224 



Canadian Forestry Journal, May, ig20. 



At five years of age Scotch Pine under prairie conditions will average 2 ft. high; at 13 years, 11 ft. high. 



After carrying on this distribution 

 for some seasons it was found advis- 

 able to insist that all ground for 

 planting must be summer fallowed, 

 so that now no trees are sent out for 

 planting on garden land, back setting 

 or stubble plowing. 



In setting out the belts we ar- 

 ranged always that the trees be 

 spaced approximately four by four 

 feet. This feature aroused great op- 

 position in certain quarters, and even 

 yet it is largely a matter of opinion 

 as to whether in all cases such close 

 spacing is always best. However, 

 considering the average conditions 

 and the fact that the average farmer 

 is very much averse to hoeing, and 

 what may be called pottering jobs, it 

 was thought that on the whole the 

 plantations should be set out in such 

 a way that they would most quickly 

 take care of themselves if for any 

 reason they happened to be neglected 

 soon after becoming established. 

 There is no question at all but that 

 if trees are spaced eight by eight or 

 ten by ten and given good cultiva- 

 tion, they will eventually grow into 

 better individuals, and more rapidly 



than if set four by four feet. But the 

 labor is increased enormously, and it 

 requires several years more before 

 the widely spaced trees are effective 

 as a shelter. The greatest danger of 

 wide spacing, however, lies in the 

 probability that the farmer will fall 

 down sooner or later in his cultiva- 

 tion, and that of course means the 

 ruination of the belt. 



The fact remains, however, that the 

 four by four spacing has given ex- 

 cellent results. Where there have 

 been failures, it cannot be placed to 

 anything but lack of care in keeping 

 grass and weeds from among the 

 trees. 



Since the commencement of the 

 war conditions as regards labor have 

 been such that there has been a natu- 

 ral falling oflf in the distribution of 

 trees, but that is only a temporary 

 condition, and each season farmers 

 realize more and more the necessity 

 for tree planting. 



Since 1901 over forty million plants 

 and cuttings have been distributed. 

 We raise the stock on two nurseries, 

 one at Indian Head and the other ad- 

 joining Saskatoon, both in Saskatche- 



