Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 286, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 November 1916 — THE PROPER CARE OF TREES [ARTICLE]

THE PROPER CARE OF TREES

The greatest (iervloe that could be rondered to the American people today, would be to impress them with the Importance of ,net e»ly-'ple»t4Bg ir. eg, but caring for those that are left from the once glorious forests. We can now see plainly that one of our greuteßt inheritances was the forest wealth, so valuable, so indispensable to th,p development of our country. Nothing has done more for the deatnictlon of th« wn °difllhli himself. The Insects have not done one thousandth part the damage that man has done. Cutting the trees has not only destroyed the forests, but also dried up the streams,and changed the climatic conditions. Also the damage done by tree trim.mars, but in roality tree daatroyewr can not be estimated. The only excuse that can tie offered for the bad work done in the past is ignorance. The time is at hand when there should be good and efficient work done all along the line. Trees, like animals, will have their life shortened if allowed to become sick and diseased or crippled. Every--ferae w-Hve -Hintr-rs etrt thercVs'inr Interference with both the circulation and the The structure of the tree must be understood and wounds properly cared for. The common practice of cutting large limbs 3 to 6 inches from the body of the main trunk, is a bad one, because drouth sodn sets in, the bark peels off from the stub, and the stub soon rots and leaves a hole in which water collects. The rotting process soon extends to the main stem. The proper place to cut a limb, is close to the trunk of the tree or the shoulder of the stem. In case of a very large limb there should be two cuts made, one some distance from the trunk so that the limb will not split off near the trunk and leave a bad scar. The weight may afso be taken from the limb by cutting some of the brush from the end of limb. _ i.arge portions of trees can be taken off but the wounds must be watched naEtr kept weir~paimed; Any paint" do. The paint and oil close the pores of the wound, or rather of the wood, keep out moisture, insects and the fungi until nature oan close it with a new growth. Id> trimming, a serious mistake is often made in the way the trees are beaded back. Not many trees cart stand the process of heading back their tops. Unless a dwarf tree is desired and It is understood beforehand that the tree belongs to the class that can stand heading liack and s(pi live, it is .best not to top ttm trees. Nature does not form these ‘beautiful healthy giving tops of shade trees to be cut to lieces, not waitlist nding some tree trimmer needs a job. “Trees are often cut off at the top by telephone, telegraph or electric light employes, to enable them to string their wires along the street or road. While this is often necessary yet, in many cases It has not been necessary a't all ii the ireefi need cutting they should, be cut in such a way as that their beauty arfd usefulness is not destroyed. •*• It Is generally understood that the spread of the roots of a tree is equal to the spread of the branches, and that the feed roots run Just to the drip of the outer branches. The roots of the trees are trimmed back but once and that is at the time of planting. In getting the young trees from the nursery you should Insist upon getting good healthy stock, with straight leaders, untrimmed. Tl.cn you can. do your own trimming or cutting after the tree is in the gr. >nd. The lower branches are to be trimmed first with shade trees. On f ruit trees some of the Jower“f)raneh s are left so as net to bring the iruii too far from the ground. In pruning or trimming the low r er branches, care should be taken not to have two or three branches close together, tip and down on the trunk. If that is the case bad crotchets will be formed which may cause the tree to split and become a wreck. "Give fools their gold and knaves their power Let fortune’s hubbies rise and fall; Wbo sows a field or a flower, Or plants a tree is more than all; For he who blesses most is best, And God and man shall own his worth, Who toils to leave flis his bequest An added beauty to the earth.” —C. H. Goetz.

■ Noncommittal.

A Sunday?schooi teacher, after conducting a lesson on the story of .’’Jacob’s Ladder” concluded by saying: “Now, is there any little boy or girl who would like to ask a question about the lesson?” Little Susie looked puzzled for a moment, and then raised her hand. “A question, Susiet" asked the teacher. “I would like to know,” said Susie, "if the angels have wings, why did they have to ■climb up the ladder?” The teacher thougfit for some moments, and then, loofcln£ about the class, asked: “Is there any little;boy wnb would like to answer Susie’s question?"