ANSWERS TO TIMELY QUESTIONS 239 



PLANTING TREES ALONG ROADSIDE 



We would be pleased to know what kind of trees you would suggest to be 

 planted along roads or highways and where these young trees can be obtained 

 and how they should be planted to obtain the best results in the growth of 

 the tree? 



Should we plant trees that are of the nut-bearing and other food-producing 

 trees? We have a distance of 80 rods along the highway in which we would 

 like to plant trees. Kindly give us information desired. 



J. McD. Supply Co., Mahoning County. 



Reply. The native forest trees best suited for planting in your section of 

 the State are the red oak, pin oak and sugar maple. These trees are hardy, 

 beautiful specimens and adapted to your locality. The pin oak would be best 

 suited if the soil is wet and soggy. The species above mentioned do not grow 

 as rapidly for the first few years after planting, but once they are well started 

 they grow rapidly. The catalpa, soft maple,' Ailanthus, Carolina poplar and 

 such trees should not be planted as they are undesirable. 



Red and pin oak, also sugar *naple, shoyuld be spaced about 35 or 40 feet 

 apart. They can be planted in either spring or autumn, and in large holes so 

 the roots are not crowded. In planning tjiem place fertile top soil about the 

 roots if possible. It would be well to\ support the trees by staking for the first 

 few years. This can be done by driving/strong stakes in the ground near the 

 trees and securing the tree firmly to tfte stake by means of a tie at the top. 

 The tie can consist of a piece of Manilla rope passed through an old garden 

 hose. The garden hose containing the/ robe may .be passed around the body of 

 the tree and thus prevent any injury io thQ bark when the tree sways. 



Mulching with strawy manure after thte tree is planted is a splendid plan 

 and will bring results. It will add fertility\to the soil and at the same time 

 conserve moisture about the roots. / \ 



Our native nut-bearing trees are quite satisfactory for roadside planting. 

 I would advise you, however, not to plant any of the foreign trees, such as 

 English walnut, pecan, etc., for they are not hardy in your section and you will 

 meet with disappointment. However, the common black walnut and shellbark 

 hickory would be two good trees to plant for shade and for nuts. They would 

 of course be slow in starting, especially the hickory. \ Nut trees usually have 

 long tap roots and are difficult to plant. In the case of the walnut, we would 

 use 1-year seedlings, which are about 18 to 24 inches high. You would 

 probably secure a stand easier from this size than if you were to plant a 

 larger and older tree. The hickories are very difficult to transplant and trees 

 3 to 4 years old have ver long roots and have not developed much top. 



We would put several nuts in a hill where we wanted a tree to stand 

 and then if several or all of the nuts grew, thin out to the strongest sprout 

 after they were well established. Sometimes rodents, such as squirrels and 

 chipmunks, take the nuts. It might be well to cover the hill with screen or a 

 piece of a board or something that will protect the hill so the animals cannot 

 take the nuts. After the seedlings have started to grow they can be staked 

 so as to mark the place where they are planted and weeds and grass can be 

 kept away. You can start walnut trees in the same way, although 1 year 

 seedlings of black walnut transplant very easily. We would not space the 

 walnut or hickory closer than 55 feet and 60 feet would probably be better. 



Department of Forestry. 



