38 TREE PLANTER'S MANUAL 



the soil is well filled in and packed around the fibrous roots. Water, after 

 the transplanting (and perhaps before the last shovels of earth are filled 

 in), especially if the soil was dry, is useful and should be applied during 

 the hot season, choosing the late afternoon or evening for applying it. Any 

 mulch of waste material, straw, or better, wood shavings or chips, saw- 

 dust, or even stones simply placed around the foot of the tree, is of excel- 

 lent service in checking evaporation. 



" To prevent the trees from being swayed by the wind, if of large size, 

 they should be staked firmly; a loose post is worse than none. The tying 

 should be so done as not to cut or injure the tree; a tree box insures more 

 safety against accidents. With the development of the crown it becomes 

 necessary to trim it, so as to carry the top above reach. Trees are not 

 benefited by being used as hitching posts, or climbing poles, or other 

 frolic." 



PLANTING ALONG RAILROAD CUTS AND HIGHWAYS. 



Nothing is more important for the traveling public than shelter belts 

 along the deep cuts of railroads in open countries liable to snow-drifts. 

 In such localities the trees should line both sides of the road. The soil 

 must first be prepared as in a field. The trees young selections from the 

 nursery planted and cultivated as herein directed. Put there rows of 

 cottonwoods and willows; also, white and red cedars; white spruce and 

 Scotch pine. Road improvement means lining them with trees. 



PLANTING ON ROCKY AND STEEP PLACES. 



Minnesota has a vast area of rocky bluffs along the rivers and lakes, 

 many of them so barren as to be almost valueless, even for pasturage. All 

 such should be, and can be clothed with forests. Harder places than these 

 have thus been regenerated in the old world. It does seem that our legisla- 

 ture could no better serve the public welfare than to encourage their foresta- 

 tion by special bounties to the proprietors. If so steep they cannot be 

 plowed, dig under the sides of the stones where the moisture generally 

 gathers and stays, or, if this is not feasible, do as recommended by Prof. 

 F. B. Hough, Elements of Forestry, page 57; dig "horizontal terraces or 

 notches at convenient intervals, securing their outer edges with brush held 

 in place with pegs. In a year or two these notches will have probably 

 become filled up by the crumbling away of the rock above, and in the soil 

 thus formed trees may be planted with a prospect of success." Begin with 

 our native white and green ashes, and bur-oaks (planting the acorns) and 

 shade the candidates with our hardiest shrubs as hereafter mentioned, not 

 forgetting how efficient in this respect is our native prairie rose, whose 

 tap-root will find moisture if it has to go down five or six feet to reach it. 



PLANTING ON SOD LAND. 



Extremely difficult to succeed with any tree planted in sod land. The 

 binding grass even beyond the range of the roots affects them very un- 

 healthfully. Better subdue the sods by plowing or spading. If you must 

 venture without such preparation, then dig holes large around as a cart- 



