The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-03-22

some in poor soil, others out of har-
mony with the landscape, etc You
have the exact condition in your town
to-day as a result of indiscriminats
planting by your fore-fathers. Trees
have decayed and died because they
had no opportunity to breathe, nor to
spread their roots at will Trees
that attracted disease, shut out sun
light where it was needed, and to-
day you have the dreaded Maple Cot
ton Moth, and the European Elm
Scale. (The Maple Cotton Moth is
one of the insects that lives on the
underside of the maple leaves, suck
ing the life out of them and finally
causing them to drop early in the
season. 1t presents white mass,
and is no doubt very familiar to your
citizens. The European Elm Scale
is very small whitish insect that
lives on the young shoots of the tree,
sucking out the sap and finally caus-
ing death. This can only be detect
ed by the trained eye, and by per-
son who has frequently seen it,
Had Clarke Bros. distributed vines,
flower seeds, or vegetable seeds, they
would have done a more commend
able act, and one that would not re-
far as your trees are concerned
that your town is suffering from to-
day. To place tree in the hands of
child, is like giving the care and
bringing up of an infant to the same
child.
The matter of fertilization upon
which you lay so much stress, is a
remedy of last resort Shade trees
properly planted, pruned of their
dead and superfiuous wood every
year or so, and the soil spaded UP
around them, very seldom need fer
tilizing.
By relieving the tree of dead and
superfiuous limbs, it is stimulated to
better growth. Sunlight reaches
every portion, air passes through it
very much in the same fashion that
house is ventilated. 1t is an aid
towards extirmination of many of
the pests that attack the trees, be-
cause they will not live in places that
are exposed to severe sunlight and
winds. Spading around the tree to
distance equal to it's spread, will
permit water to find it's way to the
feeding roots. By having a heavy
sod over them sends the water off or
simply keeps it near the surface until
evaporated.
A tree with such care in a city,
is living under near ideal condi-
tion, and should be in good health
Such a tree is less susceptible to at
tack by pests than it's neighbor who
has had no attention, and is the har-
Dor for almost every pest.
1t is to be confessed that leaves
are an excellent food for trees, but
not the same leaves that fall from
the city trees. These invariably are
filled with the pest that caused them
to drop, and by collecting and burn
ing them as soon in the fall as posi-
Bile, much is done towards the ex-
of these pests. By per-
mitting them to lie on the ground
during the winter, a most excellent
opportunity is afforded the pest for
its development during that time,
and prepares them to come out in
vigorous health in the spring to
again commit havoc to the trees.
The application of fertilizer as
applied to fruit trees, differs in rea-
son for it's necessity as applied to
shade trees. At its best it is no
more than stimulant which is not
permanent.
Trusting that / have been able to
enlighten you and your readers ON
the subject l am,
Very respectfully yours,
BERNARD M. RIFKIN.
Second National Bank Building.
Editors Note:-The Citizen does
not hold itself responsible for any OF
the personal opinions which appear