Canadian' Forestry Journal. September, ipi6 



705 



How to Plant Trees in the Fall 



Expert Instructions on Time to Plant, Selection of Trees 

 and Precautions in Tree Removals 



By B.R. Morton. B.Sc.F., 

 Dominion Forestry Branch. Ottazca. 



The planting of any tree is best 

 done at a time when it is making 

 no growth, either early in the spring 

 before the buds open or in the au- 

 tumn before the ground freezes. 

 Evergreens, such as the pines or the 

 spruces, pan be planted with more 

 or less success during the summer 

 months, but it requires extra pre- 

 cautions to be taken and should be 

 avoided if possible. Broad-leaved 

 species such as maple and elms 

 should never be planted when in 

 leaf, that is. while the leaves are 

 still green and active. It is not 

 necessary to wait until every leaf is 

 shed. Some trees, like the oaks 

 and the beech, frequently retain 

 many of their leaves throughout the 

 greater part of the winter. Spring 

 planting usually gives better results 

 than fall planting. Spring is the 

 season of most vigorous growth, 

 and planting at that time gives the 

 tree an opportunity to establish it- 

 self, and the soil a chance to become 

 thoroughly settled before the win- 

 ter. There is then little danger of 

 the trees being heaved by the frost. 

 However, if proper precautions are 

 taken, there is little risk of serious 

 loss as a result of fall planting. 



Selection of Trees. 



In buying trees, other things being- 

 equal, it is advisable to order them 

 from a local nursery. This reduces 

 the risk of loss during transporta- 

 tion, and enables one to visit the 

 nursery and make the selection per- 

 sonallv. 



In selecting a tree, a compact root 

 system is of great importance. The 

 more small roots a tree has the 

 greater its chance of surviving the 

 shock of transplanting, and the more 

 rapid will be its growth. A large 

 top is desirable provided there is an 

 abundance of roots. A tree with 

 many branches and few roots will 

 make very slow growth if it sur- 

 vives at ail. A tree which has lost 

 many of its feeding roots is unable 

 to meet the demand made by the 

 branches, and it is therefore neces- 

 sary to remove a proportional num- 

 ber of the branches to restore the 

 balance. 



No matter how carefully a tree is 

 dug up many of the roots are sure 

 to be broken off or injured. The 

 larger the tree the greater the loss 

 of roots and more severe the prun- 

 ing required. The removal of four- 

 fifths (tf the past season's growth 

 from all branches will be sufficient 

 with trees not more than three or 

 four years of age. The cut should 

 be made just above some strong 

 bud. Care, however, should be 

 taken not to destroy the leader or 

 main stem. All broken roots should 

 be trimmed to enable them to heal. 

 All cuts should be made by a sharp 

 knife and be smooth. 



The Single Leader. 



It is frequently impossible to trim 

 an evergreen tree without perma- 

 nently destroying its value for orna- 

 mental purposes. Therefore great- 

 er pains should be taken to secure 



