GROWING SHADE TREES. 179 



easily cured with proper attention, should be rejected. Before 

 planting-, the main roots should be cut back to within four to six 

 inches of the collar of the tree and the fibrous roots pruned in to 

 two inches in length, with a sharp knife, the cut or scarf to be made 

 on the under side of the root and outwards rather than from the top 

 and inwards. 



The new idea in horticulture is that a better root system is pro- 

 cured by shortenino- the roots to yovxng trees very close to the collar 

 of the tree at the time of transplanting-. If the roots are pruned 

 very short, there must be a proportionate amount cut from the tops. 

 I think the short pruning of roots can be overdone and am led by 

 past experience to doubt the wisdom of this method in our dry 

 climate on open expanses where the wind has full sweep, and es- 

 pecially on lands subject to severe drouths, unless some kind of 

 irrigation can be supplied. The sustaining vitality of the trees 

 comes from its roots, and every inch of root cut away beyond the 

 proper amount lessens the chances of the tree making a robvist 

 growth. 



The following rule, I think, will hold good in the transplanting 

 of all deciduous trees in this section of country: if the roots of a 

 tree to be transplanted are pruned very short, the tops should be 

 cut back in a corresponding manner. There should always be a 

 relative proportion maintained between root and top. 



An important thing to be considered with reference to the growth 

 of these trees for the next two years is the nature of the soil in 

 which they are to be planted. The ground should be strong, of a 

 loamj', moist nature and plowed very fine and deep. If the soil to 

 be used is a tenacious clay, it should have been prepared the previ- 

 ous fall; if a lighter texture, the preparation can be deferred until 

 spring, but even with light soils I consider it time gained to prepare 

 the ground in the fall; then there will be no delay when the proper 

 tirne comes in the spring for planting. In planting* this sized tree, 

 use a 12 or 14 inch plow to mark off the ground by going twice in a 

 place and only making the rows as fast as wanted. The trees can be 

 planted at just the right depth very expeditiously by putting only 

 sufficient soil on the roots to protect them from the sun and wind; 

 then plow a furrow on each side of the row, straighten up the tops 

 of the trees and tread the soil firmly around their roots — after which 

 comes one of the most important acts to be performed in the trans- 

 planting of trees into nursery rows, one which is very often too 

 long neglected. It consists in pulverizing the surface of the ground 

 b}'^ the use of a fine-toothed cultivator as soon as the trees are 

 planted. Now this cultivation should not be done in a neglectful, 

 slovenly manner, but should be thorough and repeated at least 

 once in every week or ten days at farthest through the whole season. 

 After the trees begin to make a new growth, there will be some 

 pinching and pruning that must be done in shortening limbs that 

 are inclined to grow too fast, also in trimming the tops to a single 

 leader. Clean, thorough cultivation and caring for all irregular 

 growtli is all that is needed for the next two 3'ears, when the trees will 

 be five j^ears old, and many of them should be of sufficient size for 



