16 The Bulletin. 



for in the sun it shows like a silver ribbon and can be seen perfectly, 

 even throughout a long stretch of land. If the land is steep the same 

 method can be used, but instead of measuring off the 35 feet (the dis- 

 tance between two trees) on the slope it would be best to use a plumb 

 line and level up, so that the 35 feet would be measured on the level 

 instead of on the slope. On steep slopes, if some correction is not 

 made for grade, it will be found that the rows are too close together. 

 If the land is not too irregular, trees set out by this method will be 

 found to "checker up" pretty well every way. 



LAYING OFF IRREGULAR OR COVE LAND. 



The foregoing method, though giving good results on even and regu- 

 lar slopes, will not be found practicable on irregular slopes or cove 

 land. On these latter the best method is to terrace the land by run- 

 ning contour lines which will conform to all irregularities of slope 

 and surface and bring all the trees in one row practically on the same 

 level. The ground, whether, rough or smooth, will be laid off in a 

 series of steps. Where the slope is steep the contour lines will be 

 made to diverge so as not to bring the trees too close together up and 

 down the hillside. The most accurate method of laying off contours 

 is by the use of a leveling instrument, such as is used by surveyors. 

 From practical experience with hilly lands most mountaineers can by 

 the eye lay off fairly good contours. There are, however, simple 

 home-made levels that can be constructed in a few minutes which will 

 lay off terraces that for all practical purposes are as good as those sur- 

 veyed by an engineer. F. T. Meacham, superintendent of the Iredell 

 Test Farm, gives the following description of the construction and 

 use of a home-made terrace level : 



B! --------- J-16y 2 ft.-i ----- - - - - iC 



To construct an A level, use well-seasoned timber, pine being preferable 

 because it is ligbt and does not tend to warp. Take tbree pieces 10 feet long, 

 3 incbes wide and x / 2 inch tbick. Now lay on a level floor so as to get the 

 instrument of a rod span. The rod is commonly used in measuring land and 

 is generally best, as it gets over land faster than a ten- foot level. Drive two 

 nails in the floor just a rod, or 16% feet apart, saw off the ends of the two 



