54 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



During the French Revokition, when the government forests were 

 destroyed, perennial springs were dried up, and the fertihty of the soil 

 very much impaired; so much so that they were obliged to replant the 

 forests, when springs that had been dry for many years burst out afresh. 



No close observer will fail to detect the effect produced on his fruit 

 trees by the west wind, when not protected by belts, buildings, or hills. 

 They not only lean to the east, but the growth is most thrifty on the east 

 side of the tree, the fruit surer to mature on that side, and fairer when 

 matured. 



The Proper Time to Plant Evergreens. — Judging from the 

 many articles we see in horticultural papers, there is a great di\ersity of 

 opinion about the proper time in the season to transplant evergi-eens. 

 The best time to transplant evergreens is the best time to transplant 

 deciduous trees, viz : as early in the spring as the ground can be got in 

 good condition for planting. All extensive planters agree in this; but it 

 is not always convenient to plant them very early, especially with nursery- 

 men and farmers. Fortunately for persons so situated, evergreens can 

 be planted later than deciduous trees. Indeed, they may be planted with 

 perfect safety, under favorable circumstances, any month in the year 

 when the ground is not frozen, only excepting the few weeks in which 

 they are making their annual growth; and that time is from the middle 

 of May till the last of June. (We are speaking of the spruces, pines, 

 and firs; junipers and arbor-vitaes, grow later.) They can also be 

 planted late in May and in June, if they have been dug before new 

 gi'owth commences; and even with a few inches of new growth, if 

 moved in a moist day, not only small, but large evergreens may be 

 planted and live. But late planting is not to be recommended, though 

 the trees should all grow, for we often see nice symmeti'ical evergreens 

 all live and hold their foliage well through the first season; but the next 

 spring they are found to be shedding the leaves on their lower branches, 

 and though they yet live, their beauty has departed. 



Let us see why it is that these trees stood the first season so bravely, 

 and are in such poor condition now. We say evergreens make their 

 growth in June. Look at your trees in July; you will see the terminal 

 bud formed. What is your evergreen doing for the next three months.'' 

 It is " taking in supplies" for another season, and it needs all the time it 

 has got to perfect its sap, harden up its new growth, encase its buds in 

 resin to protect them in winter and nourish them in spring. 



Your favorite balsam fir, that has to do a little more work in that line 

 than the pines and spruces, did not get quite ready last year, consequently 

 when the October freeze came it lost its leader and all the upper, thrifty, 

 unripe branches, while the lower ones, that had made little growth, 

 and had therefore time to ripen, were not injured in the least. 



Your tree, planted at the time, or after the new growth has com- 

 menced, if the weather is ordinarily moist for a few weeks after planting, 

 will make nearly as much growth as if it it had not been transplanted; 

 but it is rarely able to prepare itself for a vigorous growth the next 

 season ; while a tree in every respect similar, if planted early, may look 



