Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 March 1912 — The Hard or Sugar Maple as a Shade Tree. [ARTICLE]

The Hard or Sugar Maple as a Shade Tree.

The maples are used in Indiana more extensively for shade tree purposes than all other kinds of trees combined. There are Mur kinds used. The silver-leaf and red maple, commonly called the soft maples, are most frequently planted on account of their Mapid growth. Their use Should be discontinued because they are subject to the deadly attack of several common insect pests and they grow long slender branches which frequently break off when loaded with ic&. The Norway maple has recently been introduced but is too low-head to make a desirable street tree. Our native sugar maple is by far the best kind of maple to plant along a street unless a small tree is desired. It will adapt itself to all kinds of soil, except a wet and undrained one. However, it grows best on a moist or dry, porous soil. The sugar maple has as yet been able to resist its insect enemies. The trees for planting should be secured from lf the nursery and not be over eight feet high. Trees from the nursery will have a better root system and are not as likely to sun scald as trees transplanted from the forest. I>* the tree should sun scald, that is, a part of the body die, it is better to plant another tree than keep the defective one which will begin to decay and die early. When planting the tree do not cut off the top. All pruning should be confined to taking off the lower branches until the head of the tree is 10 to 12 feet abovei the ground. Shade trees as a rule are planted too close. A seventy-foot lot should not have more than two trees. After the tree is carefully planted place some kind of protection around it. A bpokiet on the selection, planting and care of shade trees may be had free by writing the State Board of Forestry at Indianapolis.