Systematic Street Tree Planting. 31 



Trees for streets should be planted in what is commonly 

 called a tree-belt. This is the grass area that should be pro- 

 vided between the curbing or edge of roadway and the out- 

 side edge of the sidewalk. This strip should be at least 6 

 feet in width. When this tree-belt is absent and the value 

 of the presence of shade trees is such as to warrant planting, 

 good results may be obtained by planting in individual pits 

 of specially prepared soil. 



To prepare the soil for planting in a tree-belt where there 

 are no trees for a considerable space, the best method is to 

 plow the ground the same as for a garden crop. Where each 

 tree is to be placed, the top soil in a circle the diameter of 

 which is 6 feet should be dug out and laid aside; then the 

 subsoil should be spaded to a depth of 30 inches below the 

 surface of the ground. Allow for as perfect drainage as 

 possible at the bottom of the soil pit. If the subsoil is of 

 very sterile nature, it should be removed and the top soil 

 previously taken out should replace it or a part may be 

 mixed thoroughly with the top soil. In this event there 

 should be an addition of bone meal, agricultural lime, pul- 

 verized sheep manure, or some other equally good tree fer- 

 tilizer, a proportion of from one to two pounds of lime and 

 about one pound of bone meal to each cubic yard of soil will 

 be sufficient for most cases. Garden loam of a good quality 

 should then be used to completely fill the hole. 



A Good Soil Condition is the Foundation for Successful 

 Tree Growth. 



Where only one or two trees are to be planted in vacant 

 spaces, a hole should be dug about 4 feet square and 21/2 feet 

 deep. As a rule top soil will be found to be good down to a 

 depth of 12 inches or more and this may be used to fill in 

 the bottom of the hole after the more sterile soil is removed 

 and the subsoil at the bottom of the pit loosened as much as 

 possible. Fertile soil such as garden loam should be pro- 

 vided for the planting. When the tree is to be planted along 

 the street where there is no open space between the sidewalk 

 and curb, an opening should be made in the concrete 3 feet 



