112 Just after Planting. 
Guarding against Sunburiu.—Newly-set trees should be 
protected against sunburn. There is nothing easier and neater 
than to push a “shake’”* into the ground so that its shadow will 
shade the stem of the tree from the afternoon sun. If set on 
the southwest side, it will do this. Where shakes are not at 
hand or are too expensive, the stem of the tree may be bundled 
with straw or wrapped with paper. Manufactured “tree pro- 
tectors” of paper which are readily adjusted around the trees 
are now largely sold. Such protectors, when made of blackened 
paper, have been found to invite sunburn instead of preventing it. 
This objection does not hold to the use of light-colored material. 
Whitewash made according to the formula given at the close 
of Chapter IX is a good protection from sunburn. For young 
trees, however, it should be made with air-slacked lime, which 
has lost some of its causticity. Another whitewash, which has 
been largely used for young trees, consists of four ounces of 
whale-oil soap dissolved in each gallon of water, whitening be- 
ing stirred in to give the solution a paint-like consistency. Mil- 
lions of trees have perished in this State, and as many more been 
condemned to sickly lives, because of sunburn, and borers which 
seek the injured bark for entrance. Pruning has much to do 
with saving trees from this evil, as will be shown in the proper 
connection, but in the hotter parts of the State, the first precau- 
tion should be to shade the bark of the young tree with some 
artificial protection. 
Cutting Back at Planting —Whatever idea the grower may 
have as to shaping his tree, it must be cut back when planted. 
Lifting from the nursery has removed a considerable part of the 
root system of the young tree and the top must be reduced ac- 
cordingly. The planter who dislikes to sacrifice the fine top 
will sacrifice future growth and vigor by retaining it. The tree 
may struggle through and regain strength, but it wili for years 
be smaller than if it had been properly cut back at planting. 
If the moisture supply should be short, a tree may die the first 
summer which would have survived if differently treated at plant- 
ing. The manner of cutting back depends somewhat upon the 
style of pruning to be followed afterward, as will be considered in 
the next chapter. 
* Shakes are pieces of wood three feet long, six inches wide, and one-quarter of an inch 
thick, split or sawed from California redwood. 
