EVERGREEN TREES. 



2211 



where for any such manifestations of taste. 

 Call over, in their order, the long catalogue 

 of public promenades and parks in the 

 various cities of the Union, a few of which 

 are justly celebrated for their beauty, and 

 more still are adorned with splendid trees, 

 venerable for their age, and, perhaps, for 

 the associations which cluster about them, 

 and which of them all will claim any high 

 praise for the beauty of its evergreens, for 

 its waving silken pines, or its stately firs, 

 spruces, or hemlocks ? This should not be 

 so. The public taste should as imperiously 

 demand evergreens, in public grounds, as 

 it now does deciduous trees ; and private 

 taste should surround every residence with 

 these beauties of the forest. 



Permit me, while on this subject, to point 

 out what I am inclined (with some diffi- 

 dence,) to think an error in the communi- 

 cation of your correspondent, Mr. Bacon, 

 in the June number, in relation to the 

 pruning of evergreens. I have found the 

 same benefit from pruning tke?n, when first 

 transplanted, as in the case of deciduous 

 trees. On general principles it would seem 

 quite indispensable that when a large part 

 of the routs are lost, a corresponding part 

 of the top should also be removed. And I 

 am strongly inclined to believe, that one 

 reason why we are generally less success- 

 ful in transplanting evergreens than other 

 trees, is, that we usually leave the top en- 

 tirely untouched, while a larger or smaller 

 portion of the roots — frequently one-half — 

 are cut off in removing. My experience 

 this spring has confirmed my opinion. In 

 April, last, I obtained at Flushing, twelve 

 trees of the Norway Spruce. They were 

 sent to me as they are grown in the nurse- 

 ries, with the limbs starting from the roots. 

 They were very badly taken up, and still 



worse packed. The small amount of moss 

 which was put around the roots was entirely 

 dry, and the roots themselves were badly 

 bruised and broken in taking up or on their 

 passage. 



Three of the best of the trees I set out in 

 the shaded grounds about my house, leaving 

 all the limbs untouched. 



The remaining nine were planted on the 

 adjacent streets, exposed to the full blaze 

 of the sun, and the reflection from the dry 

 dust ; and thinking that the condition of 

 these nine trees required decided remedies, 

 I pruned them severely, leaving only those 

 limbs which were within a few feet of the 

 top. 



They were all planted in the most care- 

 ful manner, were well mulched and watered, 

 but the three first mentioned were watered 

 most frequently, and were protected most 

 of the day by the shade of other trees- 

 Now for the result : all of the trees on the 

 street are alive, and eight of them have 

 thrown out shoots several inches long. 

 The ninth stands in an unfavorable posi- 

 tion ; but the buds are just now beginning 

 to push, and the tree will live. 



Of the three trees planted about my 

 house, one died early, through watered 

 daily. One still retains its leaves, and 

 partially their green colour, but shows no 

 other sign of vitality. The third is in much 

 the same state with the ninth, above men- 

 tioned; but if anything, its condition is less 

 favorable. I think the trees could not have 

 been saved without the severe pruning 

 which they received, but should be happy 

 to hear your opinion, and the result of your 

 large experience in the premises. Very 

 truly, 



E. W. Leavenwostr. 



Syracuse, Nov. 1, 1848. 



