6 MONTANA EXPEEIMENT STATION Cir. 78 



plant must start growth on the food material stored up in its roots, 

 trunk, and branches. If the planting is delayed until the plants 

 have leafed out, this leaf surface generally dries up and the food 

 used in producing it is lost. With its supply of food diminished in 

 this manner, the plant has its chances for surviving reduced propor- 

 tionately. 



HOW TO PLANT 



Before setting the plants in the ground, trim off all broken 

 ends of roots; and if any roots are exceptionally long, cut them 

 back to six or eight inches in length. Handle the trees carefully to 

 avoid drying the roots. A good way is to haul them to the field 

 in a barrel with water enough to cover the roots. Take them from 

 the barrel as they are to be planted. 



To plant forest tree seedlings or small hedge plants, push the 

 blade of the spade down into the ground and work it back and 

 forth until the roots of the trees may be slipped down behind it. 

 Remove the spade and tramp the soil well down about the roots. 

 If a little water can be poured into the hole before the soil is 

 pressed back about the roots, so much the better. In either case, 

 after the tree is planted and the soil is well packed about the roots, 

 see that the surface soil is loose enough to prevent rapid loss of 

 moisture. 



It will pay to plant specimen shade trees and shrubs with a 

 little more care. Dig a good hole and spread the roots out well. 

 In all cases set the plants three or four inches deeper than they 

 stood in the nursery. The tops should be pruned after the trees 

 and shrubs are set. Cut forest tree seedlings back to within a foot 

 or even six inches of the ground. Prune shrubs the same way. On 

 the larger trees remove about one-half of the top. Some of the 

 limbs may be cut out entirely and others cut back one-third of 

 their length. This pruning at planting time should not be neglected 

 tor it is very important. Most of the root system has been destroyed 

 in digging and if the entire top is left the remaining root system 

 can not support it and the plant will seldom survive the first summer. 



Native plants can often be used to good advantage in beautifying^ 

 the home. To grow plants from native seed is slow, inconvenient, 

 and unsatisfactory, as well as unnecessary where there are plenty 

 of native seedlings which can be used. Possibly, however, many 

 failures have discouraged some in the use of native stock. If a few 



