94 FARM FORESTRY 



trees and stored over winter by stratifying in moist sand. The 

 tree is rather slow-growing, but of long life. Under favorable 

 conditions of soil and situation at 30 years of age trees should 

 reach 35 to 40 feet in height and 6 to 8 inches in diameter 

 breast height. 



Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum). Silver maple is widely 

 distributed over the eastern portion of the country. It thrives 

 best on river bottoms. It is a moisture-loving tree and fails 

 when planted on dry uplands, but it wants a fairly well drained 

 soil. The tree grows rapidly, attains large size, but is short- 

 lived. It often grows a half inch in diameter a year. The 

 wood is neither strong nor durable. It is easily worked and 

 is sometimes used for flooring and furniture. It is used largely 

 for fuel. It is often planted for shelter belts because of this 

 fact, and also because of its fast growth. Because of its 

 brittle wood it is often broken by storms. It reproduces by 

 sprouts and seeds. The seed ripens in May or June and 

 should be planted immediately in drills in the nursery, the 

 seed being sown thick, for it is rather infertile. The seedlings 

 will grow i to 3 feet high the first season, and should be set 

 out the next spring. They should be spaced about 6 by 8 feet 

 apart. On dry situations it can be mixed with osage orange 

 or box elder. For moist situations it can be mixed with white 

 willow, cottonwood, white or black ash, black birch or walnut. 

 It is a hardy tree and comparatively free from insect pests 

 or fungus attacks. 



White Ash (Fraxinus Americana). White ash is native 

 to the Eastern United States. It is a tall, slender tree, reach- 

 ing a height of 100 feet and a diameter of 2 to 3 feet. It 

 prefers and makes its best growth on a rich, moist soil, such 

 as bottomland or lower slopes. It will grow, however, under 

 less favorable conditions. It will not grow in stagnant 

 water. The wood is of high economic value. It is hard, 

 strong, heavy, tough and elastic. It is used in the manufac- 

 ture of farm tools and for baskets, handles, interior finish 



