PLANTING TIME AND CARE 



OF TREES 



By S. B. Detwiler 



THE time to plant is either late 

 fall or early spring. Usually 

 the amateur gets better restilts 

 with spring planting. Fall 

 planted evergreens should be trans- 

 planted about the middle of September. 

 Broad-leaved trees should be trans- 

 planted only when the buds are dormant. 

 Trees transplanted from the woods 

 should be seedlings. Forest grown trees 

 are more successftdly transplanted by 

 cutting off the roots several feet from 

 the trunk a }'ear or more before the tree 

 is moved. This enables the tree to 

 develop an auxiliary root system; it is 

 also well to prune back the top at the 

 time the roots are pruned. 



Nursery grown trees are best for shade 

 tree planting on account of their better 

 root development. A tree 13^^ to 2 

 inches in diameter one foot above 

 ground is large enough for street planting 

 and smaller trees are cheaper and may 

 be used to advantage for lawn or 

 roadside planting. Because of the bet- 

 ter proportion between roots and top, 

 small trees usually outgrow larger trees 

 planted at the same time. The trees 

 should have a compact root system, a 

 straight trunk and a well-balanced top. 



Tree pedlars should he held in suspicion. 

 — Trees shoiild be purchased from reli- 

 able nurserymen of good reputation. 

 If 3'ou are not acquainted with a reliable 

 firm the American Forestry Association 

 can supply you with lists of reliable 

 dealers. 



Trim off all torn or broken roots and 

 branches with a sharp pruner before 

 planting. Street trees should have the 

 lower branches trimmed to a height of 

 7 to 9 feet from the ground. When a 

 tree is transplanted, a large part of the 

 root system is cut off, and it must 

 start new feeding roots before it can 

 establish itself. Unless the top is 

 severely pruned, proportionately to the 

 root system, excessive transpiration 



100 



from the leaves is very apt to kill it. 

 The trees should be free from scars and 

 bruises due to carelessness in handling. 



// the tree is purchased from a nearby 

 nursery, as is most desirable, have it 

 delivered for planting on a cool or 

 cloudy day. In every case the root 

 system must be protected at all times 

 from the sun and air, from the time it 

 leaves the niu"sery until it is planted. 

 Moist blankets or a can\'as wrapped 

 tightly around the roots will give 

 adequate protection. 



Preparing the tree for the hole. — Several 

 weeks before planting the hole for street 

 planting should be dug, 5 to 7 feet long, 

 3 or 4 feet wide and about 3 feet deep. 

 These holes should be covered to prevent 

 people falling into them. A few days 

 before planting, the hole should be 

 partly filled with the best soil available, 

 and well packed. A cubic yard of 

 rich loam, w^ell pulverized, should be 

 placed close at hand for use when the 

 tree is set. In lawn planting smaller 

 trees are usually planted, and the hole 

 may be reduced in size. If the top soil 

 is good, it may not be necessary to 

 bring in other soil, but in every case it 

 will pay to use the very best soil and plenty 

 of it. Fresh manure should not be 

 used, as it is liable to bum the roots. 



Planting. — The tree shotild be planted 

 slightly deeper than it stood in the 

 nursery, and the roots spread out 

 naturally, without twisting or crowding 

 them. Fine soil is sifted between the 

 roots and worked under and between 

 them, filling every space. The tree 

 should be held upright during planting, 

 by an assistant. Working the tree up 

 and down and side wise aids in packing 

 the dirt firmly about the roots. The 

 soil is packed in layers by trampling, 

 care being taken not to break or tear 

 the fine feeding roots. The top 3 or 4 

 inches of soil is thrown on loosely, to 

 act as a mulch. The tree may be thor- 



