Conifers — Their Usages, Plantings and Enemies 



By Henry Kelly, Connecticut. 



Conifers, taken collectively or individually, are as 

 important, attractive and ornamental as any species 

 of tree we have. To make up the collection named in 

 this paper, nearly every country has paid tribute to 

 the collector and we still have many other varieties 

 that vmder favorable conditions do fairly well. There 

 are many uses we can put them to, such as wind- 

 brakes, hedges, screens, backgrounds for gardens, or 

 individual specimens for our lawns. 



Nearly every specie requires different treatment and 

 you may well believe that we have more to learn 

 about the formation and growth, or the 

 habits of Conifers, than of any other 

 growing plant. 



We know that the}' grow and do well 

 in good soil ; we also know that some 

 species do equally well, if not better, in 

 gravelly soil that will nut produce any- 

 thing else. We are inclined to think 

 that the roots find what they require in 

 the soil in the way of decaying rocks, 

 and that the needles gather the nitro- 

 gen from the air and pass it down to 

 the roots thereby. 



Darwin has said so sensitive are the 

 ends of the roots in search of moisture 

 that they must have brains ; be this as it 

 may, why do not our experimental sta- 

 tions discover, and tell us something 

 about the organs of our trees — what 

 part of the roots are to furnish the vari- 

 ous materials needed for the proper de- 

 velopment of the tree. If all we need 

 to do is to keep the soil stirred and the 

 tree will provide its own nourishment 



water, but if it does not rain — and we mean by rain a 

 good soaking down to the bottom of the roots — 

 then water once a week and when you do water do it 

 liberally and give the needles a good spraying; after 

 two daj-s stir the ground to a depth of five or six 

 inches, so that the air can get in its work and the roots 

 will start growing. Too much watering will keep the 

 needles green for a long time, laut you sour the soil 

 and instead of developing root growth they decay, and 

 the tree dies. Do not spray the foliage in the hot sun. 

 We nnist be careful not to plant too deep and, as 



.AN" EFFECTIVE FOUNDATION PLAXTINT, OF EVERGREENS. 



A PLANTING OF FIRS. JUNIPERS .\N1) HEMLOCKS, 



from the air, we should know it. 



We find the best way to care for newly planted ever- 

 greens as follows : Keep the ground stirred twice a 

 week. If we get good rains, say once a week, do not 



•Read before Westchester & Fairfield Ilortictillinal Society, 

 tions by D. Hill Nursery Co. 



Illustr, 



often as we can, we should plant in 

 chimps, so that the trees will protect one 

 aiiMther. If it could be done it would 

 be an excellent plan to shade from 

 the sun for a few days. Care must 

 I)e taken not to let the sap hard- 

 en in the ruots, as it will be hard 

 enough to get circulation started through 

 the branches and needles under the 

 most favorable conditions, for once 

 sap turns to resin it will not circulate 

 again. W^e sometimes get good re- 

 sults from pruning Conifers ; this 

 sounds like heresy, 1)ut is a fact. If 

 they are to be pruned it should be done 

 with a knife, and not with a Idox 

 shears, and the work calls for good 

 judgment. When we have a clump 

 planting we should plant the strong, 

 high growing, iiardier varieties to the 

 north and west ; in this way we can 

 make use of some of the handsome 

 varieties that are not quite hardy, or 

 do not stand our winds well. 

 There is no more elifective planting than the following: 

 Douglas Spruce, Austrian, White and Scotch Pine, Red 

 Cedar and American Arbor Vitea, for the background 

 coming down to Retinospora Plumosa Green and 

 Aurea, Blue Spruce, Umbrella Pine, Swedish and Irish 

 Juniper, Biota, Golden Arbor A'itea, Alugho and 



