THE HOME GROUNDS AND WOOD LOT 395 



since this depends on the region and the use to be made of 

 the timber. Some prefer to plant the faster-growing soft 

 wood trees, while others are willing to wait longer for the 

 harder woods to grow. An excellent plan is to plant a 

 number of varieties. Not only will this allow a mixture of 

 the slow and the fast growing trees, but provide a variety 

 of timber suitable for different purposes of utility and com- 

 fort for the farm. 



From the eastern to the middle western states the fa- 

 vorite trees seem to be the different varieties of maple, 

 elm, oak, locust, ash, fir, basswood, hickory, walnut, box- 

 elder, cottonwood, yellow poplar, catalpa, etc. 



In the drier regions such as western Kansas and Ne- 

 braska, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado, it is difficult to start 

 successfully some of these varieties. Among the best 

 drought resisting trees are the black locust, green ash, Osage 

 orange and Russian mulberry. In the southern and far 

 western states practically all varieties suitable to the North 

 and East can be grown and many others besides. 



Starting the wood lot. The wood lot may be started, 

 in the case of most trees, either by planting the seed, or 

 by setting out young trees. A common method of starting 

 a grove of hardy catalpa, for example, is to prepare the 

 seed bed as if for- corn. Catalpa seed is then planted, and 

 the field cultivated for several years. The young trees are 

 sometimes cut back to the ground after two years of growth 

 for the purpose of producing straighter and more sturdy 

 trees. The growth of the tree is not retarded by this 

 process. 



A seed bed for trees can easily be started, and the trees 

 transplanted to the desired positions when the seedlings are 

 from one to three years old. A small seed bed will supply- 

 trees for a large wood lot. 



