14 Circular No. 55, January, 1916. 



oughly disked, and plowed to a depth of eight or ten inches, 

 and summer fallowed one season. 



Ground that has been under cultivation for some time 

 should be fallowed for a year before the trees are planted. 

 This includes deep plowing in May or early June, followed by 

 sufficient surface cultivation throughout the summer to keep 

 down all weeds and to maintain a soil mulch. Deep plowing 

 loosens the soil and puts it in condition to retain all the mois- 

 ture that falls upon it. The surface tillage during the summer 

 not only controls the weeds but also prevents the loss of mois- 

 ture from the soil by evaporation. This is particularly im- 

 portant in western Kansas. 



For street and yard planting, deep plowing and summer 

 fallowing can not be practiced. Instead of deep plowing, 

 deep spading may be substituted. Street and yard trees, with 

 the most favorable treatment, are under a serious handicap. 

 The grass sod or other native vegetation growing around 

 them uses a large proportion of the soil moisture which is 

 needed by the trees. The immediate location for such trees 

 should be spaded up for an area at least six feet in diameter. 

 The depth to which the ground should be loosened will depend 

 entirely upon the character of the subsoil. If the subsoil is 

 hard "jointed clay," it will be advisable to loosen the ground 

 to a depth of three or four feet. In case the subsoil is loamy, 

 spading to a depth of eighteen or twenty inches will be suffi- 

 cient. When a supply of water is available, the ground for 

 such planting need not be spaded up until within a few days 

 of the time the trees are to be set. Immediately after being 

 spaded up, the ground should be thoroughly wet and allowed 

 to remain undisturbed for two or three days before the trees 

 are planted. 



The practice of digging the holes some weeks or months be- 

 fore the trees are to be planted is a serious mistake. Such a 

 practice permits the exposed soil to become air dry, and if the 

 subsoil contains clay, to bake and harden. Such a condition 

 is difficult to correct. Tree holes should be dug only when the 

 trees are ready to set. The moist soil taken out of the hole is 

 then in good condition to fill in about the roots and will re- 

 unite readily with the bottom and sides of the hole. This can 

 not occur when the hole is left open for some time before the 

 tree is planted. 



