PARK AND CEMETERY. 
15 
Although in some of the southern states the 
spring planting is over, in very many the coming 
month will see more planting done than any other 
month of the year. 
Park and Cemetery goes to a class of read- 
ers so accustomed to the planting of trees that for 
me to say how planting should be done seems cer- 
tainly not necessary to those who comprise it. It 
is not my thought that my plan is better than that 
of others, but it is one which has led to success in 
the work, and there may be points in it of use to 
others. 
It is usually conced(;d that deciduous trees do 
the best when planted as early as the ground per- 
mits. It is not so much the custom to plant ever- 
greens early, yet I would set them out as soon as 
possible. The object of early planting is to have 
the trees firmly settled in the ground before the 
heat comes, which starts the buds bursting. Trees 
set late do not have this chance, and rarely do they 
thrive the equal of early planted ones. 
As every one knows water is the life of a tree, 
the advice often given to plant when the ground is 
rather dry than wet seems irreconcilable, but it is 
not, the advice is correct. A tree to be well planted 
needs the soil in close connection with its roots. 
This can be accomplished when tlie soil will crumble 
fairly well when tapped with a spade, but all that 
have planted in wet weather know the impossibility 
of getting soggy soil well packed about the roots, 
d^he best kind of planting is that done when the 
soil is quite dry. The soil should be tramped or 
pounded firmly about the roots until the hole is 
three parts full. Then give the tree what it craves, 
water, by pouring in a pailful or two, letting it soak 
away, then, perhaps the next day, filling in the hole 
to the top with soil. 
This sort of planting can be the better done in 
fall than spring, because that the soil is usually wet 
in the spring, and planting has to go on as best it 
can. But I would not plant when the soil is slushy, 
but let it be when the lumps will fall to pieces 
fairly well when struck. As a rule, I have found 
the soil in spring to be sufficiently damp that to 
water would hardly pay. 
A great deal of the well doing of trees comes 
from the preservation of their roots. I do not know 
that there is much gained by following up to a long 
distance roots when digging trees any more than 
because they help to steady the tree when reset. 
Large roots are simply channels for the conveyance 
of sap. Fibres, which are the thread-like roots 
which seek the moisture, spring out from these 
large roots, and usually at their extremity. All 
large roots, therefore, especially those broken or 
bruised, should be cut off to give a clean surface. 
The longer the slant the better, and let it be from 
the underside. 
The old plan of cutting away the top in propor- 
tion to the loss of roots is a good one. Often a 
thinning out of branches, or a cutting away of some 
of the lower branches will suffice, instead of cutting 
back the head of the tree much. Often there is no 
need of cutting back closely the stronger shoots, 
unless it be with such hard cases as oaks, hickories, 
tulip poplars, magnolias and some others. These 
tough customers can only be saved by close pruning, 
even with good care, unless with young trees five 
to si.x feet high or thereabouts. 
Evergreens may be pruned at transplanting to 
good advantage. It is not well to take the leading 
shoot off from pines or firs unless it is not desired 
that they grow taller, as they are many a year before 
they make a new leader. But spruces, arbor-vitms, 
retinisporas, and most all other sorts, may be cut 
anywhere. But keep in mind in pruning evergreens 
that the cut must not be below the live foliage. 
But few of them will grow if cut below this, while, 
when above it, they usually break fresh buds freely 
enough. 
It used to be the practice to leave the planting 
of evergreens until after the setting out of deciduous 
things, and some may still think it best. I think 
the practice prevailed because it was- found it could 
be done in that way and because it was convenient 
and not because the planting was then more 
successful. Joseph Meehan. 
THE TWO CHOICEST EVERGREENS. 
It has been my privilege to spend much time in 
the Rocky Mountains, and also in the finest parks 
and private grounds of the East, where there are 
the choicest collection of conifers the world affords. 
And, after seeing them so often in their own habitat 
and under many varying circumstances, I must say 
that for hardiness and beauty the Abies concolor 
and the Picea pungens take the lead. The pungens 
is most generally known. It is precocious and 
shows oft well while young. It has a fitting place 
in parks, lawns and cemeteries. The glauca type, 
so much admired, is a sport of the species. When 
they are of the right color they wear royal robes of 
silver and sapphire. 
Take those of established color, give them good 
cultivation, and do not let them be too much 
exposed to the sun and wind, and they are without 
