Thomas County cat., 1886-11-04
ABOUT TREE-PLAnTlNo.
Causes That Make 1t Advisable for Farm
ers to Do This Work in Autumn.

/ 90 - ~ ANN ssOESA ~ AoSohAssss
Beyond question the early portion Of
the spring is the best time for trans
planting nearly all kinds of fruit. orna-
mental and timber trees. Their vital
ity is then strong. and they are in the
best condition to recover from the in
juries caused by being dug up. trans
ported considerable distance and
placed in a new position. AS the sap
begins TO circulate in the early spring
the wounds inflicted while digging up
the roots and pruning the branches
soon heal. Leaves appear in short
time, and they shade the trunk and
branches. keeping the bark moist and
soft. The old roots extend in length
early in the spring. and new ones start
out in all directions. which seem to
make the trees stand firm in the places
where they are planted The soil in
| early spring. unless the season is un-
usually wet and backward, is in the
best condition for working. 1t can be
readily packed about the roots, SO as
to make the newly-set trees stand firm.
Rains are frequent in early spring. and
they wash the soil about the roots.
where it is needed. They also supply
abundant moisture, which insures 4
speedy growth. A gradual increase of
temperature, such as occurs in spring.
is very favorable to recently-set trees of
all kinds.
While early spring is in all respects
the most favorable time for transplant
ing trees, many causes prevent doing
| the work at this season in the North
western States and Territories. The
time for doing spring work in the fields
| is very short at best. All the small
grains must be sown as early as the
state of the soil will admit of working,
in order to insure i gOOd crop. The
delay of a few days in sowing wheat,
oats, rye or barley will ordinarily
cause large reduction in the yield.
Wet weather ordinarily greatly re-
duces the time in which the secder,
drill and harrow can be used in the
grain-fields. As soon as the grain crops
are put in it is necessary to prepare land
for corn and potatoes. BY the time these
crops are planted trees have leaved
out to such an extent that they are
W SuhCI IL tutN tilC ICIuONCO.
Besides the preparation of land for an
nual crops, the planting and sowing.
there are many other kinds of work
that must be done during the spring
months. The manure about the stable
and cattle-yards must be hauled out
and the fences repaired about the past
ures. On most farms in the North
west there are no hands that can be
spared for obtaining and setting out
tre S.
1t is often difficult to obtain trees
from a distant nursery or forest in
early spring. The roads are ordinarily
in very bad condition. and often they
are nearly impossible. Nurserymen,
as a rule, are very busy. In many
cases they can not fll orders at the
times when they are given. In their
hurry they are likely to injure the roots
of many trees in taking them up. In
the fall they have plenty of time for
doing this work and will devote more
pains to it. The patron of a nursery
can make a better selection of trees in
the fall than in the spring, when the
finest specimens have been picked out
and disposed of. The roads i'll the
country are generally in very good con-
ditiOn late in the fall, and farmers
have plenty of time to obtain trees
from a nursery. They also have time
for digging holes. pruning the trees
they obtain. and for setting them out.
Farmers who had too much to do in
spring to allow them to obtain and set
out trees will do well to consider the
nf f,hra mi fEor, 1,,,.
fall. for the chances are that they will
have rs much to do in preparing for
annual crops next planting season rs
they had at the commencement of
farming operations the past year
On places protected by shelter belts
or rising ground trees may be planted
in the fall to good advantage, as the
high winds that occur during
the winter will be prevented from
doing them any injury. If
trees are set in the fail in ex-
posed situations most of their branches
should be shortened and some of them
removed before they are placed in po-
sition. By adopting this course they
will be less likely to he injured by the
wind. In any ease the soil thrown
about the roots should be Iirmiy
pressed down. Earth should also be
drawn up about the trunk so as to form
Il cone several inches high. When this
freezes it will give a support to the tree.
1t will also prevent mice and rabbits
from eating the bark. In the spring
after the frost is out of the soil this
cone of earth can be leveled down.
Trees should not be set before all the |
leaves have fallen from them, aS thev |
promote the evaporation of sap if they |
remain on the branches. In large |
proportion of eases trees transplanted |
quite late in the fall do very we'll. |
Quite large trees can be moved in VIM |
ter better than al any other time OF the |
year. as has been shown by the man. !
ayers of public parks. Their plan is to |
take them up with large mass Of |
frozen earth adhcring to their roots.
There are many advantages in Ob-
tanning nursery trees in the fall. heel
ing them in and setting them out the |,
following spring. ANY nurseryman
Will give full directions for the process
OF heeiing-in. 1t consists essentially in
tying the trees in small bundles. bury
ing the roots to protect them from the
frost and wind. and covering the earth
over the roots with straw or coarse