As I found it impossible to procure young trained trees from the 
nurseries, in the Spring I ordered some of the regular stock, insisting, 
however, upon absolutely straight trunks, headed high. These were 
planted twenty-three feet apart. The "tree limit" specter caused 
me to superintend every detail of that important function. Holes 
larger than the diameter of the roots were prepared, with broken sod 
at the bottom. Then six inches of well decomposed manure was 
covered with a layer of top soil, upon which the tree was placed. As 
the finished planting must be exactly as it was in the nursery, a lath 
laid across the hole decided the right depth, and special pains were 
taken to have the tree perfectly erect. White sand was then sprinkled 
over the tiny rootlets, and fine earth solidly tamped in among them 
with a rounded stick. When the roots were firmly covered a few 
inches of manure was added, and the hole filled with earth to within 
two or three inches of the top. Much water was then allowed to run 
in from the hose, and the following day the earth was made level 
around the tree. A few weeks later, the trees were again thoroughly 
watered, and, after cultivating the next day, a thick mulch of compost 
was put around them. The only pruning at the time of planting was 
a little root and enough top-pruning to balance it. In the late 
Autumn each tree was anchored to the ground, by means of wires 
passed through a small piece of rubber tubing to protect the tree. 
The wires were attached to three strong pegs driven firmly into the sod. 
So, they defied the Winter storms, and early the following Spring 
the training began. Taking a rod twelve feet long, the top of each 
tree was cut off at that height, and the lower branches trimmed off 
to an equal distance from the ground, about seven feet, leaving the 
remaining branches as long as possible, but of the same length. The 
upper branches were trimmed to make the tree the shape of an expand- 
ed mushroon. The next year the upper trimming was about the same, 
leaving on each branch two more eyes while the lower branches were 
allowed to grow out, always preserving the mushroom form. [Tab- 
leaux: Our old gardener on a ladder, head and shoulders above the 
middle of the tree, with shears in hand; standing below, the enthusiast- 
ic superintendent directing each fateful cut. "A little higher up, no 
that is too high, — there now, yes, that is just right, fine!"] So I 
would direct as I walked around the tree, viewing it from all sides, to 
attain perfect symmetry. By the third year, the framework of the 
trees was established, and the veriest tyro could trim them and give 
the necessary summer pruning of the small boughs from the lower 
plane of the trees, as this line must be perfectly horizontal, for the 
pleached arbor effect. 
