92 FIRST BOOK OF FORESTRY 



Occasionally wild seedlings may be found in great 

 abundance in the woods. When these plants are still 

 small., i.e., from one to two years old, they usually thrive 

 if transplanted ; but older plants, especially if taken from 

 rather dark woods, are generally too spindling and rarely 

 do well. 



Poplars and willows are best started by cuttings. These 

 are pieces of young shoots, one to two years old, gathered 

 in March arid cut into twelve-inch pieces. These pieces 

 are bundled and then buried until spring opens, when 

 they are set out either in the garden, if we wish plants, 

 or else at once in the woods, where they are to remain 

 permanently. In the garden they may be planted in a 

 trench made with spade or plow ; and in the woods they 

 are stuck into a slanting hole made with the spade, about 

 two inches of the cutting being left to project from the hole. 

 In both cases the earth is packed firmly by tamping. 



In our prairie regions, of course, all trees must be 

 planted ; the forest is yet to be made. Here planting, 

 chiefly of broad-leaved kinds, has proved most successful. 

 Later on, when the woods exist, conifers may be added. 



In our forest lands such trees as poplar, willow, birch, 

 elm, and even maple, basswood, and ash, need introduc- 

 tion here and there ; but in our hardwood forests they 

 will usually be numerous enough without special care. 



Hickory, walnut, and even oak, chestnut, and beech 

 may well be started by planting the seed ; thus, generally. 



