18 
J. F. JONES, LANCASTER, PA. 
Planting and Care of Nut Trees 
It is important that nut trees be handled and planted carefully to get the 
best results. Keep the roots moist and expose as little as possible to sun or 
wind in handling. Ihc holes should be dug amply wide to accommodate the 
roots and a few inches deeper than the roots are long. No manure or other 
coarse material should be used in the holes about the roots. A few handfuls 
of bone meal or tankage, mixed with the soil about the roots, will do no harm 
and will give good results. Only good top soil should be used in filling the 
holes, and this must be well firmed about the roots, while the tree is being 
planted by tamping with the spade or shovel handle or a tamping stick with a 
smooth, rounded end, that will allow the earth to be well tamped and at the 
same time, not bruise the roots. Most failures in transplanting are due to the 
planter not firming the earth well about the roots of the tree or from using 
water in the holes as the trees are being planted. If water is used and the soil 
handled while wet, it will harden and shrink away from the roots in drying. 
For the same reason, trees should never be planted soon after a heavy rain, or 
at any time when the ground is very wet. If trees arrive when the ground is 
very wet, heel them in or put in the cellar till the ground is in condition to 
plant. If the ground is dry, so much the belter for planting, and trees may be 
watered after they arc planted. Remove a shovel of earth on two sides of the 
tree, and a foot or more away; fill the holes with water and after this has soak¬ 
ed in, put the dirt back, leaving a loose mulch on top. If the clay is thrown 
out and away from the holes, and only top soil used in filling the holes,_tak¬ 
ing this top soil from a circle surrounding the tree, when the tree is planted, it 
will be surrounded by a depression or basin a few inches below the surface 
level. This is a decided advantage, with such trees as the pecan, walnut and 
persimmon, as I have found by several years experience. These trees may be 
planted this way cither spring or fall, and on any land not naturally wet 
I rees planted in this way not only live better, but grow much faster, as the 
basin about the tree gathers both moisture and fertility during rains and is 
eventually filled up with the most fertile soil. This method of planting is 
especially desirable where trees are to be grown without cultivation. It is 
possible, by this method of planting, supplemented with an annual mulch to 
grow vigorous trees and profitable orchards easily and cheaply on rough, cheap 
land, that would be Quickly ruined by erosion, if cultivated. By sowing sweet 
clover or other strong growing legumes, a plentiful supply of mulching ma¬ 
terial can be grown right where it is needed, and at the same time, the land 
improved and built up. 
NUT TREES MUST HAVE THE TOPS REDUCED or cut back, either 
before or after planting. This forces an early and stronger growth and induces 
the formation of new feeding roots and the tree is well established in its new 
location much sooner. If the top over-balances the root system to any ap¬ 
preciable extent, the over-taxed roots will simply become exhausted and no 
new roots will form, with the result, that even though the tree may live, it will 
linger along several years before getting started. The top should be reduced 
one-half or two-thirds depending upon the size of the tree and its root system. 
TRAINING THE TREES. A four or five foot tree, when cut back to 
two feet, will usually throw out several strong shoots, and this is just what is 
wanted. These shoots, being low, induce a quicker and stronger root forma¬ 
tion and a sturdier tree. The head of the tree will not be wanted so low, but 
all growth should be allowed to remain until the tree is well established. The 
most vigorous shoot may then be selected and trained to form the future tree 
This can be trained up-right, by tieing to a stake where necessary. The tree 
should become well established in its new location by the end of the second 
growing season, when the surplus shoots may be removed and all of the sap 
thrown into the shoot selected to form the tree. 
Additional Information 
The American Nut Journal, Rochester, N.' Y„ is the best Nut Journal pub¬ 
lished, and any one who is especially interested in nuts or nut culture should 
subscribe for it. 
