Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-05-02
lanrastrr fntelligenrft
rpInAy EvENrNa, MAY q, 1884.
rbs proper Trsstmsnt of Young Trees

rbs Proper Trestmept of Young Trees.
Germantown Telegraph.
Dry weather for month or two after
trees have been planted is very damaging,
and many either die or become stunted,
and require nearly the whole season to
recover. There is no reason, however,
that such should be the case. The want
of water, Is, Of course, the evil, and this
can be remedied without much labor or
expense, IL is well known that the roots
OF all trees are more or less injured by
transplauting, whatever may be the care
used in the operation and, where the
evaporation is considerable these roots are
necessarily weakened and unable to supply
the amount OF moisture required. Under
these circumstances many people water
the trees But this is an operation where
there are many trees which is by no means
n trife besides watering the trees has
the advantage of solidifying the soil aud
we all know that a hard, cloddy piece of
ground dries out much faster than
grounds well pulserized. Hence, those
who thoroughly understand the planting
of trees avoid watering, aud this is done
in two ways-one by pretty severe prun.
ing, and the other, as we said in some
remarks last week, by mulchipg and fire.
ouent stirring Of the soil Pruning is one
of the simplest ways OF saving newly
planted trees life. This does not Of
course add any more moisture 60 the soil,
or give any fresh capacity to the damaged
roots to take up more moisture but
there is cut of the demand for moisture
with every branch removed. When a
tree does not push freely into leaves after
being trausplanted, it is in most cases
from this cause. The supply of moisture
being short, ii is astonishing how soon
and how strong tho rest will push ahead
II half the branches arc cut away.
The pulyerization of the soil Is often
misunderstood. \ loose soil Is not always
we'll pulyerized soil. Merely hoeing or
rakipg the surface is not what is required.
IL the ground is baked hard, rs many
olayey soils will become, this sort Of
loosening may be little gain but as
general thing strong soil simply loosened
will evapOrate moisture largely, and to
prevent il should be crushed as well as
loosened, rs We have often explained as
following the use of the roller in our grain
and grass fields in the spring, to be car.
ried out on a smaller scale around the
transplanted tree. The more we hammer
and beat Cud the tirmer it becomes and
the tirmer it is made the more able il is 10
absorb moisture from the atmosphere, and
indeed from the surrounding soil. Thus,
in many cases the half dried, caky earth
around tree may be pulver2ed by merely
beating 1t with a Tammer, and very often
this will servo the tree u much better
purpose than the most careful watering
would accomplish.
All this is as simple as any operation can
be and those who may hesitate in beiiev-
lug it should but carefully try 1t, and they
will not only doubt no longer, but will bt
surprised at the result
n Destructive IGsect
GermantUSn Telegraph,
The large white grub with which W
are at times greatly beset, aud whicl
sometimes is very destruCtiyetO to the yOun
corn plants, to our gardens and even I
our lawns, Is ono of the most difficult pest
to get rid Of II feeds upon the roots o
of flowers, vegetables and even the roots o
trees and IN some years they make thei
appearance IN thousands ard do mucl
mischief before they are discovered. Il i
belicycd-as it is not satisfactory estab
lishel-tLat it takes three or four year.
before It cmeTEeS from the ground th,
perfect beetle, when it continues its depTe
datiUns above ground almost as extensivel!
as II did during its existence in the laryi
state. 1t being large beetle it is too
much for tho smaller insectivOrous birds
to manage but the crow, the black bird,
and tho rOOiD, soon dispatch IL If they
happen to light upon a colony of them.
But the crow keeps distance from our
dwellings, gardens, orchards, etc, and the
black bird also is becoming scarcer every
year, 20 that we have little protection
against this vile pest from either Of them
Sailing the grouud pretty freely where the
grub makes its appearance, but not so
freely as to damage the vegetation, is the
best remedy We know of aud will general
ly prove ,ilrCtual