Forest Playithig on the Plains. 143 



experimenter's prediction that this section is full}^ capable of sus- 

 taining forest growth, that the pines are the most suitable mate- 

 rial, and that cultivation of soil is undesirable. The plantation 

 marks a new era in tree planting in Central and Western Ne- 

 braska. 



In a letter from Mr. Bruner to the writer in response to inquiry 

 in regard to the present condition of the plantation, the following 

 may be quoted : " The larger trees (Banksian Pine) are between 

 fifteen and twentj^ feet high. The Austrian Pine from four to 

 twelve feet high, and the Bull Pine from three to eight feet high. 

 The Banksian Pines are verj^ nice and even in growth and would 

 undoubtedly make fine plantations, planted alone. They would 

 quickly furnish materials for fence posts and telephone poles 

 which are in great demand here. 



" The grove presents the appearance of a dense corn-field. I 

 am sure that if there were a nursery here to start the pine seed- 

 lings, millions would be planted and these otherwise worthless 

 sand-hills could be covered with a dense growth of pine trees." 

 The result of the experiment has been so satisfactory^ that last 

 3''ear the Federal Government reserved 200,000 acres of these sand- 

 hills for forest purposes and we may look forward to extensive 

 forest planting operations. 



The method of planting may be briefly described as follows : 

 The land was not previously plowed or otherwise prepared. 

 Furrows were plowed out two and one-half (2}4) feet apart and 

 the seedlings were planted in them immediately. The distance 

 apart in the rows was about two and one-half (2^) feet apart. 

 One-half of the plantation was mulched with straw and grass. 

 One plot was left to be cultivated. The best method to plant in 

 such sandy situations is not to stir the ground at all, but to use 

 either the Wartemberg iron or a light hoe to .set the trees. 

 Prairie fires destroy the greater part of the deciduous-leaved trees 

 and what were left did not seem to do well. The result shows 

 that there is practically no difference in growth between the plots 

 where the soil was mulched as against that without nuilch or 

 cultivation. The cultivated plot proved an entire failure, as 

 predicted, the reason being that the capillarity is destroyed and 

 evaporation is much greater in the surface soil. 



In the sand-hills, therefore, no distinct advantage was gained 

 even with shallow cultivation or by mulching. On the heavier 



