THE DISADVANTAGES OF DEEP PLANTING TREES. 



165 



put about two bushels of iron shavings and 

 filings, or the sweepings and waste of an 

 iron factory, which costs nothing but the 

 carting. The guano should not, of course, 

 come in contact with the roots of the tree. 

 The quantity should also correspond some- 

 what to the size of the tree. 



The one experimented on is about three 

 inches diameter in the trunk, and about 

 six feet across the branches. 



There are about a dozen varieties of 

 plums in my garden, which have been 

 alike attacked by the curculio, while the 

 tree (a Green Gage,) upon which I have 



experimented, has been exempt, and is now 

 so full of fruit as to require propping. 



Another Green Gage within fifty fret, 

 and equally full of fruit, yet not less than 

 nine-tenths of it was punctured by the cur- 

 culio, and dropped prematurely. Other 

 gardens in the neighborhood have suffered 

 in the same way and to as great an extent. 



The simplicity of the remedy I hope will 

 not deter any from testing it, as it is well 

 known that the simplest remedies often 

 prove the most efficacious. Very respect- 

 fully, Geo. Gabriel. 



New-Haven, Conn., Sept. 4, 1849. 



ON THE DISADVANTAGES OF DEEP PLANTING TREES. 



BY THOS. MEEHAX, PHILADELPHIA. 



Dear Sir — An impression obtains among 

 American gardeners, that trees should 

 be planted deeper in this country than 

 in Europe, on account of the greater 

 warmth of the summer season. This im- 

 pression is erroneous. It can only have 

 arisen by imperfect observation ; as it is 

 opposed alike to comparative experiment, 

 and to every known principle of vegetable 

 physiology. 



Were not wonder and astonishment in- 

 compatible with the character of a wise 

 man, one might think it strange that any 

 person could be found in the universe, who 

 would persevere in doubtful practices when 

 very simple experiments would often set 

 disputation on such subjects forever at rest. 

 But, as Marryat's Stapleton says, " it is all 

 human natur;" and so it must be endured, 

 and the best made of it. Such may be 

 said on the present subject. Let two hardy 

 fibrous rooted shrubs be planted side by 

 side, the only difference being, that one be 

 planted 12 inches beneath the surface and 



the other only 6, and 12 months will show 

 that the shallow planted shrub has much 

 the advantage. If the soil be any way 

 rich, the difference between them will be 

 the more marked. I once had to plant a 

 very wet piece of ground with hardy ever- 

 green shrubs. I had not sufficient influ- 

 ence to get it drained. I had only to plant. 

 Knowing well these trees would do me no 

 credit if planted in such soil and in the 

 ordinary way, I planted them on the ground. 

 I had the ground dug deep, as if for ordi- 

 nary planting, laid the roots flat on the 

 surface, threw on them broken sods, and 

 covered the whole with fine soil. These 

 trees afterwards afforded me as much satis- 

 faction as any I ever planted. They con- 

 trasted strongly with the yellow appearance 

 of others, which had been planted in the 

 soil before. 



It is the bane of gardening, that it is af- 

 flicted with a host of mere theorists. Men 

 of no experience whatever, — wanting even 

 an observing turn of mind, — will often pass 



