The morning news., 1899-12-31
TRANsPLANTING LARGE TREES.
How the Work Has Been Done on
the Capitol Grounds in Albany.

From the Albany Country Gentleman.
Citizens Of Albany who value shade
trees have, for some years past, seen with
regret and even alarm. the rapid disaP-
pearance of these trees from her streets
a few. indeed, from the effects of old age
| and violent winds. but most of them by
| the reckless use of the axe. Some of our
finest elms, standing on corners or on the
sunny side of the street, have thus been
laid low, leaving house fronts fully ex-
posed to the glare of summer sons. The
time seems to have arrived when street
trees should be considered the property of
| the city, and no longer be left to the mercy
of the men who happen to own the houses
behind them; to be placed in the hands of
skilled forester, who shall control their
planting, pruning and removal, the prop
ertv owner to be consulted. no doubt, but
the final word to rest with the forester
alone
Meantime some consolation is to be
found in the planting of new trees, which
goes on TO a limited extent in the city
streets. and on a larger scale has recently
been done on the capitol grounds, which,
west of the building were bare of any
twenty-four elms of large size, twenty-five
to thirty-fve feet in hight, few six 10
eight inches the most eight TO ten inches
in diameter. have been set, and sixteen
more on the eastern front, to fill in gaps
at various points. These trees were
brought from the Van Rensselaer, grounds,
North Albany, on Halls patent tree litter.
The litter consists of two pairs of heavy
wheels. between which is swung a plank
hoat near the ground. From the hinder
oxle extends a wooden arm four inches
thick and eight feet long. After the tree
is dug about and loosened, the hind wheels
are backed up, the arm fastened to the
trunk. which gives purchase for ropes fas-
tened higher up, and the tree is pulled
over The arm on which the trunk rests
inclines upward. keeping the branches
vel off the ground. A team of horses is
bitcbed to the load-of two tons, perhaps
and fhev move off to the city, where men
have meantime been digging holes to re-
ceve the trees.
Arrived at the spot, pulley and tackle,
held by an iron bar anchored some dis
rance off. regulate the elevation Of the
tcl, as the root end descends into the hole.
When fairly upright the trunk is loosen
Cd from the wagon arm and the tree set
tles 10 its resting place. Prepared com
most already az hand Qn this case street
su-eenings. which have lain in heaps two
,,earl, IS thrown IN, and two men tamp
/, thoroughly under and around the roots
,,.tb wooden bars while another, with
hose. keeps a stream of water playing into
~ bole which carries the compost into
,nierstices not reached by the Hampers
Toward the close a man climbs the tree
and rocks Il gently. The wnole operation
.aisss nearly an hour. including a neat
rosoddinr. The tree Is set four to six
inches deeper than Il originally stood. 10
aliou, for cultivation or sodding without
disturbing the feeding roots.
Two trees a dny was a days work IN
,,,is lob for seven men and two tree wag.
rtarttne such trees run from $50 70 $50,
according 70 size and cost Of ironsnori''-
tion with guarantee Tor five Years. Those
Ip capitol Park average SSo go9d-siz'h
map.e recently SET ior a citizen cost 49,