The Nenana daily news., 1918-05-28
TELLS
 NENANA ABOUT
 PLANTING TREES
of the Experiment Station Offers Suggestions for
 Use on Arbor Day

When the Commercial club first took up the matter of setting out trees it ~as decided to appeal to Mir. NJ. D. Snodgrass, the superin- tendent of che Alaska Agricultural Experiment station at Fairbanks, for information as to the best method of planting. Folio wing, in part, is his reply:
 Fairbanks, March 12, 1918. HI. B. Joseph, Secretary Nenana
 Commercial Club, Nenana, Alaska.
 Dear Sir:-Replying to yours of February 18th and 1th, I beg to say that our supply of vegetable and flower seed is exhausted. We will send you few pounds of Petrowski turnip seed for distribution. This is the turnip that turns the worms away and has given satisfaction throughout Alaska. "Now as to the proposition of fur nishing you with directions for the planting or setting out trees, I must say that I am not an expert in that line. have never given that sub- ject close study. No doubt you have forestry men in your community who could furnish you full directions regarding such work. However, will offer few suggestions that will not lead you far astray in your efforts to plant trees in your city:
 "In horticultural work we were inn pressed with the idea that trees needed careful handling at all times to insure perfect growth and de- velopment. In handling young trees it is necessary to avoid any bruising whatever. In digging up the seed lings and young trees, care must be exercised to avoid breaking off the branches, and to dig far enough away from the trees to avoid cutting or breaking any more roots than is absolutely necessary. The more of the finer roots that are left whole the better. It usually pays to take up a considerable earth with each tree without allowing any loosening of the earth from the roots of the tree. By digging a foot or more from the sInall tree and wrapping the undisturbed earth about the roots with burlap before it is lifted from the ground, will give the tree much better chance for growth without setting it back like those where the roots are barred and badly broken in digging them from the ground. The larger the tree transplanted. the more dirt should be left about the roots.
 "The practice of transplanting large trees is carried on after the same fashion, but the digging is usually done during the late fall when freezing has commenced, and when the earth is frozen solid about the roots of the tree the same is raised out of the ground and hauled on sled or otherwise to the place for setting, and there deposited in holes prepared to receive it. In this manner there is little damage donc to a tree and it's growth continues undisturbed. This latter method is to be recommended wherever possible l in this country on account of the : slow growth made by all native trees. In soil that will stand up we'll when digging about the roots, fair sized trees may be handled in the springtime in this manner. Care must be taken not to bruise the bark of the tree in taking from ex- cavation, but the lifting should be done on the burlap under the roots rather than by the tree alone.
 "Birch trees six to eight feet high, have been transplanted in Fairbanks with very good results. The care after transplanting is quite as inn portant as careful handling. Plenty of watering must be done the first year to insure the growth of the tree. Careful pruning is necessary in order that the foliage will not draw too heavily on the broken