Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-05-09
Growing Trees to Withstand Drouth.

1t has long been noticed how much
better deep rooted trees and growing
plants stand a drouth than those which
are shallow rooted The tendency to
root in any particular way is largely
an inherited characteristic in the va
rious varieties of trees or plants, but
partly a matter over which man has
some control. There are conditions in
which moisture is so frequently sup
piled by rain, or where the water from
below comes SO near the surface of
the ground that it is impossible and
unnecessary to try to make the trees
root deep. There are no fruit trees so
far as l know, and but few kinds
Cf nut-bearing trees, which do well if
their roots extend to perpetual wa
ter strata. But On ordinary soils, and
under usual conditions, trees may be
so pruned and trained that they will
send their roots deep down, and the
deeper rooted the trees become the
healthier, the longer lived and the
more productive they will average.
The trees from the same nursery, on
the same kind of root, if planted in
California, will stand drouth which
would kill its fellow planted in New
Jersey, with it's ordinary root sys-
TEN. This fact leads me to inquire if
there is not some way by which trees
may be induced to root more deeply.
The chief cause of the difference is
that in California the soil about the or
chard trees is kept we'll cultivated, and
each wet season the ground is deeply
plowed, thus all the surface roots and
rootlets are cut off. The moisture
during the growing months is sup
piled by deep furrow system of ir-
rigation, so the water is sent we'll
down into the ground and the roots
have no need to come to the surface
for water. Indeed the top soil is kept
so well cultivated that there is always
dry layer Of earth of several inches
in thickness, which prevents the ra-
diation OF moisture.
From experiments which have been
made in the east it is possible to force
the roots to go deeper than were ma
ture let alone, and always, so far as
| have investigated, has the expert
ment been attended with satisfactory
results. If the main roots of young
nursery tree are pruned square across
a number of small rootlets Immediate
ly start near the point of amputation,
and their growth is usually at right
angles to the root from which they
originate. Now if in place of a square
cut, fresh very oblique cut be made
the tendency is for single main
sprout to grow, and in the same direc-
ton with the root from which it start
cd. 1t is evident if this rule holds
true. that a deeper rooted tree can be
obtained by pruning the tap root or
roots in this manner. The side roots
should be similarly pruned and the
oblique face of the cut turned down.
ward. Then if in addition to the proper
initial root pruning, the orchard be
plowed and cultivated, if not as fire.
oucntly as is the custom in California,
at least once in while, SO as to cut
oir the surface feeders, then the tree
will depend more and more upon its
deep roots. 1t would not be well to
allow too long an interval to elapse
between these root prunings for the
removing of considerable quantity
would be a severe shock to the tree.
Better do it often.
Deep rooted trees do not respond as
quickly to fertilizers, but on the other
hand they do not make known want
as quickly. There are always suffi-
cient number Of small roots to take in
the food or water, and the fact that
there are none of these upon which
the tree largely depends will be a guar
antee that year in and year out the
deep root system is best. The expert
ment is well worth trying.-Charles e.
RicharSs, in American Agriculturist.