The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-12-18
LIVING TREES FOR FENCE POSTS
Pupose-How
for the
for the Trees.

Until we can 40 away WITH IeuCeS,
the question Of a supply Of posts be-
comes each year a more and more
important one. A correspondent OF
Home and Farm advocates the use OF
living trees as follows:
Some letters nave come to my desk
in regard to using living trees for
fence posts, which subject [ discussed
a few years ago 1t seems from these
letters that the matter will bear treat
ing again. One writer thought | had
recommended black walnut. have
found it very useful for the purpose
but to do we'll the soil in which il
is planted must be fairly rich and the
sub-soi must not be very hard, to1
black walnut must be allowed tc send
it's taproOt deeply into the EARTH lr
many places it would pay handsome
dividend on the investment If large
deep hole were dug out and filled
with good soil and fertilizing material
hauled from elsewhere; for this would
be an investment for one Or two life
times if proper care were given the
trees afterWard.
Upon the spot so prepared plant
walnut, hull and all, just below the
surface Or if more convenient, plant
the young trees, which may be grown
in nursery, where they can more
easily be protected till they are year
or two old.
That protection will be needed il
there are any cattle or sheep about
especially cattle. They are not fond
of the walnut foliage, but will some
times eat it while very young and
tender. But if they fnd'that you care
anything at all for the. special plant
they will take a savage delight in
tearing it down. We have had de
monstration Of that several times with
in the last two Or three years.
Though when grown densely it
reaches for the sky, and makes, in
time, very fine sawlog; yet black
walnut is inclined to head very low
when out in the open; and that is
Just what is wanted in this case
otherwise the trees in the fence row
will destroy much Of the crop by
shading the land. Still it will need
some very severe pruning, unless care
is given every year and all undesirable
growth is taken off in the nick OF
time.
To avoid injuring the tree this prun-
ing must be done only while the tree
is dormant, the best time being just
before the sap starts in the spring
In time these trees will yield nuts
which now have some market value
and in the near future will command
a handsome price, as every walnut
tree, large enough to make a single
railroad tie, is now being sacrificed
These nuts will pay for all the extra
care the trees will require over other
kinds.
But the tree 7 prefer over all others
is the sweet gum. [ do not know
how far North or South it will grow
but I do know that in this part Of the
world it possesses many advantages
over all other kinds for the purpose
named. One great advantage is that
it will stand as much abuse as any
thing that grows Should it be scar
red by a cash at the time Of the year
when such cash may be most harm
full, say May, June, July Or August
it will exude a gum which protects
it from the elements. Parenthetically
I would say, this gum, commonly
called gum wax, is the favorite above
all with all gum chewers, once they
have tried it, On this account it may
be pruned, cut back, held in check
shaped I'D in the head, any time in
the year. Should it be neglected a
few years it NAV easily be reduced
without fear of killing it. The ton