Canadian Forestry Magazine, October, iq20. 



461 



be accomplished through tree planta- 

 tions and to gain a first—hand knowledge 

 ciS to how to care for a plantation. It 

 is the aim of the nursery station to as- 

 sist these as much as possible and Mr. 

 McLean will take time to take any- 

 one over the farm and explain to him the 

 leading features of the various planta- 

 tions or will give him an interview in his 

 office at any time. 



Start Plantations Early 



Most farmers, when they begin life on 

 the open prairie, intend some time or 

 other to plant at least a few trees to 

 shelter their buildings and garden. Some 

 begin to prepare for tree-planting as 

 soon as they get on their land, others pre- 

 fer to leave it until later, but nearly 

 everyone has the intention, some time 

 or other, of doing some planting. The 

 forestry branch provides the farmer with 

 tr< es and notes particularly the difficulties 

 experienced by him in disposing of his 

 plantations to the best advantage. 

 Briefly summarized, the advice of the 

 I ursery station in regard to the question 

 ■of successfully establishing plantations 

 in the prairie may be stated thus. 



Wide belts are better than narrow ones, 

 better shelter, cheaper to maintain, 

 furnish better material in after years and 

 more of it. 



Thorough preparation of the land must 

 be made before planting. 



Trees must be firmly planted. 



Cultivate as soon as they are planted. 



Cultivate in summer to conserve mois- 

 ture. Do not wait for the weeds. 



Any blue-joint grass or sweet grass ap- 

 pearing the first summer should at once 

 be dug out. 



Close planting saves labor in the long 

 run. 



Plantations should never be pruned. 



Put the work of the plantation first. 

 It does not take long and only about 

 one-third of the work if done at the 

 right time. 



Hoiv Trees .Ire J^ re pared. 

 Ap.plication forms are supiijicd to all 

 who desire trees for jilanting and all ap- 

 {Ticalions should be sent to Norman M. 

 Ross. B.S.A.. V..V., Chief of Tree-Plant- 

 ing Division, Indian I load. I pon the re- 



ceipt of application by Mr. Ross, an in- 

 spector is sent out to the applicant's land 

 to see that it has received the proper till- 

 age. The inspector also makes a plan of 

 the build-house. Following Tils visit the 

 plans are framed and the farmer sup- 

 plied with a plan showing the varieties 

 and numbers of trees which he should 

 plant. 



Principles to he Observed. 



The following guiding principles are 

 laid down for formulating plans. 



Make convenience the first considera- 

 tion in arranging the farm buildings and 

 grounds. 



Establish the shelter-belt to protect the 

 homo and stock against the prevailing 

 winds. 



Allow sufficient room between the 

 bn^'ldings and the shelter-belt for the 

 extension and addition to buildings, 

 threshing space, and to collect snowdrifts 

 in winter. 



Allow space for lawns and ornamen- 

 tal planting. 



Allow for the extension of the planta- 

 tion for wood-lot purposes. 



The Forestry Piranch cannot promise 

 to furnish sufficient planting material to 

 carry out any plan, but will lend all pos- 

 sible assistance in the way of making 

 suggestions and will supply as many 

 trees as are available for distribution. 



WHERE THE PAPER GOES. 

 Some exciting figures appear in an 

 article on American periodicals in the 

 current Publishers' Circular. One issue 

 alone of a certain popular journal, it is 

 stated, would supply enough paj^er for 

 all the books brought by all the United 

 States public libraries in a year, two or 

 tb.reo times over. Three of the periodi- 

 cals combined use enough paper in a 

 year to girdle the earth with a page-wide 

 st'*ip 148 times, and the ink used amounts 

 to 3.600,0(X1 pminds. The mere details 

 of 13.000 miles of rope used annually in 

 tying up ])aroels for delivery is thrown 

 in by way of parenthesis. 



