TRANSPLANTING 



241 



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A PIN OAK TRIMMED FOR PLANTING 



If the roots had been badly mutilated more severe pruning 

 would have been desirable. Oaks require more pruning at trans- 

 lilanting than most trees. The stubs at A and A are bad. These 

 should be cut off close to the trunk. 



cure other top soil to replace the sub-soil removed. With 

 his it is well to incorporate well rotted manure unless the 

 nl is unusually rich and it is also desirable to add ground 

 bone, cotton-seed meal or other fertilizers of that sort 

 that will act more slowly than the manure. These 

 should all be thoroughly mixed with the soil before 

 jjlanting is begun. 



When the hole is ready the plant should be brought 

 from where it has been "heeled in" and any bruised or 

 mutilated roots should be cut off with a sharp knife mak- 

 ing a smooth cut. This cut is usually made with the 

 face downward although this is not necessary, the im- 

 fiortant thing being to have a smooth surface as this fre- 

 f|uently seems to aid the starting of new roots that are 

 necessary for the re-establishment of the plant. The toji 

 -hould also be jiruned so that at least one fourth of the 



prospective top for next year shall be removed if there 

 have been no roots destroyed in digging the plant ; to 

 three-fourths or more of the prospective top in the case 

 of badly mutilated roots or of plants collected from the 

 woods, or if the plants are oaks or other kinds that are 

 difficult to transplant. 



After the pruning is done the plant should be placed in 

 the hole and the roots spread out in all directions in a 

 natural position. The hole should be large enough not 

 to require the bending back or sidewise any of them. 

 When the plant is placed some fine soil should be put 

 in the hole and worked in about the smaller roots careful- 

 ly. There is no implement that will take the place of the 

 hand for this purpose. After the roots are well covered 

 in this way the earth about them should be well firmed. 

 There is nothing better for this than tramping with the 

 feet, if it is carefully done, so as not to bark the roots 

 or stems. If the soil is in good condition and the plant is 

 entirely dormant the hole may now be entirely filled 



A SYCAMORE PRUNED FOR PLANTING 



Note that the general shape of the tree has been maintained 

 and that a large part of the trimming has been done by removing 

 whole limbs. 



