NUT TREE SPECIALISTS 
17 
people know which limbs to cut off and to let on a tree for a good specimen. 
The tree can be trained each year if necessary. When cutting limbs or 
branches off make a clean cut close to the tree so it will heal over in as short 
time as possible. Dead and decaying stubs in a tree are harmful in appear¬ 
ance and to the long life of a tree. A tree is a living thing not endowed with 
the ability of choosing the place where it will grow and keep itself well groom¬ 
ed. Trees have helped conserve and build up the soils we have today. Let us 
treat them kindly and give them the care we can. 
FERTILIZERS 
We cannot determine to the exact pound the fertilizer requirements of 
trees because soils vary so much, both in composition and the ability to retain 
fertility. Your soil must have certain physical properties before the addition 
of commercial fertilizer is worthwhile. The most important of these are tem¬ 
perature, moisture and proper aeration of the soil. Root growth will take 
place at about 40° temperature minimum and continuing through the summer 
as long as sufficient moisture remains in the ground. During hot, dry sea¬ 
sons the trees stop growth. The addition of humus to the soil in the form of 
green cover crops, manure, or peat is very beneficial because the straw or 
perhaps peat in the soil holds moisture while it is decomposing. The bacteria 
which works in the decomposition of this material is making available plant 
food during the entire growing season as long as a certain degree of moisture 
is maintained so the bacteria can work. Because decomposition of humus in 
the soil is adding plant food during the growing season it is not possible by a 
soil test to tell exactly how much chemical fertilizer your trees may require. 
However, if your trees are not performing as you think they should a soil test 
may detect a deficiency in your soil which may be easily remedied. 
Another point for consideration. The various elements in commercial 
fertilizers do not take the same length of time to penetrate to the same depth 
of soil. Nitrogen penetrates quickly. Phosphorus about an inch of soil a 
year and Potash about two inches a year on an average. Again penetration 
depends on soil composition. From this you can readily see it is important to 
apply the fertilizer at the approximate place where the roots of the tree are 
and where it can be used readily. The punch bar method of fertilizing trees 
which have become established several years is best. Holes should be punched 
about every square foot over the root feeding surface, which is generally 
ground surface to equal the spread of a tree. Regular commercial fertilizers 
in about a 6-8-4 analysis can be used, about one pound to each inch of caliper 
of tree. Application time either about October or March first in our section 
as well as other places comparable to the climate of south-eastern Pennsyl¬ 
vania. Organic fertilizers which require decomposition such as bone-meal and 
cotton seed meal should be applied late fall to receive benefit for the following 
