TREES AND SHRUBS ON THE FARM 9 



CULTIVATION 



During the first summer the windbreak, the rows of shade trees, 

 and the hedges should receive good, clean cultivation. Individual 

 plants or clumps that can not well be cultivated may be mulched 

 with straw or coarse stable manure. The windbreak should be 

 cultivated as long as it is possible to go between the trees. 



It may be well to mulch the soil about young trees and shrubs 

 for the first winter at least. If mice are inclined to be troublesome, 

 the mulch should not extend up to the trunks of the trees. To 

 prevent injury by mice, pile a cone of earth eight inches high about 

 the base of the tree and then mulch outside of this. 



PRUNING 



The object of pruning is to keep trees and shrubs in a good 

 state of health and vigor. To this end we try to assist rather than 

 change their natural habits of growth. To become proficient one 

 should learn (1) what to remove, (2) when to prune, and (3) how 

 to make proper cuts. 



What to remove from trees. Diseased and dead parts should 

 be removed. This is preferably done as soon as noticed, although 

 most of such work may be done early in the spring, as noted later 

 on. If two branches rub, one should generally be taken out, although 

 cases may arise where it is desirable to head back one of them 

 below the place where it rubs. On lawns where high-headed trees 

 are desirable, trees should not be allowed to branch close to the 

 ground. As the tree grows, the lower branches should be pruned 

 off; at least they should not be allowed to grow very large. Where 

 trees are exposed it is often desirable to allow small branches to 

 grow rather low for a season or two as a protection to the trunk. 

 The branches should be kept as small as possible by severe heading 

 back, say to two or three buds, and they should be taken off before 

 they get very large. 



What to remove from shrubs and bushes. Dead and diseased 

 parts should be removed. Caragana, honeysuckles, Russian olive, 

 and some others will stand rather severe heading back if it is 

 desirable to keep them low. Sometimes it is necessary to thin out 

 some of the wood when it gets too thick. Death of branches in the 

 center of bushes or a spindling growth of these branches usually 

 indicates that the bushes are too thick. In any case it is well to 



