Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-03-10

your fingers to pack the first four
inches of soil around the roots
now soak with water, then finish
filling the hole and tramp the dirt
around the trees with your feet
Fill the hole level with the ground
surface, leaving the dirt a little
higher next to the tree. After the
trees are planted raise a mound
of earth three or four inches high
all around the tree, two or three
feet from it. This basin is to hold
the water when you water your
tree.
Many persons think their work
is done when the trees are plant
ed but such Is not the case. If
the trees are to grow rapidly they
must be watered often and regu-
larly. At least twice a week for
small trees and the larger ones
should be watered three times a
week. The basins around the trees
should be slowly filled with water,
this will give time for the soil in
the holes to get thoroughly soak
ed. Too much emphasis can not
be placed on watering the trees
regularly and often, especially
during the first two years after
they are transplanted. Water,
water, water, should be the tree
owners motto if he wants rapid
growth and healthy trees. Old
I well rotted manure should be put
around the trees at the beginning
of the second year.
Not a single new limb or twig
should be cut off a tree during
the first year after it is trans
planted since this new growth
takes the place Of the cutoff top.
II branches put out from top to
bottom of the tree, don't worry,
the tree knows its business. Leave
all of these branches on the first
year The leaves on these new
branches are the organs which
manufacture the food for the
tree. The roots take up the crude
materials from the soil in the
shape of water ara Minerals. The
green leaves take this crude ma
terial combine it with certain
substances from the air, thereby
manufacturing food the tree can
use. In late winter or early spring
of the second year, before the sap
rises, say February or March, cut
off flush with the tree all the
branches on the lower two-thirds
OF the tree. Use a saw, cut lust
as close to the trunk of the tree
as you can, leave no stubs and
the bark will soon cover the
wound. At the end of the second
year the top can be pruned TO
whatever shape is desired,
| do not mean by this that the
ends of the branches should be
cut off. This should never be
done except in rare cases: re-
member this is a shade, not a
fruit tree you are growing. After
the third year only branches
should be cut off which are dead,
broken, or so low down as to be
in the way II two branches rub
against each other one Of them
should be removed, After a tree
is four or five years old It will
need very little If any pruning
Let it alone. Nature will give it
the kind of a top it should have
and only in cases like those mem
toned above should there be any
pruning. In exceptional cases the
top Of a sick tree may have to
be cut back severely to save it.
In such cases some one familiar
with tree troubles should be con-
suited.
Briefly then, get good trees
from reliable firms. see that they
are properly planted and cared
for, and above all water, water,
water, during the first and sec
ond years after transplanting.
w. II. LONG,
Forest Pathologlst.