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THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



Oct. 



Remarks on Management— Transplant- 

 ing and After Culture of Trees. 



BY C. N. OVERMAN. 



Twenty years' experience •with trees, on prai- 

 rie soil, lias, we trust, made us acquainted with 

 every condition they require, and every necessity 

 that governs them in our peculiar soil and c!i- 

 matff, from which we deduce the following plain 

 and simple theory of treatment, assuring our 

 customers that if they will strictly observe it in 

 practice, they will have 1 tie cause to complain of 

 the failure of their trees to grow. 



In taking up trees, we are careful to preserve 

 as much of the roots as may be needed. If ship- 

 ped in the fall — which is far the better — as soon 

 as received they should be unpacked, the roots 

 examined, and those that are mangled should be 

 cut oS smooth from the lower side, and long, 

 straggling ones shortened to six or eight inches. 

 Next dig a trench in dry ground, a foot deep, 

 and long enough to contain your trees, with the 

 bundles side by side. TaKe out one side of the 

 trench, sloping upward from the bottom to the 

 surface of the ground, and so far out as the length 

 of your trees. Into this sloping trench place the 

 trees, roots downward, fill in the fine soil among 

 the roots, then cover the whole of the trees with 

 dirt, root and branch, oat of sight. So soon as 

 the ground freezes two or three inches deep, 

 place over the roots a coating of straw or hay, a 

 foot d>.'ep or so. Cover this securely with dirt, 

 and the frost will not penetrate to ihe roots. If 

 straw is not used, two feet of earth, at least, 

 must be put over the roots. This method is per- 

 fectly safe for rJl h arJy trees an I shrubs, except 

 peach and evergreens. Burying up trees in this 

 manner secures to them effectually the condition 

 of profound rest they so much need in the winter 

 season. 



In early spring, or when freezing weather is 

 over, the tops tnd trunks ore to be carefully 

 raised up out of the ground, leaving the roots 

 well covered from the air. Let them remain in 

 the trench till the buds burst, by which is indi- 

 cated the proper time for planting in the spring. 

 It is very important to dig the holes for all kinds 

 of trees, in the fall, previous to planting. — 

 They should be, for apple trees, three feet across 

 and two feet deep, and the subsoil or clay cast 

 aside The action of the frost in pulverizing the 

 soil of the border is highly beneficial. 



When tho time for jdanting arrives, fill the 

 holes two-thirds full of fine, moist surface 

 soil, and settle it down by treading. Take 

 the trees from the winter quarters, a bundle at a 

 time, dip the roots in a puddle, and proceed with 

 the planting. Place the tree in its position, leav- 

 ing its top a little to the southwest; spread the 

 roots out, and press the moist soil on each one 

 firmly with the hands. Next fill up to the sur- 

 face with rich top soil, and tread it down above 

 the roots. Let the tree stand but two or three 

 inches deeper than it stood in the nursery. Fin 

 ish the planting by making with the clay h mound 

 around the tree, say three inches high, and grade 

 it off to the edge of the border. Should the 



weather be dry after planting, water once effect- 

 ually, and cover the border with litter, two or 

 three inches deep. If trees are Set in the fall, a 

 mulching of long matiure, a few inches deep, 

 should cover the border, but must be removed in 

 the spring. Tlie proper time for fall planting is 

 from the middle of October till about the middle 

 of November. 



When large trees are planted, all the shoots of 

 the previous season's growth must be shortened 

 in by cutting back two thirds of their length. 

 Keep the ground around the trees loose and free 

 from weeds ; plant nothing within four feet from 

 the trees. 



Perhaps (he best crop amongst trees the first 

 season is corn, as it affords them a needful pro- 

 tection against the hot sun and the winds; but 

 afterwards, some low. hoed crop is preferable. 

 Do not, on any account, seed down a young or- 

 chard to small grain or grass of any kind. This 

 murderous practice has been shamefully preva- 

 lent in our country. Wash the trees frequently 

 with soap suds, through the first half of the 

 growing season. This will greatly benefit the 

 tree, and at the same time secure it from the at- 

 tack of that worst of vandals, the borer. A stiff 

 stake should be set on the southwest side of the 

 tree, about a foot from it, and the tree securelv 

 fastened to the stske by a band of rye straw' 

 hard twisted, and fastened to the stake by means 

 of a willow or strong twine. Bank up around 

 the trees a little before winter, and apply a coat 

 of whitewash to the trunk and branches, but 

 never at any other season. 



The trimming must be very judiciously done, 

 but as little of it as possible, only sufficient to 

 give the tree a well balanced head, an oj en cen- 

 tre, and to take out cross branches. If this is 

 done at the right season, and the tree properly 

 trained while it is small, there will be no occa- 

 sion to mangle it when it is old, by takiug off 

 large branches. Dislodge all injurious insects at 

 once, and cherish a "holy horror " of all or- 

 chard depredators, whether of stock, gophers, 

 rabbits, mice, insects, or " whipple-trees ;" and 

 trust to Providence for a rich reward of all your 

 patient toil and care, in due course of time. 



In the course of our observations with the 

 Farm Committee, it will be seen that low heads 

 are more desirable on several accounts, but there 

 is so much of value in the above that we give it 

 without further comment. Ed. 



An Illinois Farm.— The largest farm in Illi- 

 nois is that of Isaac Funk, who re-sides near 

 Bloomington, M'Lean county. The total number 



of acres occupied and owned by him is 30.900 



one farm of 27,000 acres, said to be worth $30 

 per acre, and three pasture fields containing, re- 

 spectively, 8,000, 3,000 and 1,000 acres. His 

 great crop is corn, all of which he consu-ries at 

 home, and is thus able to market about $70,000 

 worth of cattle per year at New York. His stock 

 on hand of horses, mules, hogs and fat cattle is 

 said to be worth $1,000,000.— [Chicago Post. 



