1874 



Canadian Forestrij Journal, September, 1918 



A Proper Safeguard in Tree Planting 



By the Editor of the 'Walional Xurseryman.'' 



If the truth were known, after 

 being transplanted, many trees fail 

 through the action of the wind. If 

 the top sways ever so little it is 

 reasonable to suppose that almost 

 every root and little fibre moves 

 at the same time. Under such con- 

 ditions the tree cannot establish 

 itself, as absolute stillness.is necessary 

 for the roots to fulfill their functions. 

 The delicate cell walls of the rootlets 

 cannot take up the moisture and food 

 from the earth where there is the 

 slightest motion. 



Expert practical gardeners have 

 long recognized this and take means 

 to prevent movement by staking, 

 cutting back the tops, firm planting 

 and other methods. With large or 

 even medium-sized trees it is not 

 easy to overcome the effect of the 

 wind, especially if the tree stands 

 alone in an exposed position. 



A stake cannot well be driven 

 down firm enough to be of much 



value; besides, it usually chafes the 

 bark and is in other ways objection- 

 able. Three guy wires fastened 

 around the tree three-quarters of the 

 way up the trunk, and fastened to 

 stakes in different directions, is a 

 very effective way of holding the 

 tree steady until the root system 

 anchors it. Care must be taken to 

 prevent the wires from cutting the 

 bark. This method is not always 

 feasible. 



A good plan that might be prac- 

 tised more to advantage with fall- 

 planted trees is to pile soil around 

 the trunk to the height of two or 

 three feet and leave it there over 

 winter, removing it in the spring. 

 This practice has much to recommend 

 it when it can be done without 

 looking too unsightly. It not only 

 steadies the trees, but keeps the 

 frost away from the roots to a certain 

 extent. But do not fail to remove it 

 about April, or its action will be 

 detrimental rather than otherwise. 



Stock-taking of Canada's Timber 



Owing to the tremendous con- 

 sumption of timber, lumber, pulp 

 wood, etc., during the last few years, 

 the exhaustion in the near future of 

 Canadian forest resources can no 

 longer be regarded as a negligible 

 prospect. This siti a. ion led the ad- 

 visory board of the forestry brtJnch 

 of the Department of the Interior to 

 make, in January, 1917, an analysis of 

 the existing forestry situation. In 

 order to meet this situation, it was 

 evident that certain regulative meas- 

 ures would have to be adopted, but it 

 was eciually evident that such meas- 

 ures should have to be based on definite 

 scientific information, little of which 

 was available at that date. In order, 

 therefore, to obtain a scientific basis 



for future remedial measures and 

 also to curtail present wasteful meth- 

 ods, the advisory board of the forestry 

 branch drew up the following recom- 

 mendations. 



(1) That the stock-taking of the 

 standing timber of eastern Canada 

 should be completed. 



(2) That a quick reconnaissance 

 survey should be made on the con- 

 dition of cut-over lands. 



(3)That a study should be ini- 

 tiated of the possibilities and success- 

 ful methods of securing reproduction 

 of the more important timber trees, 

 especially white pine and spruce 



(4) That an early determination 

 should be made of the rates of 

 growth, in volume, of the important 



