136 Planting along Railroads. 



were the hawthorn (Cratcegus oxycantha) furtherest from the track; 

 next the elms ( Ulmus effusa and U. suberosa), the maple (Ascer tartari- 

 cum), locust (Robinia pseudacacia) , the Caragana arbor escem, and last, 

 towards the track, another row of hawthorn. There was no heap- 

 ing up of the earth around the roots, but the soil was beaten down 

 level and smooth. The hawthorn lost its leaves, but it budded 

 again, and came on in good healthy condition, and proved a great 

 success. The loss was not over one per cent, chiefly the locust, 

 which had been planted too deep. The Ulmus suberosa was found 

 the most hardy. The plantation was cultivated by hand-hoeing and 

 with horse-cultivators. 



553. In August, when the dry season came, and almost all the 

 vegetation of the steppe was dried up, and the ground completely 

 covered with cracks, the soil in this plantation remained moist, 

 and could be rolled into balls. At the end of the season some of 



'the trees were taken out, and it was found that the roots had grown 

 from two to four feet, and were well provided with fibers. 



554. In establishing a nursery for supplying the trees used for 

 this work, the ground was surrounded by rows of trees (maples, 

 elms, and caragana), and the seed when sown were well watered, 

 and the ground covered with straw until the plants began to ap- 

 pear. This litter was then gradually removed, and laid in the paths 

 between the seed-beds, in order to keep the moisture as much as pos- 

 sible in the soil. It was still found necessary to water the plants in 

 the beds, until they had got well started. By the end of summer 

 the locusts had made a growth of from 6 to 18 inches, and the others 

 averaged 10 inches. The so-called autumnal sowings began in Au- 

 gust, and was continued up to the middle of December, and all of 

 them were covered carefully with straw. 



555. It is found on the steppes that successful planting depends 

 upon thorough cultivation and deep sub-soil plowing. The example 

 of the railroads is being followed by many of the farmers Avho have 

 witnessed the result, and who had been strongly prejudiced against 

 any attempts at planting, believing that it could not succeed. 



556. Upon other lines of railroad extensive plantations have been 

 commenced, the usual number of rows being seven, and the series 

 adopted upon one of them being as follows, counting outward from 

 the track, viz. : Caragana arborescen 1 , Robinia pseudacacia, Ulmus 

 suberosa, Acer tartaricum, Robinia pseudacacia, Acer tartaricum, Ulmus 



