EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



381 



The following table shows the average growth made by the trees in 

 this plantation since it was established. The first column gives the 

 average height growth of 10 of the largest trees, the second column gives 

 that of 10 of the smallest trees, while the third column gives the aver- 

 age of 320 trees taken in consecutive order through the plantation, and 

 is a fair average of the whole. 



HEIGHT OF TREES IN PLANTATION. 



Average Average 



of 10 of 10 



largest smallest 



trees I trees 



Average 

 of 320 

 trees 



Feet. 



Height of transplants 1.8 



1st year 2.7 



2nd year 4.0 



3rd year 5.7 



4th year 7.2 



5th year 8.4 



6th year 9.5 



Feet. 

 1.4 

 1.7 

 2.3 

 2.9 

 3.2 

 3.4 

 3.6 



Feet. 

 1.4 

 2.1 

 3.0 

 4.1 

 4.9 

 5.5 

 6.0 



There are now 800 trees left in the plantation. The number and per- 

 centage of these trees by 2-foot height classes, as they would be put on 

 the market, at the close of the year 1915 were as follows: 



These figures do not represent what the plantation would have pro- 

 duced as the 750 trees which were taken out in thinnings were nearly 

 all the larger trees. 



For Christmas tree purposes too rapid growth is not desirable. If 

 the trees grow faster than one foot a year they become spindly. The 

 best Christmas trees are those which have grown rather slowly. They 

 are bushier and better shaped than very rapidly grown trees. 



For a land owner who is located near a good market, the growing of 

 Christmas trees promises to be a profitable industry. There is a steady 

 although limited demand for such trees. Christmas trees are now ob- 

 tained principally from the forests, usually at a considerable distance 

 from the cities. They are shij)ped by the carload from the spruce and 

 fir forests of Michigan, Kew York and Vermont, and with the depletion 

 of the forests of the country the supply of small trees for this purpose 

 will probably decrease. 



Christmas trees can be grown on any farm in Michigan. Norway 

 spruce is the best tree to plant for this purpose. It Avill do well on 

 almost any soil of good tilth. It grows rapidly, the branches stand out 



