p!^WWt5«^5T*^-K^|p'^T^ "r:r^^" 



.-f-yf-r .-^^^fTf — 



T'^F^-i^ 



^**^5^j5^^"--5^fe:^^ 



iag together, except perhaps piues and hem- 

 locks; therefore, when we plant it would be 

 woald be well to follow nature, and plant 

 varieties; deciduous trees always succeed 

 better when planted among firs; pine leaves, 

 pound for pound, yield thlrteefi times more 

 ashes than pine wood; the annual fall of 

 these leaves give alkalies to the land, a 

 source of fruitfuluess advautageoas to de- 

 ciduous trees. 



Why do pine trees succeed oaks and beech 

 pine? The soil must be rendered by a 

 ' growth of pines uncongenial for a second 

 growth; but congenial for another, or else 

 the labors of man cause it. I have foand 

 that nature protects trees in exposed sit- 

 uations, first by allowing them three times 

 the quantities of roots that would be neces- 

 sary in the forest; second by clothing them 

 with many more branches, and they so form- 

 ed as to balance the tree perfectly; thirdly, 

 their stems are shorter, and consequently 

 stouter; and fourthly, the bark is much 

 thicker. Nature remembers, and man should 

 do the same, that the trees, as wells as an* 

 im lis, are organized beings. 



We know that in nature there are two 

 great kingdoms, the vegetable and animal ; 

 Ihe distinclious between which a; e daily dis- 

 appearing, as nearly all the organic mitters 

 which were supposed to distinguish the 

 vegetable from the animal, have been dis- 

 covered m both, and motion even no louger 

 B3paratiBS the two. 



You often hear persons say that it 's diffi- 

 cult to make tap rooted trees live, because 

 in taking them up, the tap root is ueeessariiy 

 cutoff.. T lis IS an error that cannot be 

 supported by my experience. Tiie tap root 

 is only of advantage during the iafancy oi 

 the tree, aud it mature age cauuot be dis- 

 cerned from the other roots. It is only 

 those who are unacquai;ited with the 

 physiognomy of plants that meet wi'h bad 

 succeis in planting. Tfees must be adapted 

 to their proper soil, and appropriate cliinue, 

 or the efforts of nature wiil be counteracted. 

 Pliuts should always be heajded down wiien 

 two years old. I have often tried this ex- 

 periment with different species by heading 

 a row, and leaving a row; those headed in, 

 made several feet of growth in a year; 

 those not headed, two feet; some of the head- 

 ed rows grew twenty feet in two years, 

 while thoso not headed grew six feet. 

 Many persons when they remove a large 

 tree head it in, upon the principle that the 

 roots have been much reduced by trans* 

 planting, and that the heads should be so in 

 proportion. This is wrong; though I have 



practiced it largely, for without the heads, 

 the roots cannot receive nourishment, and 

 the sap is lost not only at the top, but the 

 bottom of the tree also. 



Try the experiment, and you will find 

 that the tree with the top left on will do the 

 best by one-half; showing that the treat- 

 ment which is proper for a small plant, is 

 not so for a large tree. 



The idea that trees when transplanted 

 should be replanted in the same position 

 and exposure in which they stood, although 

 a prejudice of very great antiquity, is fal- 

 lacious, as I have never observed any dif- 

 ference, and have made repeated trials. In 

 planting trees, the roots should be trimmed 

 instead of the tops. 



I regret to be compelled to make one 

 statement in this connection that militatw 

 against trees in pasturage fields, because I 

 so deUg:it in forest trees, that I dislike to 

 say anything that will have a tendency to 

 Induce the farmer to cut them down. Still, 

 I cannot deny that animals will increase 

 much more rapidly in open fields, exposed 

 to the hot burning sun, not only in ftit'en- 

 ing, but milking qualities, than they will if 

 permitted to enjoy the shade of trees. In 

 the first instance they are continaally elat- 

 ing, and taking on fat, secreting milk, 2:o.} 

 and in the second instance, only digeating 

 the morning meal, as they will remain al- 

 most the entire day in the cool shade. <ii 

 Transplanted trees should never be water* 

 cd. after they are set out. If set properly, 

 we all know that trees require a great deal 

 (if moisture, and that it is absorbed throngji 

 the instrumentality of the spongioles and 

 r ")ilits, which pierce the soil in every dircc- 

 t o i; as holes retain moisture nearly in pro- 

 p iitiou to their depth and size, therefore 

 ney should be large, and widest at the bot- 

 tom; the ground mu9t be thoroughly pnl- 

 verized, ami just before the tree is set, fi 1 

 the hole with water; then throw In a snf- 

 fieieajt quantity of the pulverized earth, and 

 mix it until formed into a pcrf- ct mortar; 

 spread the roots of the tree by hand in this 

 vnass, and cover them with the finest surface 

 8)il, without pressure, then tie your tree 

 tirnily to one or more stakes, and it will 

 never require water at your bands. 



When trees are watered after planting, 

 the ground becomes hard and baked by the 

 action of the sun's rays, and prevents the 

 absorption of moisture, air and heat. 



If you ever find it necessary to water 

 trees that have been planted after the usual 

 fashion, draw away the earth for a coiuider- 

 able distance around the tree, to the dutlb 



