Will take its place among the most i
portant contributions to modern hor
cniture.
The writer began a study of the no
pruning question ia tho Fail of rs
when ifty-lour trees of each of the I
lowing fruits were set on tho groui
of the experiment station, and duI
cato number on the fruit farm
Charles Wright. Seaford. Del: U
year-old Astrachan apple. two-year-
Bartlett pear, one-year-old Crawfor
Early peach one-year-old Abundai
plum on Mariana roots
The land at the experiment station
a heavy, w&l-draincd, clay loan. "
stiff subsoil eight or ten inches
meath the surface. The land at Seat
l5 warm. we'll drained sandy loi
Tith a stif subsoii two feet below
surface The NeTsrlr soil Is freque
" from from Decenbe- 20 MAJ