THE PLANTING OF EVERGREENS. 



i have often been requested to explain why evergreens re- 

 quire more care and attention than the deciduous trees and 

 shrubs. The deciduous trees and shrubs have a time when they 

 are in a dormant state, this means that this class of trees and 

 shrubs have a part of the year when they have nothing to show 

 of the real action of life, as the foliage has fallen off due to 

 nature. During this period the roots have partly stopped their 

 active work and the sap is not forced out into the limbs of the 

 trees, which is the case when the leaves begin to grow. During 

 this time this class of plants and trees can be taken up and 

 planted with much greater safety than evergreens, as they have 

 no foliage to support, for now the whole tree is resting. 



An evergreen has a different habit. It has a green foliage to 

 support the whole year round. The most valuable evergreens 

 are dug with a ball of earth, that is, a certain amount of soil is 

 left around the roots so as to keep them in their natural position 

 and prevent them from drying out until they reach the destina- 

 tion where they are to be planted. An evergreen as well as any 

 other plant should never be allowed to remain unplanted any 

 longer than is absolutely necessary. 



There are many different species of evergreens and most of 

 them have a large top to support, and the foliage requires an 

 enormous quantity of moisture which is taken from the ground 

 by means of the roots, also from the air. It is not generally real- 

 ized that a plant in healthy condition has somehow the peculiar 

 power to take a certain amount of nourishment from the air which 

 is needed for the support of its foliage, but if the roots fail to do 

 their active work and the foliage commences to fade, the tree 

 will soon be in a dying condition. It is of great benefit to newly 

 planted evergreens to have them sprayed with water. If this is 

 done in the evening after a hot day this will refresh the tree and 

 has proven to be of great advantage. My long experience has 



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