362 



ARBORICULTURE 



ARBORICULTURE 



325. Trimmed by linemen. 



even cutting into the bark, also removing the swelled 

 portion on which the branches are usually inserted, 

 when the callousing will be more rapid and satisfactory 



in shape. 



If at this stage or 

 at any time, the trees 

 show trouble at the 

 top by drying (becom- 

 ing "stag-headed"), it 

 is a sign that they 

 suffer at the root 

 from lack of mois- 

 ture. Trimming off a 

 few tiers of lower 

 branches, loosening 

 the soil as far as the 

 ambitus of the crown, 

 and mulching will 

 largely correct this. 

 If this proportioning 

 of crown to root is not 

 done, the tree itself 

 will do it and not 

 necessarily in desir- 

 able form. When 

 used for hedges, the 

 treatment is, of 

 course, different. For 

 such a purpose the 

 shade-enduring spe- 

 cies, spruces and hem- 

 locks, are best, since 

 they are capable of 

 preserving a dense interior foliage, while the pines 

 are bound to thin out. 



Enemies. 



There are a number of dangers and damage from in- 

 sects to which conifers are exposed. Drought and frost 

 are most dangerous to seedlings in the seed-bed. These 

 are obviated by proper location of the seed-bed (protec- 

 tion against sun and wind), by covering with a mulch of 

 moss, straw, pine-straw or the like (which also prevents 

 the heaving out by frost and the washing out by rain, 

 to which young seedlings are liable). By shading and 

 watering the danger of drought is overcome, although 

 at the same time that of damping-off is invited. The 

 cause of this disease, consisting in the reddening of the 



needles and their fall- 

 ing off, is a fungus 

 which can be com- 

 bated by spraying. 

 Birds may be kept 

 away from the seeds 

 by mixing them with 

 red oxide of lead, by 

 lath screens, and the 

 usual methods. 



Various fungi and 

 insects, too many to 

 mention, some poly- 

 phagous, others more 

 or less specific, are 

 at work during the 

 various stages of de- 

 velopment. A host 

 of leaf-miners, saw- 

 flies and caterpillars 

 destroy the foliage, 

 and weevils sap the 

 young shoots. Bos- 

 trichi, or bark -bee- 

 tles, mine under the 



326. Showing need of city control. b , ark . mostly of trees 

 This tree on a city street being that are sickly from 

 trimmed for firewood. other causes; borers 



327. Same tree as Fig. 326 five 

 years later, showing unattractive 

 bushy top, and bad stumps that will 

 decay instead of healing. 



enter the wood of the 

 boles. Tortrices bore 

 into the base of 

 leaders and cause 

 them to break off. 

 The best remedies 

 against most of these 

 are preventives, 

 namely providing 

 the trees with such 

 chances of vigorous 

 growth, or satisfac- 

 tory soil conditions, 

 that they are able to 

 ward off or overcome 

 the enemies. Other- 

 wise, watching and 

 destroying the ene- 

 mies in time, and the 

 usual remedies to kill 

 them, may be em- 

 ployed. Literature: 

 Veitch, "Manual of 

 Conifers;" Carriere, 

 "TraitS 1 des Coni- 



feres;" Beissner, "Handbuch der Nadelholzkunde;' 

 Fernow, "Care of Trees. 3. E. FERNOW. 



Transplanting large trees (Figs. 328-332). 



Moving large trees divides itself into two classes: 

 First, with a ball of earth; second, with the eartli dis- 

 sected out from the roots with or without a ball remain- 

 ing in the center. 



Start at or near the ends of the roots where they are 

 1 inch in diameter or less. In practice, this results in 

 about 30 feet spread of roots on a tree 12 to 15 inches 

 in diameter. An elm 18 inches in diameter on very thin 

 gravelly soil was found to have a root 6 inches in diame- 

 ter at 15 feet from the trunk, extending toward a horse- 

 shed and cultivated field where it would get more food 

 and water. A trench is dug to below the roots, which 

 may be \]/i or 3 feet. An under-cut is made and the 

 soil caved down by a picking bar or fork with round 

 pointed tines. The earth and roots will be mixed at 

 the bottom of the trench. The roots must be carefully 

 picked up with the fingers, bound in bundles and tied 

 out of the way. This operation is the point of greatest 

 failure as it takes considerable time, patience and skill, 

 to avoid breaking the roots. There are many chances 

 to break a root after 

 it has been carefully 

 dissected out. The 

 roots must be 

 promptly lifted up or 

 they will be broken 

 by the shovel in dig- 

 ging out the loose 

 soil at the bottom of 

 the trench. The bun- 

 dles must be untied 

 and rearranged where 

 the roots cross. This 

 proceeds until a tree 

 is dug in to a ball 

 about 6 to 8 feet. The 

 tree is then tipped 

 over by tackle, cleav- 

 ing the roots from 

 the subsoil. 



The amount of 

 earth left in the cen- 

 ter depends upon the 

 strength of the truck, 

 character of the 328. Moving a tree in winter, with a 

 roads and power for large ball of frozen earth. 



