Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-02-02
TREE PLANTING
By A. t. POTTS,

BY A. L. POTTS,
Agricultural and Mechanical College
of Texas.
Tree planting time is here, and 1t is
to be hoped that a greater number
will be planted than ever before.
There is always a peculiar pleasure
connected with this work that few fail
to enjoy. Children especially enjoy it,
and it stimulates their delight II they
are allowed to claim one or more and
in a measure look after the care and
cultivation.
Yes, contrary to the belief of some
people, trees must have care and cul-
tivation. For too often the plants are
merely stuck into the ground and allow
ed to go, and yet the owner complains
that "tress simply won't do we'll here"
Few young trees can go through our
long, hot summers without a little
crust should be broken by cultivation
and the weeds and grass kept away
from the roots. Mulching is often prac-
ticed with young trees to hold the
moisture and keep down weeds. Hay,
cotton seed hulls, sawdust and excel
sior have been used with good results.
In selecting your trees for garden
or ornamental purposes, get good
young stock. Each species has some
characteristic to itself so that no rules
can be given for general tree selection.
But il takes little experience to tell
whether tree is young vigorous and
sufficiently robust for your use. In
general young trees will be found to
stand transplanting better and become
established sooner than old ones.
When your trees come from the
nursery do not allow them to stay in
the package until you are ready to
start digging the holes. Unpack them
and heel them in at once. Dig a
trench six inches deep and long
enough to hold the roots when placed
side by side. Now throw the dirt back
over them, water and pack tight, leav-
ing loose soil on the surface. The
tops will not need protection except
in severe climates. where straw may
be used to cover them. The holes
should be dug big and roomy so that
the roots may be spread in their nat
ural position. If fertilizers are used
they should not be allowed to come
in direct contact with the roots.
From the change in color one can
always tell how deep the tree stood
L.. h. -. IA
the same depth. Higher or lower may
mean the death of your plant
Straigbten out the roots and place
them naturally. All broken or injured
roots should be cut smooth. A razor
cut soon heals, but one from a tin
can is very slow, so is the healing
with plants.
Plants in the open lean from the
prevailing wind. So II your tree has
more limbs on one side than the other,
set this heavy side toward your strong
winds. Put the surface soil around
the roots first, then the other as the
hole fills. After the hole is about one
third full pour in a bucket of water.
When about two-thirds full pack the
dirt tight with your feet and finish
filling, leaving the dirt loose and mel
low on top. It is estimated that from
one-fourth to three-fourths of the roots
of plants are lost on digging. For
this reason the tops are always cut
back corresponding amount. This
is an operation that we do not like
to do, but it is absolutely necessary
for the best success. OF course, there
are some kinds of plants that must
never have their tops removed, but
special care is given in digging and
shipping so that their root loss is very