EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 469 



Evergreens are, as a rule, more delicate than broadleaf trees and must 

 be handled more carefully. Some of the broadleaf trees, such as box 

 elder, poplar and silver maple, have a great deal of vitality and will 

 stand considerable carelessness and exposure in transplanting. Small 

 evergreens, such as two-year-old seedlings which are only a few inches 

 high, may be safely transplanted in the fall in those parts of the State 

 where there is sufficient snow on the ground all winter to cover them 

 and keep them from drying out. Occasionally evergreens may be safely 

 planted in the latter part of August or early in September, for, if 

 weather conditions are favorable, they will become established before 

 cold weather sets in. 



METHOD iW PL^ANTINO 



In planting trees the hole should be dug slightly deeper than necessary 

 to take the roots when spread in a natural position. The tree should 

 be set from one-half to two inches lower in the earth than it was in the 

 nursery. Fine, moist soil should be packed around the roots and then 

 the coarser soil drawn into the hole and packed firmly with the foot. A 

 layer of loose earth should then be scraped around the tree in order to 

 retain the soil moisture. It is seldom necessary to use water in planting 

 small forest stock, but if used it should be applied very liberally in 

 the hole before planting. 



In carrying the small trees about the roots should be kept moist and 

 protected from the sun and wind. It is best to carry the trees in a bucket 

 containing a thin mixture of mud and water or else in a basket, keep- 

 ing the roots covered with a piece of wet burlap or moss. 



In establishing a forest plantation the objects in view should be borne 

 fully in mind. Mistakes made in the selection of species or in spacing 

 may mean a loss of many years. It is often not realized how long it 

 takes for trees to reach merchantable size or that trees in a plantation 

 behave differently than those in the open. 



A tree planted in the open, for shade or ornament, tends to branch low 

 down and to retain its lower branches. Trees planted in close forma- 

 tion tend to grow tall with few side branches. The first tree will produce 

 but little and poor grade lumber. ' The latter tree will yield more timber 

 of higher grade. Trees planted close together are forced to grow 

 straight and to form few strong side branches because the light comes 

 from overhead. The leaves on the side branches die from lack of light 

 and the branches themselves fall off in time. This is called self-pruning 

 and is a result of close spacing. Some trees, such as the spruce, hem- 

 lock and beech will stand a large amount of shade without losing their 

 foliage. Such trees may be used for underplanting in underbrush or 

 open woods. Other trees, like the red pine, birch and yellow poplar, will 

 not stand much shade and can be planted only in the open. It is often 

 desirable to use a mixture rather than a single species, as the danger of 

 loss from insects or fungi will be reduced and better utilization may be 

 made of the soil. For this purpose a tree tolerant of shade may be al- 

 ternated with one demanding light. The best, spacing for an average 

 forest plantation is 6 by G feet, requiring approximately 1200 trees to 

 the acre. 



