286 



Canadian Forestry Journal, June, 1920. 



Planting Trees for Permanent Fences 



^y E. J. Zavitz, Provincial Forester of Ontario 



The question of securing fence 

 •posts at a reasonable rate and their 

 short life after being placed in the 

 ground is a problem confronting the 

 agriculturist in Ontario. One solu- 

 tion of the problem may be found in 

 planting trees along permanent fences. 

 In a short time it will be possible lo 

 attach the wires to these trees. 



The trees can be planted every six- 

 teen feet or even every eight feet as 

 the owner desires. Strong, vigorous 

 plants should be chosen for such work 

 and in the case of using evergreens, 

 transplants should be used as the fence 

 lines are frequently filled with dense 

 grass and weeds which will endanger 

 the young plant. More attention can 

 'be given the making of planting holes 

 and the actual planting than in the 

 case of waste land planting. Where 

 a rail fence now exists and there is no 

 chance to cultivate, the planting hole 

 should be made by cutting away a 

 large sod about two feet square. Oc- 

 casionally it may be practical to cul- 

 tivate a strip four to six feet wide 

 along a fence which can be moved a 

 few feet after the trees have grown. 

 Preparation of this strip by summer 

 fallowing will give results in future 

 tree growth which will repay the ef- 

 fort. Whether planting is done in 

 planting holes or on a prepared strip, 

 future cultivation will give best re- 

 sults. This cultivation should be car- 

 ried on for two years at least — longer 

 will pay — until the trees have become 

 well established. It will be an advan- 

 tage to mulch the trees with grass or 

 old manure. The trees should be in- 

 spected during the summer to see that 

 weeds, etc., do not overshadow them. 

 In case the owner does not want large 

 trees along cultivated fields, the first 

 planting can be done every sixteen 

 feet and a few years later trees can be 

 planted between. When the first trees 

 become too large they can be cut off 

 the height of a common fence post 

 and later the fence can be attached to 

 the younger generation of trees as the 

 older ones decay. 



The choice of species for this work 

 must be given some consideration. 

 The fastest growing species will be 

 Box Elder, Hardy Catalpa, and Black 

 Locust. In the southern portions of 

 the Province and in the best classes 

 of fresh, moist soils Hardy Catalpa 

 may prove valuable for this purpose. 

 Black Locust will grow on the poor- 

 est of locations and will be of more 

 general value than Hardy Catalpa. 

 Sugar Maple may be employed in this 

 work, although the growth will be 

 slower than the preceding species and 

 it requires very good soil. Some may 

 desire to plant nut producing trees so 

 that a return may be had from nut 

 crops. Black Walnut, Shagbark Hick- 

 ory, and Chestnut would be the most 

 valuable in this case. The Chestnut 

 would grow on the lighter soils, while 

 the Black Walnut should be planted 

 in good, rich soil. If evergreens are 

 desired, Norway Spruce, White 

 Spruce, Larch and Arborvitae will 

 will give best results. The Arborvitae 

 should be placed in moist soil, while 

 Larch will stand dry, poor locations. 



Mistakes made in the selection of 

 species of trees for highway planting, 

 may not be discovered in a decade. 

 In order to make such mistakes less 

 common and to safeguard the public 

 against errors in spacing of trees and 

 selection of species for our highways, 

 the following simple principles are 

 oflfered : 



1. Use only such trees as are com- 

 paratively free from destroying in- 

 sects and diseases. 



This will eliminate at once such 

 trees as the black locust, the elm, the 

 fruit tree, and any others which may 

 have local enemies. 



2. Use trees adapted naturally to 

 the soil and climate of the locality. . 



For example, a burr oak section 

 should not have its highways planted 

 with pine nor should a red pine sec- 

 tion be planted to burr oaks. 



3. Pure planting of one species 

 should not be used for distances ex- 

 ceeding one mile. 



