PLANTING SUGGESTIONS FOR APRIL 



BY J. J. LEVISON, M.F., 

 FORESTER TO THE CITY OF NEW YORK 



APRIL is the month when almost everyone is inter- 

 ested in some form of planting. We may be con- 

 templating the planting of large trees on the lawn 

 or of very small trees in the woodland. Our interest may 

 be centered in setting out shade trees, fruit trees, shrubbery 

 beds, vines or flowers. Every one of these is a field in 

 itself, full of detail and special application. Just how to 

 plant and what to plant, in each case, are questions of 

 special local bearing and can only be discussed on general 

 principles. At this writing we will consider the more 

 important of them as well as the most desirable plants 

 suitable for different purposes. 



First of all, the plants should be selected at a nursery 

 as early as possible in order to prevent delay in transpor- 

 tation when the season for planting arrives, in order to 

 secure the plants at the lowest prices and to enable the 

 nurseryman to ship the stock at the earliest possible 

 moment. 



With the stock ordered, one's attention should next 

 be directed towards obtaining the proper soil and planning 

 for the location of the individual plants. Where extensive 

 plantations or beds of definite design are contemplated, 

 it is always advisable to prepare a sketch and to plan 

 everything on paper before undertaking the actual field 

 work. The planting accessories, such as spades, trowels, 

 hand shears, etc., should also be provided. With these 

 preliminary steps considered, we are now prepared to 

 undertake the actual planting. We dig the hole and 

 replace the old impoverished soil with rich mellow loam. 

 We see that the roots are protected and kept moist from 

 the time of their arrival until the time they are placed in 

 the soil. Too much stress cannot be laid upon this point, 

 because even a few minutes' exposure may injure the 

 fibrous roots which are the chief feeders of the tree. 



Before placing the tree in the pit, the roots should be 

 examined, all bruised roots cut off smoothly and the ends 

 covered with coal tar. This prevents root decay and 

 stimulates the formation of new fibrous rootlets. The 

 tree should then be placed in the hole at the same depth 

 as it stood in the nursery. The roots should be carefully 

 spread out and mellow soil worked in tightly with the 

 fingers among the fine rootlets. Every root fibre is thus 

 brought in contact with the rich soil. More good soil 

 should then be added (in layers) and firmly stamped and, 

 before the last layer is filled in, thoroughly watered. The 

 last layer should remain loose, so that it may act as a 

 mulch or an absorbent of moisture. The crown of the 



tree should be slightly trimmed in order to equalize the 

 loss of roots by a corresponding decrease in leaf-surface. 

 Where there is danger of swaying, the tree should then be 

 fastened to a stake. These various stages of the planting 

 process should receive particular care and attention. 



What to Plant: There is often a wide difference in 

 soil, moisture content and atmospheric conditions of loca- 

 tions which are not far apart. The plant suitable for one 

 place may not suit at all for another place of similar 

 outward appearance. I therefore hesitate very much to 

 suggest any definite list covering all conditions and pur- 

 poses. Yet a brief outline of the four most desirable trees 

 for important special purposes may prove of service, and 

 the following assortment is offered as a suggestion: 



For city streets: Oriental Sycamore, Norway Maple, 

 Red Oak, Carolina Poplar (where conditions for tree 

 growth are unfavorable) . 



For suburban streets: American Elm, European Linden, 

 Pin Oak, Sugar Maple. 



For specimens on the lawn: European Beech and its 

 weeping and cut leaf varieties, Pin Oak, Magnolias, 

 Ginkgo or Maidenhair tree. 



For evergreen screen: Hemlock, White Pine, White 

 Spruce, Red Cedar. 



For deciduous screen: Beech trees, Willow trees, 

 Lombardy Poplars, Ash Leaf Maple. 



For flowering trees: Dogwoods, Hawthorns, Mag- 

 nolias, Horse Chestnuts. 



For flowering shrubs: Azaleas, Forsythias, Weigelas, 

 Spirasas. 



Shrubs with colored berries: Barberry, Bittersweet, 

 Coral Berry, Snowberry. 



Trees that color in the fall: Sweet Gum, Andromeda 

 Arborea, Japanese Maple, Sour Gum or Pepperidge. 



Shrubs that color in the fall: Sumac, Enonymus 

 Alatus, Viburnums, White Flowering Dogwood. 



Trees and shrubs with interesting bark: White Birch, 

 American Beech, Red Stemmed Dogwood (Siberica 

 variety), Yellow Stemmed Dogwood. 



Plants for covering the ground: Vinca Minor, Pachy- 

 sandra, Honeysuckle, English Ivy. 



Vines to hold banks: Rosa Wichuraiana, Hall's Honey- 

 suckle, Matrimony Vine, Forsythia Suspensa. 



For seashore planting: Willows, Silver-leaf Poplar, 

 Mulberry, Hydrangeas. 



Trees and shrubs for deep shade: Hemlock, Beech, 

 Viburnums, Privets. 



ADVICE FOR MARCH 



1. Prune apple and pear trees. Remove all dead 

 branches, thin out carefully and cut from the top and 

 sides so as to form low, compact heads. 



2. Before the leaf buds burst, spray for San Jose" scale. 



It may be expected on fruit trees, lilacs, Japanese quince, 

 dogwood, mountain ash, black and white ash, and elm. 

 Use kerosene emulsion one to ten parts of water or some 

 other well-recommended spraying preparation. 



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