Minnesota STATE HorricuLTurRAL SOoOciery. 33 
dich , AFTER CARE. 
& 
_. In planting a line of shade trees along a public highway, I should aim to dedi- 
cate a strip of ground at least one rod wide to this purpose. I should plough 
that strip and harrow it at least twice each year, between May and August, keep- 
ing down all weeds and grass. Every year I should work the mulching when 
well decayed into the ground, replacing it from year to year, until the tree is 
firmly established and able to help itself to food and drmk. Bear in mind that a 
young tree needs care, protection, feed and water, as much as a young steer, 
and the better treatment either gets the better it grows and prospers. The 
mulching and cultivation is to the tree what corn, hay and water is to the steer. 
I can not too strongly condemn the infamous and brutal treatment given to 
trees by men why ought to know and to do better. The man who handles trees 
in transplanting, as he would fence rails or posts, deserves to lose them, and 
generally does. ‘To illustrate; last spring I saw a large box of ornamental trees, 
mostly evergreens, on the platform at Willmar. After lying there exposed to 
wind and sun several days, I saw them opened. The moss and other mulch they 
were packed in had prevented the roots from drying, and had they at once been 
properly planted, could have been saved. It seemed a whole neighborhood had 
clubbed together, and each one’s package was bound up separately. These pack- 
-ages were taken from the box and laid on the platform, where for several days 
they were exposed to drying winds and scorching sun. They were all killed 
within twelve hours; but those fellows would come every day or two and carry 
off a bundle and plant them, all the same; and you can’t make one of them believe 
that nurseryman is any better than a horse thief. 
We must preach to the people that a tree, if not exactly animal, is, at least, a 
living, breathing organism, as susceptible to good or bad treatment as anybody; 
as quick to appreciate good treatment as you or I, and as quick to resent bad 
treatment. In fact there are few classes of living beings who tolerate less bad 
treatment than trees. 
WHEN TO PLANT—SPRING OR FALL? 
This is a question often asked. Ido not consider it of as much importance as 
many do. It is not half as important as a thorough preparation of the soil, 
mulching and thorough cultivation. With most forest trees it really makes but 
little difference. For several years I have planted largely, commencing in the 
fall as soon as the leaves fall; planting until winter comes, heeling in or burying 
what is left, and in the spring commencing again and planting right along till 
20th of May, or until the leaves start. Some seasons there is no perceptible dif- 
ference between spring and fall planting of most varieties of forest trees. Should 
it set in very dry, as it sometimes does early in spring, and continue dry for 
several weeks, your spring planting will suffer to a certain extent, limited, how- 
ever, by the amount of mulching and cultivation the trees receive during the 
season of trial. Should there be a reasonable supply of moisture during’ the 
spring and early summer no appreciable difference would be likely to be observed. 
Large sized trees, whether planted in the fall or in the spring, will quite fre- 
quently go through the first season making a good, healthy, vigorous growth, 
and if June and July of the next season is unusually hot and dry, succumb to 
the withering influences of the season. This, however, is largely prevented by 
mulching or cultivation, 
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