400 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



at the apex of the cone, and the laterals spread over the sloping surface 

 extending toward the bottom of the hole. The main advantage claimed 

 for this method is that it insures a natural arrangement of the roots. 

 The greatest disadvantage is the high cost. In rocky soil this method 

 frequently requires a three-man crew — one man with a pick or bar to 

 pry out the rocks, one man with a mattock or shovel to dig the hole, 

 and a planter. 



Because of the failures attending the first efforts at planting in this 

 region, the foremost aim of experiments in methods of planting was to 

 ascertain the effect upon survival. After about three years it was 

 found that if reasonable care was exercised in planting, all three meth- 

 ods gave about the same percentage of survival. Averaging results in 

 a large number of experiments, the "mound" method had a slight mar- 

 gin over the other two, but this was more than offset by the increased 

 cost of planting by the "mound" method. As a result, the tentative 

 conclusion was that the "mound" method was not to be recommended 

 for general use. The working plan for these experiments, however, 

 called for annual examinations and survival counts over a period of at 

 least five years. 



While making the prescribed examinations on experimental plots at 

 the Fort Bayard Nursery in the fall of 1916, the writer was struck by 

 the apparent superior height growth of yellow pine planted by the 

 "mound" method. The plot in question was established in January, 

 1912. One hundred 2-1 western yellow pines were planted by the 

 "mound" method and the same number by the "side-hole" method. 

 (The "middle-of-hole" method has not been tested at Fort Bayard.) 

 The planting was so arranged that the two methods were represented 

 by alternating rows of twenty plants each. The site is a level mesa 

 originally occupied by a mixed stand of western yellow pine and alli- 

 gator juniper which was clean cut years ago, leaving only scattering 

 reproduction. The soil is a clayey loam containing a large admixture 

 of rocks. The striking difference in height growth suggested a meas- 

 urement of heights, which gave the following results : 



The average total height of all trees planted by the "mound" method 

 was 30.9 inches, against 26.2 inches for those planted by the "side-hole" 

 method. The average height growth in 191 5 was 8.4 inches for the 

 "mound" planting and 7.2 inches for the "side-hole." In 1916 the 

 respective height growths were 9.5 and 8.3 inches. Eighteen of the 

 "mound" planted trees made an aggregate growth of 24 inches or more 

 for the two years, while only eleven trees planted by the "side-hole" 

 method made an equal growth. 



