The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-25

sue OF the Morning News Nov. ?. 1894,
there appeared a very interesting and
sensible article On the Importance Of
planting trees IN our cits- ana having a
tree commission. To DO a thing wen and
with science a person must know how to
DO when 10 10. ard what TO do. The
ideas Of Col George A. Mercer and Alr.
H. p. smart are - the point. But the
gentlemen did not 20 far enough in their
ideas. To find fault shopld suggest a
remedy. a plan. 3. system. Your writer
Will do that
You say, Mr. Editor. IN AN article Of to-
day (Feb. % now Is the time to set out
trees Allow ms say AR. Editor, I diff
fer with you unless you should qualify
and suggest what should be done when
the trees are set out. lf set out now. then
the trees would re4uire careful and week
Is attention. In other words. careful
nursing. Why The ground is now cold.
and TO replsut q tree Ga cold ground with
roots cut rO0tlsss and dbers now grow
ing deep down in the ground. would be 10
destroy them. II is a complete set back
10 any tree, unless a very small tree about
the size Of a walking cane. IL is viOlative
OF the laws OF nature. What would be
thought Of taking a child out OF a warm
49, NA-ANA RHAAt4AS II lit-t N'Ntt ADAtAf NetAlib
sheets? Would one expect the child 10
thrive and keep well with such treat
mentt SO with the transplanting of trees
in the spring ia cold ground, for all the
winter the earth has been giving of its
neat, but begins in March and April TO
get warm again. But in getting warm
the sun is making immense drafts upon
the vitality OF trees set out in February.
March and April. The sun draws upon
the roots by WARMING the bark Of the
tree. The cut roots. rOotlets and fibers
are very weak, ana some of them dead,
Tor roouets are sensitive TO change in
an hour.
AS the sun grows warmer as summer
approaches, the tree cannot respond un-
less the greatest care has been taken 10
/ water the tree two and threS times
week, 50 as to feed the roots and keep
them alive. Planting i'm spring would
demand a horse and cart with water all
the time. 1t would have 10 be DONG regu-
iarly and with system; no perfunctory
work about 1t, regular everyday bust
ness. That is to keep the trees alive. II
IS said that an average-sized peach tree
throws of during the day between one
ana two gallons of water. and that water
IS taken from the ground by the roots,
showing the drawing power Of the sun in
summer. The reason trees set out die
! IS because they cannot respond 10 the
heat OF our summer suns, and that is
why spring planting is a failure.
To plant in the fall. about the first Of
October, the ground is warm, the sun is
not making any demand upon the roots
OF the trees, and the leaves have no great
suction power Then the roots, rootlets
and the fbers are growing. To then re-
/ plant. the ground being warm, the roots
retain their vitality and by the timeI we
have winter, the roots have taken hold
in the soil. and by spring respond to the
/ demands Of our hot suns but to make
/ assurance doubly sure water should be
/ put to the trees at least once week or
/ In two weeks. Spring planting would re-
4 quire IL almost daily.
/ The philosophy is plain and simple
/ and in accordance with the laws of nat
/ ure. Nature speaks to us with a thousand
/ tongues, II we would only hear her. She
| says observe, think, watch. me. my roots
| are as intimately connected with my
/ trunk. limbs and leaves as your stomach
! is with your brain and feelings; abuse
my roots and my limbs die; abuse your
stomach and your mind suffers.
The question presents itself what
/ should our city fathers or the street
/ committee do in the matter2 If no tree
| commission Is screated. 1 would suggest
to allow Alderman Gleason. who has the
/ streets in charge, to suggest TO the city
/ council TO turn the old cemetery on South
/ Broad street into an arbOretum. and
/ plant there such trees by planting seed
| cuttings or young trees, as should be put
/ on the streets. Have no guess work
/ about 1t. but sensible and scientific method
/ in the proper selection of trees suited to
I our climate. There is as much difference
/ in trees and their qualities as in men.
4 Certain trees for certain purposes. We
want trees in a city which have great
/ absorbing powers, 70 take up carbonic
acid gas. and throw Off larger quanti-
ties of oxygen gas, which Is life to man
! pnrifiaF of the tmOSnhPrp We
want trees that will keep green and abb
/ sorb until killed by frost There is a DIFF
! ference In the cool of some shade-trees,
| some cooler than others, and the shade
more healthful and more refreshing
/ There are trees that purify the air more
than others. The eucalyptus is one Of
them, if It can stand our climate. Some
are harder than others, ad is seen in Cal
( ifornia, where they are planted for shade,
health and wood
Now comes the most sensible way to do
the right thing in the right way. There
are several books which treat on tree
planting. and gives the character of each
I tree, and when and how to plant Get
/ the books, and after making such selec-
I tions as will suit our climate best, get the
seed, or cuttings, or young trees and set
them out in the old cemetery, and cult
vate and have ready to replant on the
| streets when necessary. Reduce this thing
/ to a science and practice. That is the
way a sensible man would do a sensible
| thing, if he wanted to raise trees for any
! purpose whatsoever. The old cemetery
/ could be made place of beauty health
and use. 1t would be the very idea for
raising trees for city use. There are a
number of exotic trees on the streets,
planted by those who wanted something
new before their houses. Give them an
! examination. See what they are, and if
! good cultivate for city use. But get books
on trees and tree planting and read up,
and then act. Such are the common sense
views of your writer Isuggest not only
what TO do. but how 70 do 1t. If 1 find
fault 1 suggest a remedy; if I make an
assertion, l give my reasons for it.
r. NJ o.