72 THE BOOK OF FORESTRY 



since to disturb the ground further might cause freez- 

 ing of the roots. With the first fall of snow a strip of 

 burlap or a layer of leaves is placed upon the seed bed 

 and thus they remain safe and snug during the cold 

 weather. 



The second season is similar to the first except that 

 less care is needed. The plants are quite dense now 

 there may be from two to four hundred per square 

 foot and their tops form a dense mat. A little weed- 

 ing and watering is all that is necessary to carry them 

 through this summer and by the second autumn they 

 are so hardy that no covering is required. 



Field Planting. The next spring when the plants are 

 two years old they are ready to be planted or if extra 

 hardy trees are wanted they must be put out in a trans- 

 plant bed. Since large roots rather than large tops are 

 needed, a year or two in the transplant beds is very ben- 

 eficial. In these beds the little trees are placed in rows 

 from twelve to fifteen inches apart and are spaced from 

 two to three inches apart in the rows. On account of the 

 increased growing space allotted to each plant in the 

 transplant bed a good root system is developed. The 

 trees remain in this bed from one to two years, depend- 

 ing upon the size of the material needed. 



For planting in open fields where neither the sod nor 

 weeds are too thick a two-year coniferous seedling will 

 grow, but if the weeds are rank growing or if the ground 

 is heavily shaded by brush or trees the three- or four- 

 year-old transplant must be used for a successful 

 plantation. 



The choice of planting stock depends upon the cli- 

 mate, for species native to the region should be pre- 

 ferred; upon the market needs, for species should be 



