196 



ARBORICULTURE 



by the second liiu- which was comiKiscd 

 of the planters with their pails of seed- 

 lings. 



"Three or k)ur strokes ol a inattock 

 were enough to make a shallow hole in 

 the sandy soil of sufficient depth f')r a 

 seedling tree. The planter, who in each 

 case followed a mattock man, dropi)ed on 

 his knees at each hole, and taking a i)lant 

 from his pail ])laced it quickly in the 

 ground, packing the loose eartli closely 

 around the roots with his hands, after 

 which he packed it still more firmly with 

 his foot before going to the next ])lacc. 

 \\"ith the work thus systematically ar- 

 ranged, the two lines of men moved 

 across the fields at an even pace, cover- 

 ing the ground at a rate that was ex- 

 tremely satisfactory. As the planters, in 

 order to keep up with the mattock men, 

 had the hardest task, the gangs changed 

 off in their work after each crossing of a 

 field, the planters then digging the holes 

 and the mattock men carrying the pails." 



The value of shade for newly planted 

 evergreens is here shown : 



"The thick growth of ferns which cov- 

 ered the ground, and could not be re- 

 moved except at too great an expense, 

 caused some apprehension through fear 

 that it might choke the yoimg plants or 

 seriously retard their growth. liut noth- 

 ing of the kind occurred, and the little 

 trees grew thriftily among the over- 

 shadowing brakes, which, in fact, proved 

 valuable as a protection against the heat 

 of the sun in July and August." 



Some good advice is taken from Bulle- 

 tin 131. Connecticut Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station, for 1900: 



"i. The rigid enforcement of the city 

 ordinances which forbid the bruising, in- 

 juring or destroying of trees, and the 

 fastening of animals to trees in such a 

 way as to injure them. 



"2. That all trees standing within 

 reach of horses in the street be protected 

 by frames or wire netting so that they 

 cannot be mutilated. 



"3. That when limbs are removed from 

 trees greater care should be exercised to 

 cut them smoothly, close to, and even 

 with the trunk and without tearing the 

 trunk bark. The exposed wood should 

 be painted with coal tar or paint. 



"4. That the stringing of electric wires 



he (lone only under the supervision of the 

 Board of I'ublic Works, and that this 

 supervision be ])aid for by the company 

 doing the work. 



"5. That when trees are killed by gas 

 leaking from the mains, the owners of 

 the mains be re(|iured to pay to the city 

 the cost of the removal of trees killed and 

 of planting new trees in their places. 



"6. That the land under trees in city 

 parks be annually dressed with wood 

 ashes. 



"7. That on new streets when the 

 building line is far enough from the street 

 line it is desirable to plant just in front 

 of the property line rather than just back 

 of the curb. 



"8. That trees infested with leaf-feed- 

 ing insects be sprayed regularly for a few 

 vears, and thereafter as seems necessary. 



"9. That in winter, insects, and the 

 cocoons of insects that injure the trees, 

 be collected and destroyed." 



A good suggestion in regard to prun- 

 ing trees : 



"The trees should be trimmed with a 

 saw and the branches should be cut close 

 to the trunk. Spores of fungi, which 

 will cause the tree to decay, find a good 

 lodging place on a ragged cut, such as 

 is made with a dull ax. If the branch 

 is sawed ofi^ even with the trttnk of the 

 tree the new wood will grow over the 

 wound, while no such healing will take 

 place if it is cut leaving a stub. The 

 woinid should be covered with lead paint. 

 This will exclude bacteria and fungi and 

 check the weathering without injuring 

 the cambium and bark. March is per- 

 haps the best month for pruning, al- 

 though the season is not so important as 

 the manner in which the work is done. 



"I would suggest that wood ashes be 

 used as a fertilizer. Stable manure con- 

 tains beetles and fungi and brings them 

 with it to the soil where it is applied, 

 while these are destroyed by the ashes. 

 Moreover, wood ashes contain all the ele- 

 ments that trees take from the soil, anrl 

 hence are an ideal fertilizer." 



Copies of the report may be obtained 

 by applying to the commission, Albany, 

 N. Y. As the report is a very expensive 

 one only those who have a real interest 

 should ask for it. — Editor. 



