HOW TO PLANT TREES. 747 



sidered a paying investment. The failures in this direction have 

 usually been caused by neglect after planting. If young trees 

 from the forests or seed beds are used, they should be headed 

 down to within four inches of the roots ; this will cause a 

 healthy and vigorous growth, and if not done, the check they 

 will receive in transplanting will retard their growth for sevei'al 

 years. 



HOW TO PLANT. 



The best way is to plant the seeds in rows, which should 

 run north and south, if practicable ; and some hoed crop should 

 be cultivated between the rows to prevent tliem from being 

 choked out with weeds in their early growth. If no other 

 crop is between them, they are liable to be neglected. But 

 when every other row is planted with corn, potatoes, or beans, 

 the produce will more than pay for the entire cultivation, and 

 the young trees will be greatly benefited. 



I would recommend planting the first row with large grow- 

 ing and valuable timber trees, leaving the second row for some 

 such crop as corn, potatoes or beans. The third row plant 

 with seeds of smaller growing or less valuable timber trees, to 

 be removed before the others, and leave the fourth for a crop 

 row. Tlie fifth row plant as the first. If the rows are three 

 feet apart, this will place the most valuable trees in rows fifteen 

 feet from each other, which, after the middle one has been 

 removed and the thinning out has been completed, will be 

 wide enough apart for a good growth to the most valuable tim- 

 ber. For many years the third row and the thinnings from the 

 others will furnish a supply of firewood, hoop-poles, fence rails, 

 stakes, etc. 



After thirty years' experience in collecting and growing 

 tree seeds, I have adopted the following method, viz. : Procure 

 boxes six inches deep, and put in four inches of sand or light 

 mold ; on this sow . your seed, not too thick, and cover with 

 leaves or some other light substance. To prevent the mice from 

 destroying the seeds, nail on lath close enough to keep them 

 out, leaving space enough to admit moisture and air. Place 

 these boxes in some spot where the seeds will freeze in Win- 



