PLANTING AND CARE OF TREES 



103 



depending upon the size of the tree, into which the bundles of 

 trees are placed and their roots covered with soil. In order to 

 make sure of having the trees on hand at planting time, it is 



Fig-. 34, Nursery stock "healed in." 



sometimes necessary to order them shipped in the fall. AATien 

 they arrive they may be heeled in until ready for use in the 

 spring. 



Prune Before Planting — In the process of digging, no matter 

 how carefully done, many of the roots are sure to be broken off 

 or injured in some way. To balance up for this loss of roots the 

 tree should have its top greatly reduced. This is done by cutting 

 out superfluous branches and by heading in the remainder. This 

 practive is not necessary nor desirable for Evergreens. Trees 

 with abundant root systems will not need to be headed in 

 so severely as those deficient in roots. The older the tree 

 when moved the greater the danger in losing its roots, and 

 the greater the necessity for heading in. With trees not more 

 than three or four years of age, the removal of most of the past 

 season's growth will be sufficient, but with older trees it is usually 

 necessary to remove two or more years' growth. With some trees, 

 like the Pin Oak, Ginkgo, Poplars and Evergreens, whose peculiar 

 beauty is dependent upon a single stem or central leader, it is 

 necessary to do the pruning on the side branches. This pruning 

 and heading-in greatly reduces the chances of failure and yet does 

 not seriously effect the rate of development. The more severe the 

 pruning the greater the growth during the first few seasons. 



