that in and around Rochester there are fruit-bearing trees planted along
the roadside. Out on the road to Honeoye Falls there are a number of
apple trees and out through the Webster section there are a number of
cherry trees. I do not know what the results have been in the garnering
of crops, but the appearance of the trees indicates that they are well
cared for and that they are producing abundant crops of fruit. In
Albany, Georgia, planted on the street side in front of the court house,
are a number of pecan trees. I have seen them loaded to capacity with
splendid seedling nuts. I understand that any one walking along the
sidewalk under the trees has the right to pick up any nuts that are on
the walk but is not permitted (at least it has been suggested that he do
not) to reach up into the trees to take the nuts. I understand that the
request has been very faithfully regarded and that it is very rare that
the nuts are picked from the trees. Just what is done with the crop of
nuts from those trees I do not know but I assume that it is harvested
and marketed and the returns made to the town. The trees indicate that
they are splendidly cared for and the citizens take a great deal of
pride in their splendid appearance. I talked with the man who planted
them, an employee of the court house, and he himself was simply
delighted that he had been responsible for such a splendid monument. And
property owners referred to in my home section, before whose premises
these cherry trees and apple trees were planted, I feel very sure would
not complain at all bitterly, if at all, about any filching that might
be indulged in. So that I think, as Mr. Olcott has suggested, that maybe
we are trying to cross the bridge before we get to it; that the thing to
do is to urge the planting of nut trees on the roadsides and to
stimulate a sense of pride in our American citizenship.
MR. OLCOTT: We all agree that trees of this kind planted along
the sides of city streets would never be touched. I have been at Miami,
Florida, and have seen the bearing coconut trees there. No one would
think of knocking off one of those coconuts and thousands of people pass
under them.
THE SECRETARY: I think it is very important to have brought out
this optimistic view on the question of depredations on road-side fruit
trees. I think it is only a question of time, as Mr. Olcott says, when
the public will be educated to respect such products. If they have done
it in other countries we can do it in this country. It is a question of
the people becoming accustomed to it when we have enough of such
products. When the whole country is covered with such products I think
there will be no difficulty about maintaining respect for them. You know
that sometimes after the loss of a very small amount of property there
will be very great reaction. Some people feel that because robins take a
few cherries or strawberries all robins ought to be exterminated.
There are two other remarks in Dr. Morris's paper which should have
consideration. I refer to those bearing upon nurserymen and public
officials.
MR. OLCOTT: If there is any question relating to nurserymen, we
are very fortunate in having one of the most prominent nurserymen in the
United States at our meeting today. I refer to Mr. John Watson, of
Princeton, New Jersey.
THE PRESIDENT: We certainly would be glad to hear from Mr.
Watson. If I may be permitted to make a statement from the chair I agree
fully with what Mr. Olcott has had to say as to depredations. Possible
depredations in connection with the trees that may be planted along the
road-side, either fruit or nut, are hardly worthy of consideration. With
my good wife in passing through New York State recently I drove through
rows of fruit trees on either side of the roads, as did Dr. Deming and
Treasurer Bixby, and we were surprised to see that they were loaded with
apples. The fact that the trees were loaded with fruit of course proved
that the fruit had not been stolen or taken from the trees. They had not
been disturbed in any way. A number of years ago while holding the
position of postmaster in Saginaw I planted a black walnut. That walnut
has produced a fine walnut tree. I selected a nice place on the post
office grounds at a corner where two of our prominent streets meet in
the business portion of the city. Last fall for the first time that tree
bore walnuts--about a bushel and a half; and the employees of the
postoffice gathered those walnuts and sent them in a complimentary way
to me. Now that tree being in a public place, you would naturally expect
the boys to have taken the nuts from it, but they did not do it. So that
I know that that particular phase of this question as Mr. Olcott has
said is hardly worthy of consideration. Suppose now and then the boys do
get a few fallen walnuts or apples. No harm is done. Just that much more
food is produced for their benefit by this way of planting.
I now take pleasure in calling upon Mr. Watson relative to Dr. Morris's
reference to the nursery business.
MR. JOHN WATSON: I am afraid that Mr. Olcott's suggestion might
possibly have given you the idea that I have something to say on this
question or that I wanted to say something on it. I assure you that that
is not the case. I am not a member of your association much to my
regret. I am just visiting here trying to learn something from your
meeting (this is the first one that I have attended) rather than to try
to tell you something.
The question is whether I have any objection to make to Dr. Morris's two
statements. I can say that they are both very reasonable. As a
nurseryman I have no objection. Of course, I cannot speak for any other
nurseryman.
I was rather surprised upon looking at the roll of those in attendance
at this convention at the absence of nurserymen. I should think that
those who produced the things that you people are trying to interest the
country in would be the very men who would be the most interested in
being here. It seems to me that you are trying to make a market for the
goods that they are producing. I am rather surprised not to see at least
half the attendance here made up of nurserymen.
It is entirely possible that I have not have understood those two
statements made by Dr. Morris and I may be rather careless in saying
that I do not object to them. They were, I believe, that nurserymen
prefer, naturally, to produce the things that they can produce most
easily and at least cost, and, in the second place that they produce the
things that they can sell. That is what most manufacturers do. I could
not find fault with either statement. The nurseryman as a manufacturer
or as a merchant of course produces the things that people want to buy.
He may go a certain distance in producing the things that are worth
while, that are better than other things; but in the last analysis he
must depend upon the buying public and the buying public is always going
to get from the nurseryman just exactly what it demands.
THE SECRETARY: In regard to the presence of so few nurserymen
at our meetings I would like to say that we have long tried to interest
the nurserymen in nut growing. We always have had a few nurserymen with
us; but I think without exception they have been those who had either
previously become interested in nut growing or had become interested in
it through some other influence than that of this association. It has
been a great disappointment to us that we have never been able to
interest the nurserymen generally. Although we have at times sent
special communications to a great many nurserymen I think we have
universally failed to get any response except from those who were
already interested in nut growing.
THE PRESIDENT: I do not think there is a movement in the
country today that will amount to as much for the nurserymen of America
as this particular movement that we have been promoting for a few years
back. I know that it is becoming universal. During my short experience
as your president I have found that inquiries have come from all over
the United States asking how they may procure these trees and especially
asking how they may procure the finest varieties. It is along that
particular line that the nurserymen certainly could extend their
business greatly; because as this movement of road-side planting goes
along the man who has a good farm, the general farmer in his business,
or any man with a small piece of ground that he can call his own, will
want to plant a good nut tree thereon of a most improved variety. Now so
many of these trees will be called for in the next few years (I do not
think I am over-optimistic in the matter at all) that it will be
impossible to supply the demand. So I am sure that any man who is
regularly engaged in the nursery business will find that he will be
called upon to supply a demand for the better class of trees that really
cannot be filled for years to come. In this way his business will be
largely benefited. Are there any further remarks on this particular
phase of the question?
MR. OLCOTT: As editor of the American Nurseryman I am
especially interested in this discussion. There is scarcely a catalogue
of a southern nurseryman of any consequence but lists nut trees; and yet
we have the Northern Nut Growers' Association convention here now, and
we will have a National convention in Mobile next week right in the
heart of the pecan growing section at neither of which will there be a
half dozen nurserymen. I think both of these associations should have
more nurserymen members. They list nut trees but do it in a perfunctory
way. I do not believe nurserymen know what this northern association is
doing nor how near they are to the demand for the trees which will be
wanted in the very near future. I think it is up to this association to
make special efforts to acquaint them with the facts, and then I think
they will come in and be active members. All persons connected with nut
culture and all nurserymen ought to be most active members of such an
organization as this. The subject should go before the membership
committee.
MR. SAMUEL L. SMEDLEY: I have had a little experience with
black walnuts and have found that they do not mix at all with farm crops
nor with fruit. Possibly you folks from Michigan can solve the problem
but I would not thank anybody for planting black walnuts along the road
in front of my place. I am in favor of road-side planting but I do not
think black walnuts would be acceptable in this part of the country,
from what my experience has been.
THE TREASURER: Let me ask why it is you think they would not be
acceptable.
MR. SMEDLEY: I had a grand big walnut tree on my place at one
side of the road. I tried to get apple trees to grow on the opposite
side of the road but could not and it could not be accounted for by any
other reason. I know other people have come to the some conclusion that
certain things would not grow near a walnut tree. Some grasses will. If
you go down through Lancaster County along the Lincoln Highway you will
find a quantity of locust trees thriving there. Wheat and things will
grow right up to the roots of those trees, but I do not think you will
find that they will grow up to a black walnut.
THE TREASURER: I had a chance to observe, last summer, a black
walnut tree out in the field with a crop planted right under it. It
seems to me it is a question of shade. With this walnut tree with
branches low down the corn seemed to be stunted where it grew a little
way under the branches. On the other hand I saw another one where the
branches were high up and cabbages growing almost up to the tree and
about as luxuriantly as outside of its branches. It seems to me that it
is a matter of shade rather than the tree getting the fertility in the
ground. It may be that if the fertility in the ground is not sufficient
for both tree and crop the tree will take it and let the crop suffer.
But I imagine if there is enough for both, and the crop is not shaded,
the crop can be grown much nearer the tree than we have any idea of.
MR. J. G. RUSH: I want to say a word about this way-side
planting in our neighborhood. I do not think it is the general practice
in Lancaster County where land is valued at two or three hundred dollars
an acre. If you plant a walnut tree on a public thoroughfare there is
temptation for children to go there to gather walnuts, endangering their
lives on account of the automobiles.
One gentleman said something about a walnut tree damaging the crops. In
my experience with black walnut nursery trees some have what is called a
very strong top root while others have a deep root. It is the first
kind, the surface rooted, that will do your crop damage but not the
deep-rooted kind.
Now another thing. Suppose one plants a cherry tree. To whom do the
cherries belong? To the man who planted the tree practically on his
premises. But the limbs extend out on the public highway. If I, the
owner, take a ladder out there and pick cherries and an automobile comes
running past and throws me down I am practically a trespasser on the
public highway. I believe I would not plant along the public highway
with the idea of getting any fruit from the trees. I think however when
you have a railroad going through your premises it is entirely
practicable to plant your nut trees alongside the railroad, especially
where there is a fill. Where the roots will grow under it and thrive
luxuriantly. Nearly every farmer has a small stream running through his
premises. You plant your walnut trees or your filbert trees along that
stream, and you will have magnificent results. I do not want to be
understood as disparaging nut tree planting.
MR. D. F. CLARK: I would like to know if the planting of black
walnut trees is discriminated against because of the difficulty of
getting the meat out of the nut. I have made a great many experiments
and have not been able to get the meat out of the nut in large pieces.
Is there some kind of a machine made for that purpose? Black walnut
kernels bring a splendid price and if we could get them open right it
would be fine.
THE SECRETARY: That difficulty is being taken care of by the
improved varieties which are being raised and which you can get on
grafted trees.
I am inclined to agree with Mr. Bixby in regard to its being the shade
of black walnut trees that affects the crops growing near them rather
than the roots of the trees. I have seen the same thing that Mr. Bixby
describes, a high-pruned black walnut tree with wheat growing clear up
to the trunk. I have photographs of a number of fields in Europe where
the English walnut is grown. The trees are pruned high and the wheat
grows up close to the trunks of the trees.
I would like to say also that I think it is the purpose of those who
advocate the road-side planting of trees not to do it forcibly nor to
compel anybody to have trees planted in front of his premises if he does
not want them, but to give him a voice in the selection of the kind of
trees that should be planted in front of his property. I think that is a
necessary thing for the success of the movement, that the co-operation
of the property owners should be invited by giving them a voice in the
selection of the trees that are planted in their location.
DR. RITTENHOUSE: I feel that this matter of the injury caused
by a black walnut to surrounding vegetation should be more thoroughly
thrashed out. It is doubtful to my mind whether the injury that a black
walnut produces on surrounding vegetation is solely due to shade. Seven
years ago I planted an apple orchard and some of the young trees began
to be injured by a large walnut tree possibly seventy five feet away.
The walnut tree happened to be on the line and I got the permission of
my neighbor to cut the walnut tree down. The apple trees immediately
began to thrive. I thought perhaps it was due to the roots demanding too
much moisture from the soil because it was impossible for the shade to
do any harm to those young apple trees. There is a superstitious idea
among the people of our locality that the black walnut root is injurious
to growing vegetation.
MR. SMEDLEY: In my case the walnut tree was on the opposite
side of a public road thirty feet wide and the influence was shown to
the second row of apple trees on the other side. I do not think it was
the shade in that case. The limbs were pretty high too. It was a public
road. I do not think there were any roots that reached the apple trees
at all.
MR. MCGLENNON: Mr. Rush's reference to the ownership of the
crop on trees planted on the road-side is a thought that has occupied my
mind, and I have found some consolation in the belief that the ownership
of land applies from the center of the roadway. I am not sure about that
and I think it is a point that ought to be clarified.
MR. SMEDLEY: I think in Pennsylvania the public just have the
right-of-way there; they have no claim to anything that grows.
THE PRESIDENT: In Michigan, the law applies that the ownership
goes to the middle of the highway. The recent act of the legislature of
our state causes the state highway commissioner to plant trees for the
maintenance of the roadway. The planting of the trees he claims benefits
the roadway, so that under that application he plants the trees for the
maintenance of the road. The distance from the fence line varies. The
state highway department of Michigan has a department for the planting
of trees since the law introduced by Senator Penney some two or three
years ago came into effect. The commissioner varies his planting,
sometimes in groups and sometimes in a formal way, according to the
stretch of road; but the basis of it all, perhaps, would be thirteen
feet from the lot line on each side of the road. Our roads, or at least
ninety per cent of them, are sixty-six feet in width. Thirteen feet from
the lot line on each side would take twenty-six feet, and planting them
forty feet apart in the other direction makes those trees forty feet
apart each way. A great majority of the trees being planted in Michigan
follow that particular plan, so they are thirteen feet from the property
holder's fence line.
I might say that occasionally the highway commissioner would run across
an obstinate individual who would not plant trees in front of his place
nor permit such trees to be planted as would conform to the other
plantings. But the law passed at the last session of our legislature
leaves it entirely in the control of the planting department of the
highway department. The law reads that the owner of the adjacent
property shall have the privilege of gathering the fruit or nuts or
whatever may come from that tree. He has no better right, perhaps, than
any other citizen of the State of Michigan, but he is there and can get
the first ripe fruit or nuts which come from the tree. THE
PRESIDENT: Are there any further remarks upon this subject? If not,
I have a paper prepared by Prof. A. K. Chittendon, Professor of Forestry
in the Michigan Agricultural College, which I will ask the secretary to
read.
ROADSIDE PLANTING
_Prof. A. K. Chittendon_
The improvement and beautification of our highways is one of the best
investments that can be made. Particularly in the Middle West where we
do not have the panorama of hills and mountains, much of the beauty of
the road depends upon the roadside trees. They frame the long vistas of
farmlands, woods, lakes and rivers and lend enchantment to the road.
Under recent legislation Michigan has taken a leading place in the care
and planting of roadside trees. Provision has been made by the
Legislature for the planting of ornamental and food-producing trees
along the highways and for their protection.
The highways offer an almost limitless field for ornamental planting and
they also offer opportunities for raising certain food producing trees
of which at present the nut trees are the principal species used. A time
may come when we can safely plant fruit trees along the roadside but
until provisions can be made for their systematic care and spraying,
such trees would be liable to spread disease to nearby orchards.
Roadside trees increase the value of adjacent property. They attract
birds and thus assist in keeping down insect pests. They may be used to
prevent erosion on steep slopes. They increase the life of certain kinds
of improved highways by protecting the roadbed from the direct heat of
the sun. They serve as a source of food if nut-bearing or
sugar-producing trees are used. They invite tourists to travel over the
highways. They may serve as a windbreak to prevent the drifting of sand.
Roadside trees may, however, be too close together or by their shade
injure crop production in adjacent fields. Some species of trees are
particularly harmful if planted on the edge of a cultivated field. They
send out their roots under the cultivated land and sap the moisture
essential to plant growth. This can be avoided by using trees with deep
or compact root systems.
The desirability of planting trees of any sort along the highways is
sometimes questioned. There are places where it is urged that trees are
not desirable. On stretches of road where the soil is naturally wet the
heavy shade cast by certain species of trees is undoubtedly
objectionable; but there are also trees whose shade is very light. Some
trees make such a dense mass of foliage that they tend to prevent air
currents and thus keep the moisture in the road from drying out. Along
such stretches of road the method of planting may affect the matter of
light and air, and species of trees can be chosen which will be
practically unobjectionable. Most of the highway planting in the past
has been a matter of chance and there have been few definite plans for
any long stretch of roadway.
In selecting trees for planting the probable rate of growth and
appearance of the tree at maturity should be borne in mind. What might
seem entirely satisfactory in young trees may prove objectionable in the
cost of mature ones. The size and shape of the tree at maturity should
be considered as it affects the spacing of the trees. Also the amount of
care which it will be possible to give the trees should influence the
choice of species; for certain trees will produce good results with a
small amount of attention while others require a great deal of care. The
matter of interference with telephone and electric wires must also be
considered. A species should be selected which is relatively free from
the attacks of insects and fungi. It would be very difficult to find a
tree which is entirely immune but there are some trees which are more
resistant than others. The amount of shade cast by the tree is of a
great deal of importance in connection with the moisture conditions;
trees are often placed too close together which prevents their proper
development. Where quick results are desired two species are often used,
a fast growing one planted in between slower growing trees; the idea
being to cut out the fast growing tree after the slower growing ones
have reached good size. This is alright in theory but seldom works well
in practice. The fast growing trees are seldom cut at the proper time
and the result is often the stunting and injuring of the better and more
durable trees. The fast growing trees usually die before many years. The
result is seldom satisfactory.
The question of litter while of importance with city street trees does
not matter so much in the case of highway trees, but the cottony seed
from poplars is very objectionable anywhere. The longevity of a tree is
important. The desire for quick results often outweighs other
considerations. Many of the trees which give results such as silver
maple, box elder and Carolina poplar do not last long and the effort
spent on them is wasted. More time and money is needed within a short
time to remove and replace such trees. It is better to plant well in the
first place. Trees do not grow at the same rate throughout their life.
They usually grow slowly at first and then fairly rapidly between the
tenth and thirteenth years, after which the rate of growth usually falls
off gradually. If small trees, about ten feet high are used for planting
they should reach the following sizes in twenty years on favorable soil:
American elm 18 inches
Basswood 15 "
Chestnut 12 "
Hard maple 11 "
Red oak 11 "
Pin oak 9 "
White ash 9 "
Black walnut 8 "
Hackberry 7 "
Certain trees such as the horse chestnut and the evergreens generally
appear to better advantage alone or in groups while others like the
elms, maples and box elder show to fine advantage in long rows. It is
doubtful if the planting of windbreaks along the highways is advisable.
Windbreaks are sometimes planted with the idea of preventing the
drifting of snow but the snow will collect and form great drifts on the
leeward side of a windbreak and the shade from the windbreak may prevent
the snow from melting so rapidly. Hedges may be used, however, to
prevent the shifting of sand or the erosion of steep slopes.
The highways offer excellent opportunities for nut production and such
trees as the black walnut and hickories may often be used to advantage.
The presence of birds may be encouraged by planting hackberry and other
trees or shrubs of which they are fond.
The Michigan Agricultural College was authorized by the Legislature to
raise trees for roadside planting. The College is raising red oak, black
walnut, oriental sycamore, sugar maple, elm, hackberry, snowdrop tree,
Juneberry, hickory, European larch, Norway maple and box elder for this
purpose. Other trees may be added to the list from time to time.
In addition to the planting of trees we need also the proper care of
those already planted or growing naturally along the roads. The
commonest source of injury is due to improper pruning for telephone
lines. A great many trees are badly injured in this way. We already have
a large investment in highway trees and it is only the part of wisdom to
protect this investment.
Michigan has started active work in highway planting and we hope in a
few years to be able to point with pride to our highways, not only
because of the good roadbeds but also because of the trees and shrubs
that line those roads.