4 On Planting Trees, and Staking. 



tree, not giving way, remains hanging ; and the earth will sink from under- 

 neath the roots, and leave them bare. Rot, insects, and mushrooms will 

 soon breed in these hollows, and destroy the tree. 



The final tying must be done only after the ground is fairly settled, and 

 then should be done in preference with osiers, in two or three places, — one 

 near the ground ; the second near the top ; and the third, required only on 

 tall standards, at about half the distance between the first two. 



As a protection against the rubbing of the tree against the stake, some 

 straw, moss, or rags may be introduced between the stake and the tree, on 

 the ties, or between them. 



Trees grown up in nurseries, being generally close together, have their 

 shafts shaved, and therefore the bark is fleshy and soft. In removing such 

 trees, they lose part of their roots, and, by this, part of the supply of the sap 

 circulating through the cells of the bark. 



Besides this, the tree is generally removed from a shaded place to an 

 open one, where it will be exposed to the sun, the wind, and the frost. 



This altogether cannot but shrink the bark, and often to such a degree, 

 that, when the sap begins to flow, it finds the cells dried up. 



The tree is soon, as it is vulgarly called, " hide-bound." To prevent this, I 

 have used very often the system of wrapping the shaft from root to top, either 

 with straw, or old slips of carpet or sacking, tied every six or eight inches. 



This arrangement will keep the shaft moist for some time after every 

 rain, make the bark more spongy, and prevent the sun and frost from 

 having such an injurious influence on it. 



It may be said that such a wrapping of the shaft will afford a retreat for 

 insects injurious to trees. This seems plausible enough: but it is proved, 

 that, in thrifty trees, the strong growth will soon counterbalance any injury 

 such insects may do ; for insects generally collect on poor-growing trees, 

 sick from quite different reasons, on which they will find mosses and cracks 

 in the bark. 



The second year, the wrapping is to be removed ; and insects that may 

 have gathered on it will be removed with it. 



There is much more danger in regard to insects from the use of heavy 

 mulching around the trees : there they will find an undisturbed retreat, from 

 which they climb up to feed upon the young leaves. 



