LESSONS WITH TREES 155 



seedlings up carefully with plenty of dirt about the roots. Place 

 them in the cans and fill with rich soil and firmly press it about 

 the plants. Instead, tree seeds of several different kinds may be 

 planted several in each can, and later the best plant may be kept 

 and the others destroyed. These may be kept in the window of the 

 school room or the home through the winter season. If the leaves 

 should drop off from any, they may be plunged in the soil out of doors. 

 All of them may be placed in garden rows in the= spring by setting 

 the cans a little below the ground and packing the soil well about 

 them. The roots will soon make their way through the rusty cans 

 and the trees will continue their growth; 



When seedling trees are transplanted in full leaf they are 

 apt to be killed or greatly checked by the process. If the tin 

 can method above described is used the growth will continue 

 unchecked. The plan may be varied by melting the bottoms 

 and side seams of tomato cans, then tie a string around each 

 " can " to hold it in circular form. Place the cans in a flat 

 box to hold soil and do the planting as described. By this plan' 

 the roots find their way through the bottom of the can more 

 readily, or the entire can may be removed by cutting the 

 string when planting in the garden next spring. 



Young trees that are transplanted in the old way will need 

 pruning before they are reset (Fig. 88). 



5. Forests on Hill Sides, — Select a sloping surface in -the 

 garden, either natural or prepared, by making a mound of earth a 

 foot or two high and several feet across. Get moss from the woods 

 and plant it on one side of this slope. Hold it in place by twigs 

 of trees. Leave a part of the slope, or the corresponding side, per- 

 fectly bare but well packed. Use a garden sprinkler, holding it a 

 few feet above the surface, and let water fall as rain upon the two 

 surfaces for several minutes. Which surface is eroded or washed 

 away more? 



Hill sides on many farms are badly washed when not 

 covered with growing vegetation such as pastures, orchards or 

 forests. The washing may be checked by the use of the slope 

 for one of these purposes. Gardens should be provided each 

 year with a winter cover crop to avoid loss from washing, 

 leaching or other causes. 



