72 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



is used, and this adds to the objections of the practice. Mulching, as 

 it is commonly understood, means putting litter of some kind around 

 the base of the tree for the purpose of conserving the moisture and 

 protecting the roots from too much heat transmitted through the 

 soil. The most efficient and least expensive mulch for this purpose is 

 not one of litter, but one obtained by keeping the surface soil around 

 the base of the trees in good tilth. If kept fine and loose, the dust 

 mulch is more efficient in conserving moisture than the litter mulch, 

 and at the same time retains the moisture at the point where it is 

 needed rather than at the surface of the soil, as does the litter mulch. 



Top-Pruning Young Trees. Probably more trees die the first 

 season after planting from lack of proper top-pruning than from any 

 other one cause. One frequently sees newly set trees in which the 

 top has been left exactly as it came from the nursery, or at most, only 

 a small amount of the growth removed, Scarcely, if ever, does the 

 grower prune his trees too severely at setting; in almost all cases 

 not enough is removed. 



Top-pruning should be done just as soon after planting as pos- 

 sible, as every day it is neglected lessens the chances for the tree to 

 withstand the adverse conditions. There are two reasons why top- 

 pruning immediately following planting is of so great importance. 

 First, it is the means of equalizing the root and top area ; second, it 

 is the most important pruning, as a rule, in the formation of the 

 head of the tree. 



As has been previously stated, when a tree is dug, not only is 

 the root system mutilated, but by far the greater portion is removed. 

 Often four-fifths of the root area is left in the nursery as the root ex- 

 tent of a good, healthy tree is greater than the extent of the top. It 

 is readily seen then that if the top of the tree is not reduced, this 

 mutilated and greatly lessened root area is called upon to supply as 

 much top with moisture and food materials as the entire root system 

 did previously. If the roots have not been too greatly reduced, and 

 conditions are favorable, the tree may succeed in getting through the 

 first season, but never in first class condition. The moisture supply is 

 insufficient, the tips of the branches dry up and die, and not infre- 

 quently the bark of the entire top becomes more or less shriveled, 

 which is a clear indication that the tree is being severely injured. 

 If the tops had been reduced, the moisture and food now going to 

 numerous branches would have been supplied to a few and these in- 

 jurious results largely, if not entirely, avoided. Very often where no 

 top-pruning is practiced, and climatic and soil conditions are adverse, 

 the tree dies without putting out any new growth. It is evident then 

 that fruit trees should be heavily top-pruned immediately after 

 planting. 



But of slightly less importance in pruning after planting is the 

 forming of the head of the tree and tne selection of the branches 

 which are to form the foundation for the top. No absolute rules 

 can be given for pruning for this purpose, because each tree offers a 

 different set of conditions. A few general suggestions will be of 

 value in determining the extent of cutting back. 



