ARBOR DA Y MANUAL. 
371 
NEW YORK STATE PROGRAM, 1889. 
Method in planting a tree.— 1. Holes are best made before the trees are 
brought to the ground. They should be a little deeper than the depth of the 
root-system, but twice as large around as seems necessary, to facilitate pene¬ 
tration of rains and development of rootlets through the loosened soil. Place 
the top soil, which is better (being richer in easily assimilated plant food) to 
one side, the raw soil from the bottom to the other side; in filling back bring 
the richer soil to the bottom. If it be practicable, improve a heavy loamy soil 
by adding to and mixing with it looser sandy soil, or a loose poor soil by en¬ 
riching it with loam or compost. Keep all stones out of the bottom ; they 
may be used above the roots, or better on the surface. Providing proper 
drainage is the best means of improving ground for tree planting. Use no 
manure except as a top dressing. 
2. Planting is best done by two or three persons. A, who manipulates the tree, is 
the planter and responsible for the result; B and C do the spading under his 
direction. A places the tree in the hole, to ascertain whether this is of proper 
size ; a board or stick laid across the hole aids in judging the depth. Trees 
should not be set deeper than they stood before, except in loose, poor soil. 
More trees are killed by too deep planting than the reverse. If the root-sys¬ 
tem is developed sideways but not centrally, as is often the case, a hill is raised 
in the hole to fill out the hollow space in the root-system, and the earth of the 
hill is patted down with the spade. When the hole is in proper order, A holds 
the tree perpendicularly in the middle of the hole, with the side bearing the 
fullest branches toward the south or south-west, for better protection of the 
shaft against the sun. B and C spread the roots into a natural position, then 
fill in the soil, using the good soil first — small spadefuls deliberately thrown 
over the roots in all directions — while A, by a slight shaking and pumping up 
and down of the stem, aids the earth in settling around the rootlets. A close 
contact of the soil with the rootlets is the secret of success in planting. Only 
fine mellow soil, not too moist, and free from stones, will permit such close ad¬ 
justment to the rootlets, which should also be aided by hand and fingers filling 
in every crevice. A, while setting the tree, must exercise care to keep it in 
proper position and perpendicular, until the soil is packed so as to keep the 
tree in place ; then B and C rapidly fill the holes, A treading down the soil 
firmly after a sufficient quantity is filled in, finishing off a little above the gen¬ 
eral level to allow for settling, and finally placing the stones or any mulching 
around the stem. 
Watering.— The practice of using water while planting can hardly be said to^ 
be a good one, unless the water is very carefully applied with a “ rose ” after 
the soil is well filled in and packed around the fibrous roots. Especially with 
a soil which has a tendency to clog, there is great danger of an uneven distri¬ 
bution and settling, with consequent empty spaces between the roots. More 
trees are probably killed by too much water in transplanting than by too little. 
Water after the transplanting (and perhaps before the last shovels of earth are 
filled in) especially if the soil was dry, is useful and should be applied during 
the hot season, choosing the late afternoon or evening for applying it. 
After care.—Any mulch of waste material, hay, straw, or better, wood shav¬ 
ings or chips, sawdust, or even stones simply placed around the .foot of the 
tree, is of excellent service in checking evaporation. 
Keeping the ground free from weeds and grass, and preventing it from bak¬ 
ing, by occasionally hoeing and raking, is advisable. To prevent the trees from 
being swayed by the wind, if of larger size, they should be staked firmly; a 
loose post is worse'than none. The tying should be so done as not to cut or 
injure the tree; a tree-box insures more safety against accidents. With the 
development of the crown it becomes necessary to trim it, so as to carry the 
top above reach. • Trees are not benefited by being used for hitching-posts, or 
climbing poles, or other frolic. 
