Oklahoma Arbor and Bird Day, Friday, March Twelfth, 1909/Part One: Arbor Day/Tree Planting on Rural School Grounds

TREE PLANTING ON RURAL SCHOOL GROUNDS.

The neglected condition of the school ground has not remained without notice or without some effort towards improvement. The sentiment in favor of school ground comfort and adornment has gradually increased for the last thirty years, and has been greatly aided by the establishment of an annual Arbor Day for tree planting. Arbor Day was proposed by Hon. J. Sterling Morton, ex-Secretary of Agriculture, and was first observed in Nebraska, where it was officially recognized in 1872. It was first associated with school-ground planting in Cincinnati, in 1882, in connection with a meeting of the American Forestry Association. Since then it has been best known by its observance in the schools. All the States have followed the example of Nebraska in establishing Arbor Day, and the movement has now spread into many foreign countries. Great Britain, France, Spain, Japan, and New Zealand, all celebrate their Arbor Day.

METHOD OF CELEBRATING ARBOR DAY.—The governor of each State annually appoints Arbor Day at the proper season for planting. This day is celebrated in the schools by public exercises there is ordinarily more or less tree planting. Great care is taken to make the planting ceremonies impressive by letting the children take part, and by planting trees commemorative of noted persons or events. Much more attention is given to these matters than to having the trees in the best condition and to planting them just right.

As might have been expected, the results upon the school grounds have not been marked. Too often the work has been impulsive and the interest transient. Trees planted with ceremonious dignity in April have died of neglect before September, and those that survived have been left to fight unaided their battles for existence. So little attention has been paid to the choice of trees and to the methods of planting that those entirely unfit for the situation have often been used, and have been planted in places where they could not receive protection while young, or serve any useful purpose when grown. Arbor Day has often come on dry, windy days, or clear out of season for planting. Furthermore, the planting has been on too small a scale to be of great benefit. When an acre of trees in a solid block is needed, only half dozen specimens have been planted. After all that has been done, the school grounds are still largely unimproved.

NECESSITY FOR BETTER METHODS.—The needs of the school grounds is for plantations of hardy trees, cared for by such methods as will keep them constantly thrifty. The trees should be selected and planted in the most careful manner. They should be properly placed, and in sufficient number. To plant in this way requires a great deal of attention of details. It may be the work of several days. The perishable nature of trees also makes it extremely important to plant them when the weather conditions are just right. Dry, windy weather may cause several days' delay in the planting. It is therefore impracticable to depend wholly on a specified day for the work. Let the trees be planted at the right time; then, if public exercises are planned, they may be held on an appointed day after the planting is completed.

Many difficulties at present encountered may be overcome by placing the direction of the planting in the hands of some person who understands fully its purpose. The pupils should assist in the work because it is for their own school ground, but on account of their lack of experience they should work under competent supervision.

There should be both purpose and method in school-ground planting. The trees must be so arranged as best to serve both for protection and for ornament. At the same time, to grow well they must be adapted to the soil. On a small ground but little planting is possible; a group of trees or shrubs placed where they will look well or hide some unsightly feature of the school house or ground, is sufficient. But in the country there is usually an acre or two of grounds. The school house is nearly always in the middle, and the playgrounds are usually about half way between the building and the other boundary. This arrangement leaves open the outer portions of the ground, where the greater part fo the planting is needed.

By so planting, the school house will be protected on all sides from the wind, while in summer, shade will be provided near all portions of the open playground; at the same time inclosing the ground with a border of trees will give a pleasing ornamental effect. Instead of being continuous around the ground, the border should be broken in places to preserve attractive views of the exterior landscape.

The front ground in most cases should be solidly planted. If it is necessary to hide objectional buildings and other objects and other objects on the front and sides or to prevent the trespassing of stock, either a hedge or an irregular belt of shrubbery may be made to serve the purpose. Two or three groups may be introduced where they will not interfere with the playground or obscure attractive views.

KIND OF TREES TO PLANT.—The first rule to lay down is to plant only the kinds that are known to be hardy. A school-ground plantation is no place for experiment. Naturally the trees will have to endure greater hardships than those of a private plantation; they will be likely to have less cultivation and may be subject to more abuse. No matter how strict the rules, the soil about them will be more or less tramped, and twigs will sometimes be broken from their tops. Any tree that cannot endure moderate abuse of this kind should not be given a place on the school ground.

On account of difference in the soil, a tree that thrives in one place in a locality may not thrive in another place. Sandy soils and clay soils are often found near together, and trees that grow thrifty in sandy soil may have a hard struggle to exist when placed in clay. For this reason both the soil and the subsoil of the ground should be carefully examined, and a list should be made of trees in the neighborhoods that are thriving on soils of the same character, and no other species should be used. Much better success may be expected with a soil and a subsoil of a porus character than with one that is tenacious and impenetrable. Yet a careful study will show numerous species adapted to each kind of soil.

Elms, oaks and maples are to be had almost anywhere, and are easily transplanted. They are as beautiful as any trees to be found, and are in every way well adapted for the school ground. They grow on a great variety of soils, and can be easily raised from seed if young trees are not available. Every region will afford other valuable sorts, such

Mistletoe Springs, near Cement, Okla.

Courtesy Sturm's Oklahoma Magazine.

as beeches, chestnuts, walnuts, ashes, pines, or spruces. From these and such other desirable kinds as the locality affords the selection should be made.

The school ground being permanent and the need of trees continuous, for the most part long-lived trees should be used. But where the present need of trees is great, there is another side to the question. A short-lived tree grows quickly, coming into early usefulness and serves its purpose for from twenty-five to fifty years. A long-lived tree usually grows more slowly, but serves its purpose for a century or more. In many cases it is advisable to use the two kinds in such a way that the long-lived trees will become useful about the time the short-lived trees reach maturity. The latter can then be removed, leaving the ground to the long-lived trees. In all cases an ultimate stand of such trees as elms, oaks, walnuts, or chestnuts should be the aim.

It may seem that the number of kinds that may be used for school ground planting is small, but this is not the case. In almost all sections of the country, a long list of species fully adapted to the purpose can be made out. In selecting among these the aim should be to give the plantation as much variety as possible, since among other purposes it is to serve that of instruction.

OBTAINING THE TREES.—In many places trees can be obtained from the neighboring forests, from the banks of streams, from plantations, or even from open fields. If they have had normal conditions of growth and are taken at the right time, they are almost as valuable for planting as nursery-grown seedlings. Pines, spruce and cedar are to be collected in unlimited numbers in many forests, and frequently ash, maple and elm are almost as abundant. They may be gathered either in the fall of spring, but unless they are very carefully heeled in and protected over winter the better time is early spring. In collecting forest seedlings only the small trees that have grown in the light should be taken, as these are more likely to be young and vigorous than those grown in the shade. The collector should never pull the trees from the ground, but should dig them carefully with a spade, preserving as much of the root as possible.

TIME AND MANNER OF PLANTING.—South of the thirty-seventh parallel, fall planting is safe and often advantageous. North of this, spring planting should be the rule, as fall planted trees can scarcely develop sufficient roots to sustain themselves during the winter. The most successful nurserymen practice early planting for deciduous trees, beginning operations as soon as the ground ceases freezing. Evergreens are not planted until later; some even wait until the young growth is starting. If possible, planting should be done on a cool, cloudy day. Unless the day is very moist, the trees should be carried to the planting site in a barrel half filled with water, or a thin mixture of earth and water, and lifted out only as they are wanted. Even a minute's exposure to dry air will injure the delicate roots—the feeders of the tree.

The roots should be extended in their natural positions and carefully packed in fine loam soil. It is a good practice to work the soil about each root separately and pack it solid with the foot. As the hole is filled the earth should be compacted above the roots and around the stem, in order to hold the tree firmly in the place. The last two inches of soil should be very fine, and should lie perfectly loose. It will serve as a mulch to retain the moisture.

Trees should be planted neither in very wet nor in very dry soil. If the soil is wet, it is better to wait until it is dryer. On the other hand, if good cultivation has been maintained the year previous to the planting the soil is not likely to be so dry that trees will not start. Besides insuring a supply of moisture, such cultivation puts the ground in good physical condition for planting.

With this treatment watering will scarcely ever be necessary. If it is, the holes may be dug a few days beforehand and filled with water. They should be refilled as the water soaks away until the soil is fully moistened. A thorough irrigation, when that is possible, is still better. As soon as the soil becomes somewhat dry the trees should be planted. While it is a common custom to water trees at the time of planting, people who do no watering are usually the most successful. Even in the semi-arid regions some successful growers apply no water, but keep up an excellent system of cultivation, thereby retaining the soil moisture.

The spacing of the trees is not so important in school ground planting as in forest plantations, yet it is worth consideration. The trees should not stand so near together as to produce, long slender poles; on the contrary, short, thick trunks are desirable, to support large tops and withstand heavy winds. From 8 to 12 feet apart will be suitable spacing distance. Where large blocks are to be planted the trees may be closer, but it is scarcely ever desirable to plant them closer than 6 by 6 feet.

WHY TREES DIE IN TRANSPLANTING.—To many persons it is a mystery why trees die after being transplanted. They do not die without cause, however, and when one begins to wither something is wrong. Oftentimes the result is not to be noticed until weeks after the injury; in other cases it is apparent in a few days. After the injury has been done it can be overcome only by the subsequent growth of the tree. All the assistance that can be given is to make the surroundings of the tree favorable for growth. The following are some of the causes of death among transplanted trees:

The loss of the principal part of the root system when the tree is being taken up is a great shock to its vitality, and frequently causes its death. A very large part of the root must be cut off, for usually the space surrounding the tree is filled with fibrous rootlets, myriads of which can scarcely be detected by the naked eye. Almost all of these are lost, as well as many of the larger roots. Mr. D. C. Burson, of Topeka, Kan., last year dug up and measured as much as he could of the root system of a vigorous hardy catalpa seedling that had grown from May till November. The six-months-old seedling showed over 250 feet of root growth. By the methods in common use only a fifth, or perhaps as little as a tenth, of the root is taken up with tree in transplanting. Such loss throws the root out of balance with the top. If the top is not shortened, or in some way protected, the leaves may evaporate more moisture than the roots can provide, resulting in the death of the tree.

With proper subsequent treatment a tree can endure the loss of many roots, but instead of the needed protection it often gets much unnecessary exposure to sun and dry air. This may be in digging, packing, shipping, unpacking or any other of the various handlings which it undergoes between its removal from the ground and subsequent planting. On a warm day in March the writer saw a bundle of trees in shipment across the plains of Texas without the slightest covering. Before the destination was reached the roots became withered and almost dry, having suffered a hundred times more exposure than the ordinary tree can stand without injury. Not many persons would be guilty of such gross neglect, but the fact remains that exposure causes the death of more trees in transplanting than any other single cause. Exposure can usually be easily prevented, and no one who persists in neglectful practices can hope to be successful.

The failure to pack the soil tightly about the roots is a common error in planting. It causes injury in two ways: It leaves the tree unstable, to be rocked to and fro or even blown down by the wind; it also prevents the first growth of rootlets from absorbing food. This they cannot do unless good, fine soil is firmly packed around them. Clods will not pack snugly. Likewise manure or litter of any kind mixed with the soil particles from coming into close contact with the roots is sure to be injurious. Another error is in shallow planting. This allows wind and water to lay bare the roots, and in a short time the tree dies. Crowding the roots into too small a hole is a similar difficulty. Such errors are more often due to lack of experience and skill than to haste. The unskillful planter will hardly plant well, however, slowly he may go.

Trees are often injured by being planted in wet soil. Whether the excessive moisture is a permanent or a temporary condition is likely to make little difference in the results. If it is permanent the water prevents the air from reaching the roots, while if it is only temporary the trampling of the soil over them causes it to stick together so that on drying it becomes baked, leaving them impact in a hard lump of earth which excludes the air. Excessive air currents in the soil are injurious by drying the roots, but a constant permeation of the soil by the air is necessary to supply oxygen. This process is precluded by either the saturation or the baking of the soil. Undrained pockets occur here and there even in well drained fields, and are always difficult to deal with in tree growing.

Another cause of death is the drying out of the soil. Summer droughts are not unknown in any part of the country, and are very frequent in part of the Mississippi Valley on the Plains. Occasionally they are so intense and long continued that it is difficult to make recently planted trees survive, even when carefully planted and cultivated are almost sure to die. Frequently, too, weeds and grass grow up in the plantation and draw off the moisture, thereby greatly diminishing the supply for the young trees.

On a school ground there is likelihood of the trees being injured by the trampling of the soil. The pupils will naturally wish to play among them, and unless they are restrained the soil will soon become compacted. It then dries out very quickly, and in time of drought the trees are sure to suffer, and may be killed.

CARE OF TREES AFTER PLANTING.—Important as the process of planting is, one can never be certain that a tree planted with the greatest care will live and reach maturity. Much depends upon the after treatment. In many parts of the country cultivation is absolutely essential, and nearly everywhere a tree will thrive better and grow faster during its early years with cultivation than without. The purposes of cultivation are mainly to protect young trees from the encroachment of weeds and grass, to keep the soil in good physical condition, and to retain the moisture. Good cultivation is that which serves these purposes without injuring the trees. It does not necessarily include deep tillage. In fact, deep tillage may be positively injurious by breaking off the feeding roots, and is usually not necessary to loosen the soil. Very few soils are too hard for tree roots to penetrate if moisture is plentiful. The best way to retain moisture is by frequently stirring the soil to a depth of two or three inches. The longer cultivation is continued, the better will be the effect upon the trees, It should not cease in any case until they are well established and prepared to thrive without further attention.

Scattering or isolated trees cannot usually be cultivated except by occasionally spading up the earth within a circle of a few feet around them. This is necessary in order to keep the grass and weeds from crowding them and retarding their growth.

The difficulty in tilling a school-ground plantation will come during the vacation period. That is the busy time of the year, when crops must be tilled and harvest reaped. Unless the person in charge is very watchful the plantation is sure to suffer.

Although artificial watering is not recommended, it is necessary to keep the soil of the plantation moderately moist. Sometimes a great deal of moisture can be added by conducting to the plantation the water that drains from adjacent slopes. A small trench made to correspond with the contour lines of a hill or slope will often gather almost all the surface drainage water. In the Northwest, trees planted as snowbreaks a few rods from the north and west sides of the plantation will cause the drifts of snow to form just outside the plantation. The trees will thus be saved from the breakage, and a helpful supply of moisture will be added at the edge of the plantation.

The responsibility will devolve upon the teacher to inculcate a spirit of respect on the part of the pupils for the plantation. The best way to do this is to make them feel a responsibility for its success. If they feel a personal pride in it, there is little danger of their giving the trees rough usage by bending or breaking them.—Farmers' Bulletin No. 134, U. S. Department of Agriculture.