The Bulletin. 17 



results. The land should preferably be level, if not it should be ter- 

 raced, but in any ease the drainage should be good. 



Before setting out the trees or other plants, the land should be well 

 prepared. Plow deeply and cultivate thoroughly to give a soil in 

 which the roots will develop and grow well. In hard, compact soils 

 the root system will be deficient. The best preparation for clay lands 

 for at least two seasons before setting out the trees is to plant it in 

 cowpeas, or some other legume. If the whole crop can be turned 

 under after it is dead and dry, so much the better, but good results 

 will follow the growing of the crop for hay and turning the stubble. 

 The cowpea crop should receive some potash and phosphoric acid 

 fertilizer to insure a heavier growth. Cowpeas will collect nitrogen 

 from the soil, store it up in their roots, stems and leaves and return 

 it to the soil when these parts are plowed into the land. But just as 

 important, and from one standpoint more important, is the amount 

 of humus which they put into the land. This helps to put the land 

 into the best mechanical condition possible. The whole idea along 

 this line may be summed up by saying, "Make the soil as nearly 

 like virgin forest soil as possible." 



Heavy dressings of stable manure are excellent for nearly all 

 nursery trees or plants. Fifteen to twenty tons of manure may be 

 used per acre. If a sufficient quantity cannot be secured the manure 

 may be composted with an equal quantity of woods mold to advantage. 

 The manure should preferably be broadcasted over the surface of the 

 gTound and then harrowed in with a disc or cutaway harrow. Well- 

 rotted manure should be given the preference. 



Planting. — The seedlings intended for grafting or budding in the 

 nursery row, cuttings or whip-grafts may be set either in spring or 

 fall. Generally speaking spring should be given the preference. 

 This is particularly true in western ISTorth Carolina. In the eastern 

 part of the State plantings may be made during the winter months. 



Planting may be done with a dibber (a good one can be made from 

 an old spade handle) or a furrow may be run, the plants set in posi- 

 tion and a second furrow thrown against them. The ground should 

 then be packed firm and compact about them. 



The rows should be from three to four feet apart to permit of 

 horse cultivation, the trees or plants being from twelve to eighteen 

 inches apart in the rows. 



Fertilizers. — Fertilizers must be used on many soils and there 

 are few which are not benefited by it. They should not be used in 

 the nursery to excess, else the trees will gTow too rapidly, resulting 

 in a sappy, succulent and undesirable gTOwth. The growth should be 

 firm, hard and well matured, not unduly forced. The fertilizers 

 used in the nursery should be comparatively rich in nitrogen or am- 

 monia. Large amounts of this plant food are necessary in the mak- 



