The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-29
Nems and Courier.

trees, few suggestions in regard to
their selection, planting and care
may not be entirely lacking in inter-
est.
To the average individual the plant
ing of trees, either for shade or orna-
ment, appears to be avery simple mat
ter, but this opinion, itis almost need
less to say, is based on ignorance; an
ignorance which, while excusable,
is none the less unfortunate when
it's bad results are made apparent by
the death OF serious injury of che
trees.
The most common error with shade
trees is in planting them too close to-
gether. Sometimes this close plant
ing is done Intentionally, the idea be-
ing to cut out every alternate tree
when they begin to crowd each other.
The cutting out is rarely ever done,
and il carried out it will be found that
til. ones left have been hopelessly
ruined, SO far as their shape is con-
cerued.
The natural tendency Of a tree is to
assume a symmetrical shape if it
has room, and this fact should always
be borne in mind when they are plant
ed.
Another very common mistake in
putting out shade trees is in selecting
those that are rather large for sue
cessful transplanting, this being done
under the mistaken impression that
several years additional growth is
gained in this way, but if two forest
trees Of the same kind are planted out,
one Of them four inches in diameter
and the other two, it will be found
that the smaller one will, in the course
of a few years, cover as much space
with its shade and be much more Wig
orous and healthy than the other. The
reason for this is very obvious, in
that the larger the tree the greater
is the injury to the roots in taking it
up.
Public parks and the streets of our
cities and towns are the very places
where the greatest care should be ex-
ercised in putting out trees, but the
general rule is to put out the work by
contract to the lowest bidder, or have
it done by the street hands. AS
a general rule, the soil Of the streets
is very unfavorable for the growth
of trees. and this fact makes it
ali the more important that they
should be carefully and intelligently
planted.
When it comes to the matter Of Sc
lecting shade trees there is no occa-
sion to go outside of our own State, as
South Carolina is especially fortunate,
both in the matter Of variety and
beauty; possessing one, the stately and
symmetrical Darlington oak, that is
found nowhere else in the United
States. So far as the writer is
concerned he does not hesitate to ad-.
vocate the oak as the best shade tree
for all purposes. durability, beau
ty and rapid growth being the factors
to be considered in making a selec-
tion.
It must be acknowledged, however,
that the elm is very graceful
and pretty tree, but its comparatively
thin foliage and the fact that its
leaves commence falling very early in
Fall. makes il rank below the oak for
the purpose of giving shade.
No one can possibly go amiss in
planting the following varieties of the
oak-Darlington, live, white, red, two
varieties, and water, also two yarie-
ties. OF the ones mentioned, the live
oak is the slowest growing variety, but
will live to a. great age. The others
are about equal in growth. with the
odds little in favor of the water oak.
If the trees are topped, they should
be planted sixty feet apart, but if not,
cut off from forty to forty five feet.
If the street is very narrow, it is best
to plant them diagonally, SO as TO give
tie right distance in every direction.
No tree should be planted near than
forty feetfr dwelling, and fifty feet
is better.
In taking up the tree the utmost
care should be observed to preserve as
many Of the roots as practicable and
it should be planted out as soon as
possible after it's removal in order that
the fine roots may not have a chance
to lose their moisture. 1t should be
trimmed up to bare pole and the dirt
worked very carefully around the
roots, using few buckets Of water,
after the dirt is thoroughly rammed to