Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-01-20
a matter of fact, trees may be moved

at any time, but 1t 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 transplanted in August growing
well, 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.
It 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 following rules:
!. Plant small trees. They will soon out
grow those planted larger.
q Trim smoothly with a sharp knife all
bruised and broken roots.
g. Keep the roots moist all the time.
L. 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.
S. Keep the tree mulched and moist. at
least for the first summer.
6. Prune early to determine the future
shape Of your tree.
The pruning Of trees in this country
seems to be nearly everywhere mat
ter of purest impulse. There is GER
tainly no intelligence about 1t. 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 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 wildly the results Of such am
putation. In every town. along every |
one may see examples OF such |
All winter long the mu-
tilated trunks of Our trees stand like |
decapitated criminals. In spring ali |
generous nature attempts to cover Vi |
the deformity. New shoots appear in |
numbers around the severed trunk or
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
tons characteristic Of the species il
In the second place. the
exposed wood, whether the Topping
was done by aX or saw. soon rots. De
cay. like swift disease. invades the cen
ter Of the trunk and in Il few years
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. our
parks, our avenues, the remedy lies in
the direction Of proper civic administra
ton. Local government is at fault
and recourse must lie in awakened pub
lie sentiment When the mischief is
On private property, the owner must
earn that mutilation Is destruction.
He had better far remove the tree,
whose shape he could correct, and
plant new one. so pruned at the out.
set and early in its growth as to obviate
The necessity Of such heroic treatment
later on.
If, however, 1t becomes necessary to
)rune q full grown tree by cutting some
If It's larger branches, the evil effect
nay in part be obviated by care in con-
lucting the operation. If limb be cut
,fl' smoothly, cut twice, first ut some
distance from the trunk and then close
Up. so as to leave the wound perfectly
and If the exposed surface be
hen well painted. as with hot coal tar,
he wound will heal-i e., the bark will
,row over the painted surface from ev
Try side. no decay will enter, and the
rec escapes disaster
fConvright 1902 by Lewis D. Sampson.1