9 



PRUNING: Enough leaf -bearing sur- 

 face of newly transplanted deciduous 

 trees should be thinned out by pruning 

 to balance the loss of roots. Prune only 

 lateral branches, removing from one- 

 half to two-thirds of them. The main 

 leader and any short branches growing 

 out directly from the leader or the main 

 trunk should be left undisturbed. Most 

 evergreen trees require little, if any, 

 pruning, except to remove broken or 

 injured branches. 



Wounds from pruning or other in- 

 jury, if more than a square inch in area, 

 should be dressed with special asphalt- 

 base tree paint, shellac, or other suit- 

 able wound dressing to hasten healing 

 and reduce the possibility of decay. 

 High-quality roofing asphalt may be 

 used (as a substitute) if prepared dres- 

 sings are not obtainable. Tree-wound 

 dressing compounds and paints are 

 available at arborists' supply houses 

 and also in most well-stocked hardware 

 and paint stores. 



AFTER-CARE : The work does not end 

 after the tree has been set in the 

 ground, has been given a preliminary 

 watering, and has been properly 

 pruned. 



If the tree is more than 7 feet tall 

 and in a situation exposed to winds, 

 it needs support. A single stake, long 

 enough to reach up into the lower part 

 of the crown after being driven down 

 to solid soil about 1 foot from the base 

 of the trunk, will do for trees up to 2 

 inches in trunk diameter. The tree is 

 fastened to the stake with wire, which 

 is run through a piece of old garden 

 hose to keep it from cutting into the 

 bark. If wire and hose are not avail- 

 able, burlap and sash cord or light 

 rope will do. 



Trees that are 2 to 4 inches in diam- 

 eter require two or three such stakes. 

 Trees larger than 4 inches in diameter 

 should be guyed down with three or 

 more guys. Use wire or cable run 

 through old garden hose or attached to 

 the tree by means of a lag hook, and 

 fasten the lower ends to 2-inch by 

 4-inch by 4-foot stakes or to deadmen. 



Yearbook^ of Agriculture 1949 



Another point to remember is 

 mulching. A 2- to 3-inch layer of peat 

 moss, leaves, straw, hay, shredded corn 

 stalks, bagasse, wood shavings, or simi- 

 lar material laid down in a circle over 

 the root area is definitely advisable. 

 This mulch will reduce evaporation, 

 prevent early freezing, and keep down 

 weeds. On deciduous trees a mulch 

 layer is not necessary after the first 2 

 years, but on evergreens, particularly 

 broadleaf types, a continuous mulch 

 layer is desirable. Where rodents are 

 numerous, the mulch layer should be 

 pulled away from the base of the trunk 

 to reduce possibilities of girdling injury. 



To the newly planted tree, proper 

 watering is the most important of all 

 measures. The soil should be kept fresh 

 at all times and occasionally be well- 

 saturated to make sure that roots have 

 not dried out. But waterlogging should 

 definitely be avoided. Excess water will 

 kill some species faster than drought. 



Exposed trunks of newly planted 

 trees are sometimes injured by sun- 

 scald. To prevent this injury, wrap the 

 trunk and lower limbs with strips of 

 burlap or with special horticultural 

 crepe paper, which comes in strips 4 

 to 6 inches wide. The wrapping should 

 remain on at least a year. Inquire 

 among local nurserymen or experi- 

 enced tree planters to determine which 

 species, if any, require wrapping. 



No fertilizing is advised at planting 

 time, but when the tree is established, 

 say 6 months to a year after planting, 

 moderate fertilizing is recommended. 

 The kinds and amounts of fertilizers 

 and the season of application depend 

 on the local soil and climate. Advice 

 on this matter can usually be obtained 

 from the county agent, State experi- 

 ment station, or any local nurseryman. 



T. E. MAKI is in charge of the Gulf- 

 coast Branch of the Southern Forest 

 Experiment Station, Gulfport, Miss. 

 A graduate of the University of Min- 

 nesota., where he majored in forestry 

 and soils, he has had experience in 

 landscape plantings in the Lake States, 

 Idaho, Maryland, and Mississippi. 



