the roots of trees
to the atmosphere, and make it just as strong as we are capable of
writing it.

The Chairman: That is a very interesting point, that we have fixed our
eye on the tap-root and talked too much about it. Not long ago one of
the agricultural journals decided finally to settle the question about
the time for pruning grapes, whether it should be done in the fall,
spring, winter or summer, and after summing up all the testimony from
enthusiastic advocates for each one of the seasons, the editor decided
that the best time is when your knife is sharp; and that is very much
the way with the tap-root. Be very particular in getting the root in and
caring for it.

Mr. Pomeroy: Prof. Close, in a bulletin issued two years ago, spoke as
does Col. VanDuzee about protecting the roots of the trees; he said
"when the trees are taken from the box that you receive them in, don't
expose them to the sun or air, puddle every tree, and plant as soon as
possible." I think that is pretty good advice. It doesn't cost any
money, and takes very few minutes, to puddle the trees and it saves many
of them.

The Chairman: I have tried the Stringfellow Method of cutting back top
and root until my men asked me if I didn't want to transplant another
tree instead, and they have grown just as well as trees on which I took
great pains to preserve fine branching roots.

The Secretary: The last thing in my thought was to start a discussion of
this perennial subject of the tap-root, but I should like criticism of
this little circular, no matter how severe, because I am not finally
committed to it and want to make it as useful as possible.

Prof. Smith: Every man likes to ride his own hobby horse. Would it not
be wise to suggest that some of these seedlings be put in odd corners?
Certainly the hickory and walnut are adept in making themselves a home
in the roughest kind of land.

The Secretary: I have tried that, but I don't think, as a rule, the
trees do well when stuck around in fence corners and odd places. To be
sure the trees I put behind the barn or pig pen have grown beautifully,
so that at one time I thought of building barns and pig pens all over
the farm to put trees behind, but where they were set in fence corners
and out of the way places they have not done very well. I think the
experience of others is about to the same effect.

Prof. Smith: My experience has been different from yours. I have some
chestnut and walnut trees,