FOREST TREE PLANTING CAMPS 



By J. S. Illick 

 Professor of Forestry, Pennsylvania State Forest Academy 



The planting of forest trees becomes an established part of forestry 

 practice in every country at some time of its development. Planting 

 began more than a century and a half ago in the United States, but it 

 was not until within the past fifteen years that it has been conducted 

 on an extensive scale, and in accordance with the real fundamental 

 principles of forestry. The recent increase in planting in the United 

 States has been almost phenomenal. More than 30 million trees were 

 planted for forestry purposes during the year 1916. The subjoined 

 tabulation of the number of trees planted upon the State forests of 

 Pennsylvania during the past eighteen years shows the general pro- 

 gressive tendency of the practice. 



Total 22,045,311 



The first trees were set out in 1899, and since then a rapidly in- 

 creasing number has been planted each year, except in 1901. Present 

 indications point to a still further extension of the practice, for over 

 8 million trees will be available for the planting operations of the 

 spring of 1917. The experience obtained by the foresters, who have 

 conducted the planting operations in the past, will be of inestimable 

 value for subsequent planting. 



Among the imany important developments, the tree planting camp 

 is probably the most significant, and yet, in many regions, the least 

 known. The data and conclusions presented in this article have been 

 drawn largely from the experience and accounts of foresters in charge 

 of State forests in Pennsylvania and, unless otherwise stated, will 

 refer to these forests. 



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