The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-10-17
TRANSPLANTING TREES.
lBY rHos. W. MCBRIDE, P.H.o.l

As matter OF TACT, trees may De moved
at any time, but il Is safer and much
more convenient to handle them when
the leaves are of In fall or early
spring the bark adheres more tightly
and is therefore not so liable TO injury.
The tree Is resting. Here, however, is
an elm trsnsplsnted in August growing
we'll, but undoubtedly retarded by the
change. Probably, all things consider
ed, the spring is the best omened sea-
son for the planting of tree.
But, secondly, the more important
matter is the manner Of the planting.
1t is pretty certain that most trans
planted trees that fail, die of drought.
They die Of drought in transit. The
roots are allowed to become dry. Some
trees will endure bad treatment in this
respect much better than others, but
the great majority of the species we
use for ornamental or economic plant
ing must be watched If we wish to OBJ
tain the best possible results. Many
trees also perish because improperly
set out. The laborer gives the already
mutilated roots too little room. They
are all imprisoned in unfriendly soil or
by impenetrable walls OF clay. Trees
may even drown because the spring
rains fill up the hard walled hole in
which the roots are set and the water
finds no exit. This not infrequently
happens in clay soil. A tree planter Of
experience suggests the efollowing rules:
1. Plant small trees. They will soon
outgrow those planted larger.
2. Trim smoothly with sharp knife
all bruised and broken roots.
3. Keep the roots moist all the time.
4. Make the hole for the reception of
the tree much too large and too deep.
Then fill it, as need requires, with good,
rich, sandy soil.
5. Keep the tree mulched and moist,
at least for the first summer.
8. Prune early to determine the fu-
ture shape of your tree.
The pruning of trees in this country
seems to be nearly everywhere a mat
ter of purest impulse. There is GER
tainly no intelligence about it. Our
trees ON lawns, by the highway, in the
parks and cemeteries, are everywhere
subject to most barbarous usage. For
all sorts of trees pruning is deferred
until the tree is old, when the owner or
street commissioner or the telephone
company suddenly awakens TO the fact
that the tree needs pruning, when
| forthwith q man with ladder and AK
appears and proceeds to hew off the al
ready far developed limbs. No illus
tration is needed here to bring before
readers vividly the results Of such ann
putation. In every town, along every
highway, one may see examples Of such
lamputation. All winter long the mu.
tilated trunks Of our trees stard like
tdecapitated criminals. In spring al
generous nature attempts to cover W
the deformiiy. New shoots appear in
numbers around the severed trunk OF
branch, and in time we may have once
| more q somewhat outrageous top. But
the tree Is ruined. In the first place,
It's symmetry is destroyed. 1t can new.
er again exhibit the graceful proper
tions characteristic Of the species II
represents. In the second place, the
exposed wood, whether the Topping
was done by ak or saw, soon rots. De
cay, like swift disease, invades the cen
ter of the trunk and in q few year:
leaves naught but wretched shell.
The remedy for the situation is plain
ly twofold. In the first place, for van
dalism, which despoils our streets, oul
parks, our avenues, the remedy lines In
the direction of proper civic admins
tration. Local government is at fault
and recourse must lie in awakened pub
lie sentiment. When the mischief il
ON private property, the owner mus
learn that mutilstion is destruction
He had better far remove the tree
whose shape he could correct, and plan
a new one, so pruned at the outset ant
early in its growth as to obviate tn
necessity of such heroic treatmen
later on.
, III, however, it becomes necessary {,
, prune full grown tree by cutting SOM
of its larger branches, the evil effec
may in part be obviated by care in con
Quoting the operation. II limb b
, cut of smoothly, cut twice, first at som
2 distance from the trunk and then clos
1 up, so as to leave the wound perfect
= smooth, and If the exposed surface b
2 then well painted, as with hot coal tai
{ the wound will heal. e., the bark wi
I grow over the painted surface from e,
3 cry side, no decay will enter, and tn
Q tree escapes disaster,