SCIENCE OF HOME AND COMMUNITY 



system is left in the ground, and enough of the branches 

 should be trimmed off to correspond with this loss of roots. 



It is safer to trim off too much 

 than too little. A severe prun- 

 ing is always safest. 



It is important that the hole 

 for the tree should be dug large. 

 Many people err in making the 

 hole too small. It should be 

 dug both deep and broad so as 

 to be larger than the root ex- 

 panse. The purpose of this is 

 to give the newly 

 formed roots con- 

 tact with a soft, 

 freshly dug soil. 

 The tree should 

 be set a little 

 deeper than it 

 stood in the nurs- 

 ery. When filling 

 the hole the soil 



should be trampled down firmly to make sure 

 that the soil comes in contact with the roots. 

 At the surface a layer of loose soil should be 

 left for a mulch. 



To protect the tree from mechanical injuries, 

 it should be surrounded by a guard. A very 

 effective one may be made of wire cloth with 

 a one-inch mesh. This should be about six 

 feet high and twenty inches wide so as to 

 encircle the tree. 



Care of shade trees. Pruning. During the 

 tree's growth some pruning may be necessary to preserve 

 the symmetry of the tree or for other reasons. In cutting 



FIG. 187. Twig of horse-chestnut. 



T 



FIG. 1 88. Lath 

 tree guard. 



