56 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS UPON TREE-PLANTING. 



arrival, just at the opening of winter, by coveriug: with leaves so deep as almost if not 

 entirely to exclude the frost. It has been generally supposed that late fall planting of 

 evergreens, or taking up plants in the fall and preserving them for early spring plant- 

 ing or shipment, could not be done. Robert Douglas & Son, of Waukegau, 111., how- 

 ever, have for two past winters kept millions of yoiing plants in their frost-proof 

 lighted greenery with the most perfect success. Their discovery or use of this mod© 

 is of great value, for those wanting trees sent South can thereby plant miTch eai'lier, 

 and have them established and growing before the dry, hot weather comes on. 



Immense quantities of evergreen plants will bo in demand during the next few years 

 in the prairie States. Our people thua far have only thought of planting them for 

 ornamental trees on the lawn or for screens. But timber-culture in earnest is about to 

 begin. European larch and the pine will doubtless be i>lanted in immense numbers. 

 From experience in planting larclies four to six feet high in the fall, it is my opinion 

 that we shall eventually adopt the plan of setting out our two-year and older larches 

 at that season. If small, mulch liberally. When set in spring, they ought to be put 

 out very early, as they start the tiist thing in spring. They do not thrive, unless plant- 

 ing is done before starting. 



Many evergreens were injured by the unprecedentfd freeze of last October, in con- 

 junction with the excessiv. ly wet season. This conclusion seems probable Irom the 

 fact that evergreens in very dry situations were almost entirely exempt from iujujy. 

 While tree planters regret losses from casualties of this kind — to the men whose ieart.s 

 are in the business, such drawbacks act only as incentives to increased diligence in ll-.e 

 good work. True manhood, it has been well said, is only developed in brav'ely meeting 

 and, under God, overcoming obstacles. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE PINE TRIBE.^ 



At the sistli meeting of the British Association for the Advancement 

 of Science (18;^t)), a paper from John Nuttall, of Tittour, county of 

 Wicklow, was read on this subject. Having noticed that almost all the 

 pjants of Finus sylvestris and other species, when planted in a light clay- 

 slate soil, on exposed situations, grow too raj idly, or out of proportion 

 to their rootiugs, and thereby become windicaved, and that those which, 

 by accident, had lost their leaders took a strong hold on the ground, he 

 commenced a series of experiments, as follows : In the spring, when the 

 buds were fully developed, he went over those that were suffering from 

 the foregoing causes, and broke off all the buds except those on short 

 branches. By this process their upward growth is checked for a year, 

 the trunk increases in bulk, and the plant roots much more freely than 

 if the shoots had been allowed to grow. New buds are formed during 

 the summer, and in the following spring these plants present the must 

 vigorous aspect. 



The lar(;h he cuts down to a strong lateral branch, on the windward 

 side, when possible. These soon begin to spread theirVoots, increase in 

 size similarly, and utiinately become choice trees. In some instances he 

 bad cut them down a second time, when he found it necessary, and with 

 equally good effect. 



PLANTING OF WILD EVERGREENS IN IOWA, AS RECOMMENDED BY 

 D. Xi. ADAMS. 



The following suggestions upon the planting and care of evergreens, 

 by D. W. Adams, esq., of Waukon, Iowa, is founded upon experience, 

 and is worthy of attention :^ 



I have practiced the following method of taming wild evergreens, with perfect suc- 

 cess : At the i)roper season for transplanting, proceed to tlie grove where the young 

 p. ants are abundant, well furnished with common boot or other convenient-sized boxes, 

 moss, pruning-kuife, spades, and buckets. Make a puddle of rich earth and water; 

 as fast as the plants are raised, prune away the dead and deformed branches, dip the 

 roots in the puddle, and i>ack upright in the boxes, with damp moss among the roots, 

 i'.nd so continue until the box is crowded as full as possible. But one tier should be 



' Transactions Brit. Asso. Sci., 1836, p. 104. 

 '^loica Horticultural rajmrta, 1867, p. 16. 



