STATE ilORtlCULTURAL bOCIETV. 1^7 



The entire cost uf the trees — including six ihuusand additional used 

 in the spring of eighteen seventy-two for replanting — 



was $660.91 



Expenses of planting, ------- 141.02 



" " cultivating two years, 152.5^ 



Total cost, --------- 954.5 1 



Sixty-four per cent, of the trees were living at the end of eighteen 

 seventy-two, (the proportion being much reduced by the ravages of the 

 white grub.) 



The entire cost of plants and cultivation is thus found to be a frac- 

 tion less than three cents and two mills each, for those living. 



These facts are important as showing that, exclusive of use of land, 

 the expense attending the starting of forests on the' prairies is not so great 

 as to deter any enterprising farmer from making at least a small planta- 

 tion. The deciduous trees were — when planted — mostly two or three 

 years old; and the evergreens were about one foot high. 



The following account of the plantations, accompanying the tables, 

 contains valuable hints and information for persons designing to com- 

 mence forest plantations. 



" All the ground for the forest plantations was well prepared by 

 plowing and harrowing. We were very careful in the planting of the 

 Austrian and Scotch Pines, as we lost most of them last year, with good 

 planting and care, so gave them extra care this year, putting the fine 

 earth around the roots with our hands, and doing everything we could 

 to insure their growth ; but still there has a large per cent, of them died. 

 One cause, 1 think, for so many of them dying has been the severity of 

 the past two years on evergreens. It is easy to account for the failure 

 of the European Larch to grow, for the cause was very plainly to be 

 seen. The white grub (the larva of the May beetle) has worked on 

 them last year and this, girdling the roots entirely around, and in most 

 cases, from the collar, and below the collar three to five inches down. 



In our White Ash, two to four feet high, they girdled a strip across 

 the piece for a width of about four rods, so that nearly every tree died. 

 The White Pine and Norway Spruce were taken up in the spring, 

 and heeled in as fast as taken up, until they were wanted for planting. 

 t The roots were puddled before planting. They were both planted the 

 same day ; and you will see by the Record that very few of the spruce 

 have died, while the greater part of the pines have. One thing in favor 

 of the spruce is their masses of fibrous roots, while the pines have very 

 few. These were planted before the spring rains. 



The Chestnuts are nearly all dead. They also were injured last 

 year by the white grub — taking nearly all of them, and the balance were 



