St. Landry democrat., 1884-07-12

The present season has been all that
could be desired for trees and plants
set last spring. 1t has been cool and
wet, excellent for the development of
foliage. The moist weather giving
abundant foliage has developed plenty
of root, but this root like that of any
plants in saturated soil is superficial. II
the season had been less wet, the root
growth would have been less, but it
would have been deeper. The ten days
without rain in this vicinity during the
last of July, caused greater distress to
corn and garden crops than would have
been the case from three weeks OF
drought in an ordinarily dry season.
Trees planted last spring and not
watered showed unmistakable signs of
suffering. Those who understood their
business prevented this, by giving the
soil good soaking once week.
The difficulty with those planters who
Aaye not studied the nature of the
plants they cultivate is that they seldom
give water enough. They water often
enough, sometimes too often, but super
ficial1y. 1t is dissipated by the first
sun, and-scarcely reaches the roots at
all. Let us illustrate in this way: The
water in pond that is one foot deep
has the same number Of superficial feet
for evaporation, as the pond four or
more feet deep. So it is with super
fetal watering. The inch or two OF
surface moistened IS soon dried out,
the roots having received almost no
good from the watering.
In the case of continual superficial
waterings the disability to the tree is
Intensified; the roots extend nearer and
nearer the surface rather than down.
ward. The autumn finds the tree with
all it's roots near the surface, and the
next season, if a dry one, often kills it
outright. In fact the second season is
considered to be the most critical in the
life of recently planted tree if it be
deficient in rain. Hence the planter OF
ornamental trees and shrubs will see
the necessity of careful watching OF
planted trees, especially such as have
not made faaiEE te;.s growth, for according
to the amount of leaf growth so viii be
the root, for it is well known that there
is no root growth until the leaves
expand; and, hence, again, the reason
why an evergreen may be planted at any
season, and for the reason that the
leaves are always more or less active.
In fact deciduous trees may be most
successfully planted when in leaf if only
the leaves be kept from willing. So
also it is well known that tree with
plenty of top win make roots faster
than tree cut nearly or quite to bare
pole.
see first, that they never suffer for
want of moisture at the roots; and sec
Ond, that the roots be induced to strike
deep as quickly as possible. Prairie
Farmer.
A barn'in CRANKY, Oswego County,
was struck by lightning recently, the
bolt being attracted, it is thought, by
the large bronzed vane and horse with
heavy iron rod, extending into an elm
flagstaff. The latter was completely
shattered, and driven through the side Of
the building and into the earth, and is
qnburned. Portions of the vane were
carried long distance The fine neV
barn was saved by strong wind blowing
I'm the right direction, but some lesser
buildings were burned. Not particle
of rain fell for some time, before or aftel
the buildings burned, and at the same
moment Of the shock there was not 8
particle of thunder or lightning, or .
dark cloud overhead.-N z Times