The Nevada journal., 1859-07-01
On Trees.

Some weeks since the San Andreas
Independent mentioned the fact that
cherry trees in that vicinity were excee-
dinghy short lived, dying when four or
five years old. Experience proves that
the same evil is beginning to be felt
here. The oldest cherry trees in and
about Nevada are either dead or giving
unmistakable signs of decay. None of
our culturists have assigned any satls-
factory cause for the cherry disease, but
if we remember rightly the Lndependent
attributes it to an insect depositing its
egg between the bark and wood from the
root to the limbs, and even in the lat.
ter. The egg soon matches to worm
which feeding upon the juices ofthe tree
soon destroys it.
We have goodly number of very
thriving cherry trees in this vicinity.
and it would be wellto watch them close
ly. If the destroyer be an insect ex-
periments upon him will disclose the
bane for him and antidote for the evil.
While on the subject of trees we may
be allowed to say that the mode of irri-
cation adopted by most Of our citizen.
who are attempting to cultivate the earth
is defective and injurious. Supplies of
water are limited, and our cultivators
usually content themselves with pouring
bucket or two now and then in little
basin about the roots Of the tree. That
amount of water under ordinary cir
cumstances does not descend more than
six or eight inches at most and is soon
exhausted, partly by absorption of
the roots but mostly by evaporation
The same amount of water two feet be-
low the surface would lose little or moth.
ing by evaporation and would give the
roots downward tendency instead ofup-
ward which the practice in vogue actu-
ally produces. Nature endows the
roots of trees and plants with proclivity
for reaching moisture. Pour but .
moderate quantity OF water upon the
surface and the roots of trees will 20
where they can imbibe the most of it.
they will remain near the surface
Examine one Of these trees that has
been watered in little basin having for
its center the trunk of the tree, and the
roots will present the appearance Of an
almost impenetrable mat of fibres. Ma
ture throws out these innumerable abb
sorbents to gather as much as possible
of the limited supply of moisture given.
The roots fthese trees make little or
no downward growth. But take a tree
that has not received a moments atten-
ton in the way Of irrigation and the
roots are found sent on exploring expe-
ditions in search of moisture far and
deep. These will stand the drouth bet
ter then your hals irrigated trees for
the surface roots are soon robbed of
their sustenace by the all-powerful sun
the country. and the tree, depending
| upon human aid for its daily supply,
soon droops and withers,
/ Experience proves that trees with
good tap and other roots will do better
| in the mountains with no irrigation at
all than with an occasional dash of a
bucket or two on the surface about the
tree. Either give the soil about the tree
a soaking. ifyou have plentiful supply
of water, or run it in the ground at con-
venient distances from the tree, or
mulch the ground about the tree we'll
and give it no water at all. A bucket
of fwater sprinkled upon the leaves does
more good than dashing it upon the
parched surface of tho ground, and is
doubtless beneficial.