The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1853-11-29
HARDNESS OF TREES.

HardlnesS IN trees IN qualiy universally
sought for; whatever other excsllonce they
possess, this seems indispensable. But this
quality of hard ness is almost exclusively looked
for as n natural characteristic of particular va
rieties and not as the result of certain inllue,-
ces oxerted by soil. climate, and modes If cuI-
tnre Planters will write TO their nursrymen
to send them 'nothinr but hardy varieties.
but they seldom 90 as far MS {, say, send me
hardy trees--uch as have robust institutions,
capable of enduring tho tatigues of remo' al,
transportation, change of soil and climate.
as well as all the other trying circumstances
which rransplanted trees are heir To. Our
pnrDoso at present is to call the attention OF
the tree pauers ard nursrymen to this very
impnr ant matter.
" hat is il, in the frs pace, that makes a
tree hardy? Our experience tells us it s firm
well ripened wrod, With abundance of healthy
roots. These are The two main points of ex-
ceence in young tree, 10 which "f course.
we would add good shape and reasonable
size for its age. Now. how ore we to get firm,
well ripened wood! Is i, by growing trees as
we would mushroomsl Certainl, not. By APP
plying larce quantities If stimulating manure
wo may grow young trees into wonderful di-
mensions and very beautiful t. the eye; but
will men who buy trees for their own planting
look no further than this? Very few do, We
know. Asa general thing, The largcra tree
is for i,s age. the bctter it pleases the purcha-
ser-n, matter how il has been grown; and
this is leading us rapidly into IN ST perni-
cious system If nursery culture. When nur-
srymen find That by forcing their trees INFO a
ra,k growth they can secure rosdior sale
and higher prices, they will ccftai Iy do II,
and The planter may take the trees on his own
risk This is all wrong: aud until planters
Ii. tl,. -tf.. xp..
need not ex ect 10 get ril of the con mon COM
d ain. thnt 80 many of my trees have died. '
The nursry i the place to give trees sound
robust constitutions: this is cerain; and We beg
every man who values hardness in trees 10
note is we'll 1t does mt require a know Lodge
of vegetable physiology, but the extrcise OF
plain common sense TO understand this. In
rearing animals for actual and profitable SER
yice. we do not nurse and feed them as though
they were merely intended to take the prize at
an exhibition We rather feed them mode
ra,ely and rive them such exercise and train
ing as are circulated t. produce vigorous
muscular de' elopement. 81 with 'rres.-
They should not be grown merely to please The
eye-the planter should look TO tho future;
aud n n planters OF experience do. We are by
nomeans in favor starving trees; we regard "a
stuntcd tree IA worthless. What we want in
a moderato, natural growth, such as will ma
turc fully and perfectly at the else of the
growing season. This is always Indicated by
healthy foliage. short t-jnintcd wood, and pump
well formed buds. The bark. too. as the
growth proceeds. assumes tint of maturity.
The rank forced trees. are readily dstin-
gushed by their young sh 'ots b-ing Almost
tran parent: the buds fat and small. and far
spart: the leaves thin and delicate in their
texture. and the bark soft and succuleni as
that of the tender animal plant I'm comparing
cross sections of the wood ns seen through u
mapnificr. the moderately grown Tree will ex-
hibt compac, mass of woody fiber, while
the forced over luxuriant tree will present a
mass of shaggy, cellular tissue. with scarcely
enough woody fiber among il TO keep it erect,
and tho pith in the latter will be three times
"a large in proportion AZ tho former. When
the spongy trees are removed f'"m the shot
cred position they occupy in tho nursery rows
they are unable to resist the action of the cle-
ments. Tho roots are lko the stem and
branches-soft aud spongy, with large rcsis;
less sap.ycsscls that shrink aud shrivcl aud
perish under circum stances that would not
efiec, the firm, compact and well ripened tree.
Planters owe it t. themselves t. encourage
sound. honest system af cultivation by giving
preference t, hardy well grown trees. iusiead
of large ones and thus offering premium to
a spurious hot bed system. ruinous {" the plant
ing interest Trees for successful planting
should be grown in dry soil of moderate fer.
iiiry-not to closely together, well exposed to
the sun and air in all STAGES of their growth.
aud the soil should be kept clean and pliablc
about the roo's to admit of their vigorous and
healthy growth. and of their easy aud safe re-
movaI.-[Genessee Farmer.