Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-10-07
FALL PL AIMING OF TREES AND
VINES.

trees and vines in the fall was discussed
at considerable length. BY way of intro
duction TO this discussion, VIC may state
that excessive wet is one of the very great
evils to which the roots of newly planted
trees are liable, the heavy rains of fall so
completely saturating the earth around
them that they are in danger of rotting
during winter. There is most danger, of
course, says the ohio Farmer, where
the landis fiat, and has compact sub
soil. The most certain remedy is 10 drain
as thoroughly as possible, snd where not
convenient at this time deep and wide fur
rows should be made SO as TO allow the
surface water to escape.
Loosening of the roots, by winds and
freezing, is another danger to which fall
planted trees are especially liable on clay
lands, and in wet seasons. This danger is
avoided by draining and proper care in
planting. After the trees sre set and the
| earth pre- ssed firmly on TO the roots, a
| little higher than the natural surface, q
mound of additional earth should be piled
around the stem, eight to twelve inches or
more in height, according TO the height
and size of the tree, so as to prevent its
being disturbed by the winds or heavcd
out by freezing. This mound of eIth
will also prevent the girdling of the trees
by mice. Large trees should be supported
by stakes, if exposed to high winds.
Mulching of newly planted trees, by
placing quantity of rotted manure or
chip earth around them IN the fab, is
highly beneficial, especially for dwarf
trees, and where the mound of earth is
not required to hold them in position.
This mulching protects the roots, in
measure, from frosts and enriches the
ground. Where this is not done in the
fall, it should invariably be done il the
spring as a preventive of injury by
drouth, as well as to enrich the soil, and
keep it mellow. Dwarf pear trees need
this annual mulching with straw 10 keep
them in a thrifty condition, and enable
them to mature good crops Of fruit.
Grape vines and raspberry bushes are
liable to be injured by the winter when
transpIanted in the fall; hence, they
should be protected by bending the stems
down to the surface of the ground, and
covering with earth. Straw or litter is
not as good, as it is liable to harbor mice,
or to generate mildew. The covering
should be removed as soon as the buds
begin to open in the spring. This kind
of protection is recommended to be prac-
ticed every year for all the better kinds
of raspberries, as they are found to bear
surer and larger crops in consequence.
The following is the discussion before
the St. Louis Farmers Club:
Col. ColmaD, editor of the RurdL
World, said he had been engaged in
fruit culture more than twenty years and
had uniformly met with better success in
fall than il spring planting of hardy
trees and shrubs.
The nature of the growth of such trees
requires that they be transplanted imme
diately after the fall of their leaves.
The vital functions of trees are carried
on in the winter-espeCially in the latter
part of it, and in the early part of spring
and on takiog taking them from the
ground in the spring it will be seen that
great numbers of small fibrOus roots have
formed since the falling of the leaves.
These are ready TO promote the growth of
the tree al once; but if it be removed in
the spring, these roots are destroyed and
new ones must he formed before the tree
can grow.
Fall planting, then, saves and econo-
Mics the winters work (growth) of the
tree.
In the fall there is more leisure time
for the prepare ion of the ground, and
the soil issn much better condition to
work. In the spring all clayey and loamy
soils are more or less clammy until it is
too fate for transpanting trees, while in
the fall it is usually dry and easily
worked.
He also said that trees ordered from
the East, in the spring, often fail to get
here in proper time for planting, and
hence large losses.
He denied that trees set in the fall are
injured or displaced by the winter winds
| II is only when the tree is clothed with
| foliage that the wind takes hold of it; and
trees planted either in spring or fall should
have mounds thrown up around them 10
support them in their proper position
| when the summer winds come upon them.
Mr.. Sigerson has had large experience
| in the nursery business, and ia decidedly
in favor of fall planting.
One objection to spring planting is
Chat, at the proper time for getting the
trees from the nursery, the country roads
are almost impossible, owing to early
| spring rains; and the planting of trees is
| deferred till the roads and ground are
more favorable, and then & severe drOuth
of a few weeks often Kills a large per
cent of them.
He approved of mulchiug all trees when
| tIaysplanted, whether in fall or spring
and the frost should never be allowed to
! come TO the roots of trees unless they are
| closely covered with sofia root frozen
while exposed to the air is generally killed.
Mr.. s. also insisted on a thorough
preparation of the ground before planting
| trees.
Mr.. Peabody presumed that all that had
been said in reference to fall planting was
true of deciduOus trees, but he thought
srapevincs and evergreens should he
planted in the spring latter could he
| planted, safely, only in the spring. lie
had planted vines somewhat largely in the
| spring with entire success. But he would
prepare the ground in the fall, and dig the
holes for the vines and leave them open
so that the frost would pulvelize the sur
rounding soil, and then plant just os the
buds start. Some of his neighbors who
practice fall planting of vines have not
been successful.
Mr.. Hedges remarked on the import
ance of selecting dry soil for all kinds of
fruit Such soil will produce more fruit
and of much better quality.
Sigerson had known of fair success in
the fail planting of Norway Spruce, Aus
TRAN pine, and some other evergreens.
Mr.. Porter stated that while il was im-
| Dcrtant that the ground should be well