ROOT-KILLING OF NURSERY STOCK. 469 



tips alive. In the very hardiest species, however, as the box elder, 

 the hard maple and the elm, the root tips were alive. I should add 

 however, that in certain cases individual specimens of almost all 

 trees have been root-killed at Madison the past winter. 



SUBSOILING FOR TREES. 



E. A. MORRIS. 

 (In 'Dakota Farmer.") 



In June, 1884, I broke a five acre tract for trees seven inches deep 

 using- four heavy horses on a breaking- plow. This was thoroughly 

 pulverized and sown to turnips July 3d. A crop of turnips amount- 

 ing- to many hundreds of bushels was grown and fed to cattle, hogs 

 and sheep. 



The following June this tract was again plowed "beam deep" 

 (subsoiled), using four heavy horses on single 16inch walking plow. 

 After plowing, it was thoroughly harrowed and kept in the best con- 

 dition during the summer and autumn by harrowing from three to 

 five days after each shower of rain to prevent evaporation. Here lies 

 a secret to many, but a well known fact to the progressive western 

 farmer, which, when generally understood and practiced will do 

 more for the South Dakota farmer than even the ablest tiller of the 

 soil has dreamed of. He who thus prepares his fields builds a reser- 

 voir capable of storing up nature's supply of rainfall in sufficient 

 quantities to grow an abundant crop during a more severe drouth 

 than has visited this country since I became a resident of South Da- 

 kota fourteen years ago. 



When land is thus plowed and the surface kept thoroughly fine 

 on the surface, the reservoir is quickly filled and the moisture re- 

 tained or conserved to be utilized by plant growth. The following- 

 spring this five acre tract was planted to Cottonwood cuttings as for 

 plantations. Prior to planting, the cuttings were tied in bundles of 

 200 each and placed in a pond of water and remained there for three 

 weeks, until the wood was thoroughly saturated and buds began to 

 "start, then planted deep in the soil, leaving but an inch above the 

 surface. Again the harrow was used without damage to the cut- 

 tings, thus keeping the soil in the best possible condition and 

 reducing evaporation to the minimum point. 



For three years following, these trees received thorough cultiva- 

 tion from six to eight times each season, the last year it being- 

 necessary to pad the neck-yoke and axle of cultivator with sacks 

 stuffed with hay to prevent injuring them. The growth of these 

 trees has been remarkable and practically all are alive and thrifty 

 today. 



The plantation was seeded to clover and timothy when last culti- 

 vated, then fenced and since used as a hog pasture, furni»hing an 

 abundance of feed and the dense foliage almost a perfect shade and 

 the natural home of the greatest of America's mortg-age lifters, the 

 well bred hog-. 



