Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-01-06
Tree Planting s sas ssas''

Of the country a long lisc OF species
fully adapted to the purposes can be
made out. In selecting among these the
aim should be to give the plantation
as much variety as possible. since
among other purposes II is 10 serve
that OF instruction.
Thorough preparation OF q soil
should preoede the planting Where
blocks or belts are 10 be formed, the
ground should be plowed n prepared
as for a garden crop. Clay soils are
best plowed the previous fail, IN order
that the ground may weather over win
ter. On such soil subsoiling Is bene-
fetal n should precede the planting
by at least one season. Just before
planting time the ground should be
pulveriZed with a roller or harrow. II
the planting is TO be done in rows, the
ground should be marked OFT length
wise and crosswise and the trees set
at the intersections. IT is sometimes
desirable to mark off the ground only
one way and run burrows the other.
In arid regions the burrows may be
deepened into trenches. SO that the rain
water which falls on the surrounding
ground may be drained to the trees.
On the other hand, in regions having q
copious rainfall ii will frequently be
necessary TO plant the trees on a raised
portion or mound Of earth in order to
IhCCR IL SUI QkS EiIpuSA VI llitiii u
thrive. The holes should be dug large
enough to contain all the roots fully
spread out and deep enough to allow
the tree to stand about three inches
lower than it grew as a Seeding.
South Of the thirty-seventh parallel,
fall planting is safe and often adyan-
tageous. North OF this spring plant-
ing should be the rule as fall-planted
trees can hardly develop sufficient
roots to sustain themselves during the
winter. The most successful nursery
men practice early planting for decid-
uous trees, beginning operations as
soon as the ground ceases freezing.
Evergreens are not planted until later;
some yer wait until the young
growth is starting. If possible, plant
ing should be done on a cool, cloudy
day. Unless the day is very moist, the
trees should be carried to the planting
site In a barrel half filled with water,
or a thin mixture of earth and water,
Even a minutes exposure to dry air
will injure the delicate roots-the feed
ers of the tree.
The roots should be extended in
their natural positions and carefully
packed in fine loan soil. II is good
practice to work the soil abou each
root separately ana pack 1t solid with
the foot. AS the hole is filed the
earth should be compacted above the
IOOlS anu dIOuilu the SttIH All OIueE &c
hold the tree firmly in place. The last
2 inches of soil should be very fine, and
should lie perfectly loose. 1t will serve
as a mulch to retain the moisture.
The spacing of trees is not, so i'm
portant in school-ground planting as
in forest plantations, yet 1t is worth
consideration. The trees should MOI
stand so near together as TO produce
long, slender poles; on the contrary
short, thick trunks are desirable Il
support large tops and withstand heavy
winds. From s to IL feet will be suit.
able spacing apart. Where large
blocks are TO be planted the trees may
be closer but II is scarcely ever de.
sirable TO plant them closer than
feet.