STREET TREES. 49 
drenching the soil thoroughly and then mulching well if lack of 
' moisture and high winds are the causes of the trouble. Protection 
from the wind by wrapping the trunk and large limbs with burlap or 
some other protecting material is also desirable. 
After a liberal opening has been made in the specially prepared soil 
the tree should be brought, preferably from the city’s own nursery 
(fig. 32), but if such a nursery has not been provided, then from 
among the newly received trees that have been “heeled in,” as already 
described. 
If the tree has been well handled and the roots carefully protected 
it is ready for setting. It is desirable to immerse the roots in a thin 
mixture of clay and water just before putting it in the hole if there is 
suspicion that the roots have been exposed. This can be done before 
leaving the nursery or “heeling-in”’ ground, but the roots must be 
properly protected. Any mutilated ends of roots should be removed, 
the top should be severely pruned, as described later, and the tree 
should be placed in the hole in line with the other trees (fig. 33, A) 
and at such a height that after the filling is completed it will be about 
an inch deeper in the ground than it was before transplanting. The 
roots should be spread out in as near their original position as prac- 
ticable, and soil should be carefully worked in about them with the 
fingers, so that each rootlet may come in contact with soil and not 
be crowded against other rootlets. When all the roots have been 
placed and covered the soil should be thoroughly trampled or tamped 
to bring the roots into as close contact as possible with it. Then 
more soil should be put in and the ground again tamped. Of course, 
in order to get satisfactory results the soil used for planting must not 
be too wetortoodry. If the soil is in such a state as to hold together 
in sogey masses and not spring apart again when squeezed in the 
hand, it is too wet for planting. If the soil is too dry, it will not stay 
in contact with the roots during the planting operations. A soil 
that is too dry may be well watered a day or two in advance of the 
planting, or if excessive dryness does not make it difficult to handle, 
the tree may be planted and then be thoroughly watered. After the 
watering 3 or 4 inches of loose soil should be spread over the wet 
ground in order to prevent undue evaporation. It should not be 
trampled or pounded in any way after the water is applied. If trees 
planted in moist retentive soils are watered after planting they should 
be provided with a mulch of similar earth. East of the Missouri 
River trees planted in soil that is in good condition usually do not 
need watering at the time of planting. 
Trees planted from pots, cans, or boxes should have the ball of ° 
earth taken from the receptacle handled with care, so as not to 
break it further than to loosen some of the roots on the outside of 
the ball; then the soil should be as carefully placed about this ball 
