IN THE FRONT YARD. 23 



no trust like a great, strong cottonwood, and you miglit 

 as well cut it down. It wants the earth and will have 

 all it can reach of it. If in town it will take your own 

 and your neighhor's garden. 



Other trees you may wish to save, but they are not 

 so ravenous, and you can readily check their aggres- 

 sions. Suppose you have a row of elms or ash you 

 wish to keep and yet you want to plant near them. Dig 

 a trench three feet deep about six or eight feet from the 

 trees. You will thus cut off all the feeding roots that 

 are sapping the ground you wish to plant. 



'Now prepare your ground thoroughly and do your 

 planting. Of course you fill up the ditch. 



"Will not the roots cross the trench again?" Cer- 

 tainly; but it will take time, and thus give your new 

 trees and shrubs a chance to get started. Then if trees 

 are checked in one direction they have a tendency to 

 work harder in another direction, and by the time they 

 invade their old territory your planting will be so Avell 

 rooted and established that little harm can be done. 



People who plant near large trees say it is the shade 

 that does the mischief. But in our Western land of 

 hot sunshine, what little shade there is would be helpful 

 to the young trees. The trouble always is with the 

 roots. 



When you have your ground all ready you will find 

 it just hungry for the trees and plants, and will give 

 them a cordial home. 



While the ground is being prepared you had better 

 prepare yourself. 



