The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1888-04-07
Tree Planting.

ACee TlanuDSs
Arbor day hss now grown to be O
such importance In the West aud North
that In some States certain days are
devoted to tree planting, from which II
takes 1t name.
The credit especially belongs to Me-
braska, whose State Board OF Asricul>
ture appointed the second Wednesday
of April, and siuce 1874 this day has
been dedicated to the work of planting
trees. 3a
1t Is true that the need II very great
In State that is little else but broad
pratries, aud yet other States have rec.
ognized the same necessity that have
within their borders vast forests. Mich
igan, Tor instance, aud her arbor day is
formally established by the legislature.
In some States 1t IL made a,holiday In
the schools and the scholars encouraged
and interested Ia planting each tree,
thus making in chtld's life each year
something to look back to as well 20
forward. yN'f.s s.
Some years ago 1t was my fortune to
travel by fand through our western
parishes, and noticed with regret that
the vast fields that had once been under
cultivation were now left to utter waste.
l suggested aud In some cases urged the
planting Of pecan and walnut trees.
This was twenty years ago. IA year
ago l went over almost the same
ground. found that my advice had
blown away with the wind and the old
heIds grown up In stunted sappiings of
pine and oak. Now think II only wal.
nuts had been planted. They needed
no fence, only a furrow opened and
covered with two more, no stock will
eat young walnut trees, and by, now q
wealth OF valuable timber would have
been spread through all Nos.hwest
,7'1 ~
Surely were we 10 iuaueurate an ar.
Dor day, even though 1t included no
one beyond our family circle, letting
zach member plant out as ulauy trees
on that day as he Is able, or Z fev val.
liable trees such rs an apple, Pear or
pecan, soon, very soon, we would see
the outcome Of our work. 81
Louisiana, and particularly North
is the home OF the pscau.
Other parishes may produce as fine.
but not finer, not larger, not sweeter
nor yot more prolific. t'''"''hi'
The culture Of pecan trees IL too sim.
pie to deter any one from undertaking
a few. The nuts planted In nurseries
four inches deep, four to six Inches
apart in rows, can be put In the ground
any time from the first of October iii
the seventeenth of March. g A. stake
should mark the spot Of each nut thus
showing the place where the Young
Fprout Is expected to come, which Ia
very tender at first. The row should
be kept hand-weetied till the sprouts
are six or eight inches high, when a
piow may be used. WaInuts require
the same culture, except they must BE-
put In before the first OF January.
When the trees are one year old. in
january, they should be trauspla ntcd.
the tap root cut severely and planted
In rows. Al the second transpiantiup
they should be put where trey are 10
grow. The proper distance for rplantipR
them out is eighty feet each way,
They need no pruning unless a limb
should insist on making an ugly
growth, when 1t may be cut on.
For the benefit Of those Wishing to
plant trees, give the following rule to
hud the number required for an acre
Multiply tho width by the breadth. In
feet, and 500 how many times It fs con-
ta'ned in $3.50, the number of Square
feet to an acre. The result will sviyo
you the numbei of trees required for
M acre. M.