72 
PLANTING HOME GROUNDS 
PLANTING SHADE TREES 
The best time to plant Shade Trees is in the late Fall 
or early Winter. Trees planted at this time get their 
roots well established, in fact the roots may grow some¬ 
what during the Winter. 
But Shade Trees may be planted at any time during 
the Winter or early Spring, when the ground is not frozen 
and the temperature is above freezing. While Fall and 
early Winter planting is the best the trees can be planted 
until April 1st. But the earlier they go into the ground the 
more satisfactory the results will be, and the better will be 
their chances of survival. 
PREPARING SHADE TREE HOLES. 
For the average Shade Tree of 2 inches in diameter a 
tree hole 4 feet square and 2% feet deep is the proper size. 
In locations where the soil is poor or the ground is of a 
clay or gumbo nature the original soil should be replaced 
with good loam. The loam used in replacing the original 
soil should be light and not sticky. 
In clay or gumbo soil it is generally necessary to make 
an exceptionally deep hole, 4 or 5 feet deep, and fill the 
bottom of the hole two feet deep with rock or broken con¬ 
crete. The tree should be planted above this rock in new 
soil. The rock so placed will act as a sort of dry well and 
will prevent the saturation of the soil about the roots. 
Where such provision is not made for draining the water 
away from the tree roots the soil is likely to sour or be¬ 
come saturated with water, which may result in the death 
of the tree. 
CUTTING RACK THE TOP. 
the purpose of cutting back the top of a tree when 
transplanting is to start a symmetrical head, and to re¬ 
establish the balance between the roots and the top. When 
