16 
J. F. JONES NURSERIES, LANCASTER, PA. 
soaked in, put the dirt back, leaving a loose mulch of soil on top. If the clay is 
thrown out from the holes and only top soil used in filling the holes—taking 
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 r the surface 
level. This is a decided advantage. 
Trees 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 es¬ 
pecially desirable where trees are to be grown without cultivation. It is pos¬ 
sible 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 and rotating with orchard grass crops plenty 
of mulching material can be grown right where it is needed and at the same 
time the land will be built up and improved. Keep the mulch about 4 inches 
away from the tree trunk. 
TRIMMING NUT TREES. In transplanting the trees they should have 
the tops reduced according to size. A tree one or two years from the graft 
should be trimmed back about a third of the preceding season’s growth. On 
older trees cut out undesirable limbs and cut back the preceding season’s 
growth two-thirds. This is done to balance the many hair roots which are lost 
in digging the tree. The trimming of trees when transplanting is usually prac¬ 
ticed with all deciduous trees when transplanting them except where expensive 
methods of moving them with earth are employed. Many people prefer to keep 
the present top on a tree. In this case, the tree is usually lost. The top which 
is reduced in the spring at transplanting time will be regained with its next 
season’s growth. It is always good to leave plenty of leaves on the tree because 
they are part of the tree’s natural function of respiration. Do not attempt to 
cut off any new growth of the tree until the end of the second growing season. 
If a side shoot on the trunk of the tree above the graft is growing too fast 
it is better to pinch the head out of the shoot and allow the few leaves to help 
shade the trunk of the tree for the first year or two. Allowing the tree to 
shade itself in this manner is far more important than any preparation we 
have yet tried. The next best method of shading the trunk of a tree during 
hot weather is used only on three year trees, or older, by merely wrapping the 
trunk of the tree with heavy paper or burlap. This should be removed after 
danger of sun scalding is over in the fall. 
Shaping and trimming a tree is, after its second growing season, a matter 
of good judgment. Almost every one can tell a nicely shaped tree from a 
poorly shaped specimen and for that reason with thought upon the subject most 
