The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-03-13


OF the imprisoned shoot. The husk |
probably still holds enough to keep ev-
erything yet together until possibly a
spring freshet dashing by over the al |
luvial bed where the parent walnut
stands bears the terminating nut away |
TO leave IL buried farther down in some |
bank of drifted sand. Here the young
tree makes start In life, sends up a
slender stem, sends down long stout
root to stay waiting the demands from
the upper world when these shall come,
as come at length they will, from
spreading branch and leaf. Perchance
there Is no freshet 10 carry the nut down
the stream. Possibly hungry squirrel
carries II in the opposite direction, only
TO leave ii forgotten at the last in some
hollow stump or by some rotting log.
No matter The process is just the
same. So nature plants walnut.
The wise farmer who wishes grove
of these or similar trees proceeds In
similar fashion. He gathers In early
autumn a bushel or two of the nuts.
He burles them in the open In loose
sand or mulch, not emitting 10 provide
for freezing. When spring returns ana
the earth is now warm and moist, he
plants in thoroughly loosened soil the
now terminating seeds; huries them,
but not too deep; plants them In rows
with other cheaper trees needed Tor
timely shelter, later TO be removed.
The farmer cultivates his trees as SO
much corn and finds his reward In
growth that is simply phenomenal
Unusually favorable conditions here
will give unusually fine and large re-
sults--results hardly to be seen In ma
ture where there is no blowing. But
every tree has time OF planting. AS
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 off. 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
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
NAV 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. \ tree planter Of
experience suggests the following rules:
/. Plant small trees. They will soon out
grow those planted larger.
q 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 or the
tree much too large and too deep Then
fill It, as need requires, with good, rich'
sandy soil.
8. Keep the tree mulched and moist al
least for the first summer.
G. 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. FOL
all sorts Of trees pruning is deferred
until the tree is old, when the owner OIL
street commissioner or the telephone
company suddenly awakens to the rae
that the tree needs pruning, wheI
forthwith a man with ladder and az
appears and proceeds TO hew off the al
ready far developed limbs. No Illus
tration is needed here 10 bring before
readers wildly the results of such am
mutation. In every town, along ever!
, highway, one may see examples OF sucl
amputation. All winter long the mu
, tilated trunks Of our trees stand lik
decapitated criminals. In spring al
generous nature attempts to cover VI
, the deformity. New shoots appear II
2 numbers around the severed trunk o
r branch, and in time we may have one
2 more a somewhat outrageous top. Blu
! the tree is ruined. In the first place
: It's symmetry is destroyed. 1t can new
D or again exhibit the graceful proper
: tons characteristic of the species
e represents. In the second place. tn
e exposed wood, whether the loppin
= was done by ak or saw, soon rots. DE
g cay, like swift disease. invades the Ger
Z ter Of the trunk and in a few year
= leaves naught but a wretched shell.
r The remedy for the situation is plaiI
I ~ twofold. In the first place, for val
+ dalism, which despoils our streets. on
e parks, our avenues, the remedy lies !
: the direction Of proper civic ADMINISTERS
4 ton. Local government is at faul
/. and recourse must lie in awakened pull
- Ifo cantimant When the mischief