SHADE TREE PLANTING 
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necessary only in the case of solid soil, which holds water 
and keeps the roots in constant state of excess moisture. 
Roots kept too moist are deprived of air, and this is a 
serious handicap which is apt to result in the death of the 
tree. 
Deciduous trees may be planted at any time after the 
leaves begin to drop in the fall, and before growth has 
developed very far in the spring, even when the ground 
is frozen, if the bottom and sides of the hole are not 
frozen and there is available an abundance of unfrozen, 
sufficiently dry earth to place about the roots and nearly 
fill the hole. For best results, however, many experi¬ 
enced planters prefer the spring season, as being the time 
when all vegetation starts growing, although in the eastern 
third of the United States, except the coldest parts, a fall 
planted tree will be a half year ahead of a tree planted at 
a corresponding time in the spring planting season. Careful 
observation has shown that trees planted in the autumn, 
