The Ordway new era., 1906-10-26
TREE PLAN TINS
COOPERATIVE gxPGRiMGNr u
COLORADO.
BY EXPERIMENT STATION


t.tion. TO Be stocksd-o'reet'ons
for Planting.
(By w. Paddock and o. b. Lonsyear'
The Colorado experiment station 10
about to enter into co-operat'e .
her plauting experiment with lew
land owners In various parts VI '1'
state during the coming season.
The trees selected for this e1peli'
mont are the hardy or western y"
taipa (catalpa speciosa) ana tue eom
mon or black locust trobinia pseuu"
cacia).
Ono plantation Of three huhal.a
trees OF each species Is TO DC os.ao
lished in each OF twenty Represents"
two localities In the state.
Each plantation will be put IN
charge OF some responsible land owner
who volunteers for that purpose. He
| will 90 expected to furnish ana NJ ,ne
ground, set tho trees, irrigate. cui.i
yate and prune them according 10 IN
structions, and TO keep a RECORD VI
thei- grow tn from year to year. re-
mort Is to be made to the station wneh
requested upon the progress Oh 'he eA'
pertinent.
sible for the farmer to grow his own
seedlings Il is doubtful II this Is ad'
yisablc, Black locust seedlings two
wears of age can be purchased very
choaply from the principal nurseries.
and this is a suitable size for planting.
The securing OF the true hardy catalpa,
however. il an uncertain matter ana
unless this is done almost certain iaii-
ure will be the result in this state.
Directions-The land for this pur'
pose should not be land that has no
usefulness for cropkrowing. although
very rich and heavily watered soil IL
not desirable. The ground should DO
lifted py fall plowing II possible and
well narrowed In spring. but land that
has been In cultivation for one or more
seasons IL better than newly broken
land. I. should be free from weeds
and grass at time OF setting the trees.
In fact tho preparation should be the
same as :or setting an orchard, which
will greatly facilitate the matter OF
setting tho trees and tending them
later on.
Planting-The best time for setting
trees in this state Is undoubtedly In
spring. Trees planted in autumn. un'
less tho work Is done at Just the right
time, are In danger of being killed py
driving out. When ready for planting
tho Young trees should have all broken
and bruised roots trimmed on with n
sharp knife so they will heal more
readily. and at the same time the top
should oe cut back to correspond 10
the reduced root system. thus balanc'
ing the two and ensuring the least
amount OF loss from drying out. The
holes for setting should be deep ana
wide enough to allow the roots to be
spread out fully and as the soil II put
in It should be carefully packed among
the roots so that there Will be no air
holes. This ia best accomplished by
using n stake with n rounded end. al
though the foot can be successfully
used to pack the soil rs fast rs II is
thrown in. Seedlings and very small
trees can be very rapidly planted by
two persons. One makes the holes by
pushing the blade of n spade almost
vertically into the soil to the depth OF
foot or more and pushing the handle
forward. The other person then In
scrts the roots OF the tree behind the
spade. which is then withdrawn and
the soil pressed firmly back with the
foot. II tho planting Is to be done on
n bright. dry day care should be used
to keep the roots covered with moist
burlap or they may be heelcd In
temporarily to prevent drying out.
The trees when set should be little
deeper than when in the nursery and
n shallow depression about each one
will help to retain moisture. Ordinar-
lily. as soon as the trees are set water
should be turned on. which will further
settle the soil around the roots and
encourage their growth. Irrigation
should be given only Ms often as neces-
sary to keep the soil moist and the
trees growing well. And after each
irrigation or rain the soil should be
given shallow cultivation to break
up the surface and form n dust mulch
Where trees are being grown without
irrigation this matter OF surface cult
walton Is extremely important, as by
this means the soil moisture IL largely
retained for the use of the trees In.
stead OF being lost through evapora.
ton. This cultivation should continue
until the trees are well established
| and until they shade the ground well
which will probably not be accom-.
plished In less than three seasons,
For the production OF posts and fuel
tall trunks free from branches are de.
sired. To secure these pruning will be
necessary as long as cultivation is
kept. after which the side branches
will mostly die back. The trees along
the north and west sides may be al.
lowed to retain their lower limbs,
which will act to some extent as a
wind.break. In some cases trees can
be successfully grown along ditches
and roadsides. but cultivation is then
not so readily given.
The trees should not be set where
stock can get at them, for browsing
animals are sure TO greatly injure
them by eating or the young growth.
besides breaking them down by rub.
bling and trampling. II the plantation
can not be situated In a field not used
Ior krazing purposes then fence