300 KANKAKEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



form an opening back of or under the blade, and thrust in a 

 plant ; then drew out the spade, pressed the earth back with 

 his foot, and passed on to the next. Cuttings were planted in 

 the same way, except that in using the spade the man thrust 

 it in the ground by hand. 



This mode of planting admits of very rapid as well as accu- 

 rate work, and having the field all marked, we could plant in 

 rows across the field or in groups, as suited us best. Some parts 

 of the field were quite wet and sloughy, and there we planted 

 willow, silver leaf poplar, soft maple, American larcli, and 

 such other trees as do well in wet land. On the dryer portion 

 we planted walnut, butternut, European larch, and such trees 

 as will not endure wet feet. Land dry enough for corn will do 

 well for this class of trees. Then about every fourth row we 

 planted evergreens, such as white, Scotch, Austrian, and red 

 pine, spruce, balsam fir, arborvitse, red cedar, hemlock, etc. 

 Thus in time we can cut out the deciduous trees if we wish, and 

 have a forest entirely of evergreens. 



The cultivation was not unlike the cultivation of corn for 

 the first year or two, working the ground both ways with a 

 double rig, and hoeing near the plants the first year where nec- 

 essary. After the second year we had to use a single horse 

 and a double-shovel plow, on account of the size of the trees. 

 We cultivated four seasons ; then the trees were large enough 

 to shade the ground sufficiently to keep down grass and weeds. 

 In some situations and with some kinds of timber, three and 

 even two years' cultivation might suffice ; but it should be con- 

 tinued until the trees have sufficient size to take care of them- 

 selves, and root enough so that growth will not be retarded or 

 stunted by a cessation of cultivation. 



In my earlier planting I gave more space, rows from eight 

 to twelve feet apart, and grew some kind of hoed crop between 

 the rows for a few years, and of course had to continue the 

 cultivation much longer. But I prefer close planting, espe- 

 cially where trees and seed are as cheap as they are here at the 

 present time. The upward growth is more rapid in close plant- 

 ing, making straighter, nicer timber, and requiring less prun- 



