TREES ON THE FARM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 195, 19 July 1939, Page 5

TREES ON THE FARM.

BEAUTY AND USEFULNESS. SHELTER BELTS. (Part 2.) (Written for the “Standard.”) No hard and fast rule can ho laid down as to tho distance that should bo allowed between homestead and farm buildings and tho inside, row of trees. Conditions vary on each farm and tho distance is largely governed by the site and tho number of rows to he planted. For maximum protection against wind tho inside row of trees should bo within GOft. of them. If the situation is unduly exposed four to six rows should lie planted. As previously stated the species and variety of trees will ho governed by locality. climate, and soil type.A shelter belt cannot bo fully effective in checking tho wind until tho branches of the trees have grown together. It is, therefore, necessary to adopt a system of spacing that will permit early branching together of the trees in tho row.

The spacing between the rows, however. should lie such that tho crowns of tho trees eventually will close in and thus shut out weed growth, prevent the entrance of sun and wind, thereby reducing the evaporation from (ho soil and trees, and thus aid the development of forest, conditions within the belt. Such conditions may eventually result in the suppression of individual trees. These trees, however, can he removed without in any way destroying the effectiveness of the holt. The distance in spacing will lie governed according to tho varieties that arc being planted. A distance of two to four feet for low-growing shrubs in outside rows and six feet for trees in interior rows, with rows eight to 12 feet apart, will form a most efficient shelter belt.

Rows of trees of species having an upright form of growtli with very little side branching should he planted about eight feet apart, and those of species having spreading sido branches and crown should be planted 12 feet apart. .Species having an erect form of growth, rather than species with spreading crowns, should he planted in rows next to the low-growing trees, to prevent tho possibility of suppressing tho hitter. PLANTING STOCK. Tree stock suitable for planting slicltcrbcUs may be obtained from commercial nurseries, some of which make a speciality in raising this class of stock. A limited amount of planting stock was in past years available from the Government State Forestry Department. This department Juts, however, very largely extended planting operations, consequently stock may not bo obtainable from that source. It is advisable, if possible ,to procure trees from a district where climatic and soil conditions correspond as near as possible to those in the locality in which the trees will be planted. The age of the stock planted, whether one-year seedlings or two-year-old transplantings, will be determined by local conditions. In the Auckland province plants of tho pinus species are usually despatched from the nurseries as oneyear seedlings. In other districts two-Vear-old transplanting? are preferred. Experience lias shown that these establish more quickly and are generally more economical to uso than one-year seedlings. Many of the latter die and have to lie replaced the following year with two-year-old trees. Under most circumstances coniferous stock should ho transplants not under two years old. For deciduous species, young trees of comparatively small size will give tho best results. Seedlings one to two years old and oneyear rooted cuttings mako tho best progress after transplanting. This is becauso it is possible to dig small plants with the root system practically intact, whereas larger trees frequentIv loso part of the root system in the digging operation. Small seedlings can also ho purchased, transported, and planted more economically than trees of larger sizes. WHEN AND lIOW TO PLANT. Most deciduous trees are transplanted at a time when they arc bare of foliage which is during the earlyi part of winter. The time of year to plant trees of evergreen variety, depends chiefly in climatic conditions, and also to some extent on the age of the young trees. Under usual circumstances planting may commence as soon in the autumn as there is sulficient moisture in tho soil, and no planting should bo done later than the month of August, except in districts of high altitude where severe frosts frequently occur until spring is well advanced. Many times tho death or slow establishment of newly-planted trees is directly traceablo to a lack of tho proper caro in transplanting. No particular skill or complex methods are required in tho removal of small trees from one location to another, but too often tho operation is; carried out in a manner better fitted to fenco posts than to living plants. Trees planted in large holes, with roots well spread and covered with fertile soil, seldom fail to grow satisfactorily provided they have a good root system, which has not been allowed 'to become dry in transit from nursery to planting site, and the work is done in a suitable season. This presupposes, of course, that the trees are of a species adapted to the soil and climate where planted. Any practical method for assuring straightlines may be used such as setting “poleing”— or stretching a line. Care should lie taken to get the correct distance between rows and between the trees in ihe row.

A spade or sharp mattock makes the licst planting tool. The trees may bo planted by either the slit method or digging a- hole. This will depend on iho root system of the trees. Plants with spreading roots require a hole, whereas those with small or very few lateral roots can bo planted satisfactorily behind the spade or by tho slit method. The following fundamental principles should be observed; (1) Keep tho roots of the trees moist.

(2) Malco Hie linle or slit wide enough to fit ilie roots of the tree. (3) Set the tree only slighter deeper, than it stood in the nnrserv. (4) Pack the soi 1 firmly about the roots. The soil should come in contact with all roofs and he well finned so that after the planting operation in completed it will not he possible to move the tree with a. fairly strong pull of the hand. CAKE OF TREES AFTER PLANTING. Cultivation to control weeds and keep the surface of the soil in condition to absorb moisture . and prevent wind erosion is of primary importance. Grass and weeds compete with the trees for moisture and clean culivation in the immediate vicinity of the trees should be practised until such .times as they develop overhead shade that will shut out competitive growth. Exception to this rule should be made on sand dune land and in all sandv-soils that are subject to On such soils gardjSWSfflH planted, or seed of tCSEKSfi minis sown between V Sufficient space shoni| ed between the crop

for cultivation being effectively carried out without injuring the young trees. AAulching as a substitute for cultivation is not recommended. It usually proves to be unsatisfactory, especially if the material used in at all dry. In that case mulching is detrimental inasmuch «u> it creates a serious fire hazard. It also prevents light rainfall from reaching the soil, and preventing the proper penetration of tree roots into tjie soil, keeping them up near the Surface where most of the moisture lias >oon held by the mulch. —To be conluded.