The Republican journal., 1873-01-30
FARM, Garden, and Household,
Winter Rest for Trees.

The idea quite commonly prevails, that
trees of all varieties have an absolute rest
III The winter season. That all their func-
lions are suspended, the sap ceasing to cir
cuiate. and that in extremely cold weather.
the whole body Oh tho tree il frozen up.
Such, however, we believe. il not the
ease. pn the contrary, The tree j. perpet-
uajlN active; III Dec mbeT AMI February, aS
Wcli as m June and August This activity
however, is moi always in the same degree.
As We learn more ana more of the opera
iions oi Nature about Us, we shall probably
find q similarity be- wesu the habits of plants
uld animals. which has rs yet led us to lit
tie thought or investigation.
The condition OF the tree in the winter
bears = strong resemblance to that of the
Uaodchuck or the bear. In their state of
Sarusiou without light or food they still
breathe their b ood circulates, and all their
organs are probably in action, though in a
greatly less degree than when roaming in
forests or fields The tree, not having the
power of l0c0motiOn to such a place for
hybernation. has other powers. which en-
able il to resist, as general thing, the in
iuencrs of both heat and cold. There are
only occasional exceptions to this general
rule.
Trees do not all come to their season of
rest At the same time. That depends con-
>iderahly upOn varying circumstances. The
white maple that stands in low and wet
place, spreads its roots near the surface in
order to get away from the cold water
which stands underneath But "haying no
root whea dry time comes, it lacks sup
port Sh ads its leaves in August or early
September, and goes into its season of rest
On the hlil-s de. however, the rock or sugar
f1uf1lA fqS lt41 tS iAt bn
rich Sol, spread its brawnv branches over
diame'er Of nearly hundred feet, and
retains lis leave, with such tenacty that
Novrmher'S blasts can scarcely separate
them from their native twigs.
Some trees hold their leaves unchanged
several weeks after frost, rs the willow for
instance, and drop them only In the very
teeth of winter. Some Young white oaks
hold them even after they have become dry,
50 that they come rustling down from the
branches uron the head of him who loves
80 ramble through forests in the winter.
Evergreen trees have their season of rest
Is we'll as those Of a deciduous character
hit they do no east all their leaves at one
time. They fall so gradually that an uncb-
serving person would scarcely notice hut
that the same needle-like leaves We're per-
petually green, Like other trees they have
d short rest in summer. and long one in
winter.
As the animal man, takes his MONDAY
nap and rest, in the long summer days, so
iae~ The tree, from about the middle of
une and little into Iuly-a period of
about twenty days. Since the passage of
winter and up to the time of The frost
period, it has been necessarily pumping up
The sap through all its internal pores, and
sending il TO the eXtremities of the twigs,
i has got tired and wants to rest Its
energies are greatly diminished, but like
the woOdchuck and the bear, they are not
entirely suspended.
Another, and most interesting duty of the
tree is now performed It has furnished
the sap, or nntriment, which will secure the
appearance at a proper time, of both bios
som and fruit land now a new and important
duty InnSt be Discharged that of securing
the growth Of the tree itself. i'm it's diameter
and extension of branches.
Having supplied the proper pabnlum for
blossom and fruit, the sap now finds its
way IN thickencl state to increase the
diameter of both branches and trunk by
descending along the heart wood and de
posting upon it Il soft, white substance,
called alburnum.
BY the time this is established in its place,
the tree has had its nap, the sap becomes
active again, moves upward. and soon
pushes ont a new growth of twies and
leaves. These may be recognized by their
bright ana healthy appearance They con-
tinne to grow until they have rippned, or
until frostS arrest their growth and they
fall to the ground.
II these statements are correct, it vii be
readily seen why we recommend the last of
June rs the best time for pruning trees.