SPECIAL TOPICS 



The Way to Plant a Tree 



No. 1. A piece of burlap or canvas should be 

 spread over the grass, so that the dirt from the holes 

 may be thrown upon it. 



No. 2. Holes must be made so large that the roots 

 may be spread out naturally without cramping. See 

 also No. 6. 



No. 3. Dig holes larger in circumference at the 

 bottom than at the top to prevent water laying 

 :about the roots. 



No. 4. Good, fertile top-soil must be used about 

 tlie roots. If the tree is to be planted in impoverished 

 :ground, good soil should be provided for it. 



No. 5. Plant a tree just as deeply as it stood in 

 the nursery row. This depth is very easily deter- 

 mined by the dirt line always shown at the bottom 

 of the trunk. Failure to plant in accordance with 

 this rule probably results in the loss of more trees than 

 any other cause. 



No. 6. Lay the roots out naturally and cut off 

 all the broken or bruised parts. See also No. 2. 



No. 7. Be sure to press earth firmly about the 

 roots, especially about the crown (where the arrow 

 points), so that every particle of the roots will be 

 embedded in compacted soil. 



No. 8. A tamping stick may be used to work the 

 soil firmly about the roots. With small trees and 

 plants the dirt will settle firmly if the plant is gently 

 lifted up and down, when the hole is half filled, so 

 that the dirt will work its way between the roots. 

 Just before filling in all the dirt press it firmly. Be 

 sure that the dirt is well compacted, excepting three 

 or four inches at the top of the hole, which should be 

 loosened by occasional cultivation. 



No. 9. If buds have begun to swell at time of 

 planting or if the ground is dry, watering when the 

 hole has been three-quarters filled will not only 

 moisten the roots but help settle the soil firmly 

 about them. Should drought ensue afterwards, oc- 

 casional watering will be necessary until the tree 

 becomes established; watering is, however, fre- 

 quently overdone, and death from this cause occurs 

 to trees and plants almost as frequently as from 

 neglect to water. 



No. 10. Trim broken or bruised branches, also 

 two-thirds of the previous year's growth; because 

 the roots in their disturbed condition cannot at the 

 outset nourish as large a top growth as before they 



were disturbed by moving. Marks among the 

 branches of the diagram show where this tree should 

 be trimmed. 



No. 11. It is often best not to trim the leader or 

 central stem, as a forked tree may result. Hardwood 

 trees, like the oak and beech especially, should not 

 have their central leader trimmed. 



No. 12. If the tree is large or in an especially 

 exposed place where winds may loosen it, support 

 it with wires and provide some protection where the 

 wires come in contact with the tree trunk. A piece 

 of burlap, with a few sticks, is useful to prevent the 

 wires chafing the tree where they come in contact 

 with it. 



No. 13. After planting, it is better to leave a cul- 

 tivated area about the tree than to sod close to it. 

 This cultivated area should be from three to five 

 feet in diameter. 



No. 14. Fertilizer, in the form of stable manure 

 or compost, may be used, but should not come in 

 direct contact with the roots. A mulch applied after 

 the planting is usually the best way to supply this 

 fertilizer, as it then also acts to conserve the moisture. 



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