ILLINOIS TREES: SELECTION, PLANTING, AND CARE 21 



This is especially important in preventing sunscald or winter in- 

 jury of bark on smooth- or thin-barked trees. If a tree cannot be 

 properly oriented, you can protect its trunk and large branches 

 by wrapping them with paper or burlap, or coating them with 

 wax or latex. 



Filling the hole. — After placing the tree in the proper posi- 

 tion, fill the hole with good loam soil. Bare-root trees need special 

 attention. Work the soil in firmly around the roots as the hole is 

 gradually filled. Gently raise and lower the tree slightly as the 

 soil is added, to help eliminate air pockets around the roots. Add 

 the soil in layers of about 6 inches, and tamp each layer to make 

 it firm and to hold the tree perpendicular. Water may be used to 

 settle the soil and to eliminate air pockets around the roots. If 

 the soil is wet it should be tamped very little and the tree may not 

 need "watering in." Spread a top layer of 1-2 inches of loose 

 soil over the tamped soil to serve as a mulch. Leave a ridge or 

 collar of soil at the margin of the hole (Fig. 14, 16, and 17) to 

 form a basin for holding water. 



When planting a tree with a ball of soil, remove the burlap 

 before filling the trench around the ball. Heavy burlap left 

 around the ball of soil will reduce the amount of moisture reach- 

 ing the roots. Also, the burlap may decay slowly and act as a 

 barrier to normal root growth. However, if the soil in the ball is 

 likely to crumble, the burlap can be slit along the sides with a 

 sharp knife, rolled back from the top, and left on the ball. 



Pruning. — Newly planted trees should be pruned because 

 many of the fibrous roots through which water is obtained are 

 lost when the trees are dug. In general, removing 15-35 percent 

 of the leaf-bearing wood to compensate for this root loss is rec- 

 ommended to help prevent injury or death of newly planted trees. 

 Remove injured, weak, interfering, and poorly located branches. 

 Entire branches should be removed, leaving the tree with a 

 thinned out crown, one good leader, and an adequate number of 

 well-spaced lateral branches with uncut tips (Fig. 14). Do not 

 remove small twigs along the leader or main branches. 



PROTECTING YOUR TREE 



After planting your tree, several precautions are necessary 

 to protect it against wind, insect, disease, drought, and other 

 dangers. The following suggestions cover the most commonly 

 required practices — bracing, wrapping, and watering. 



