280 FORESTRY INVESTIGATIONS U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



breaking the raw prairie in Juno and turning over a shallow sod, sowing a crop of onts or alfalfa, 

 harvesting it witli a high stubble, then opening furrows for planting and leaving the ground 

 between furrows undisturbed, so as to secure the largest amount of drainage into the furrows and 

 a mulch between the rows. 



The time for plant in</ depends on climatic and soil conditions and the convenience of the 

 planter. Spring planting is preferable except in southern latitudes, especially in the West, where 

 the winters are severe and the fall apt to be dry, the soil therefore not in favorable condition for 

 planting. 



The time for fall planting is after the leaves have fallen; for spring planting, before or just 

 when life begins anew. In order to be ready in time for spring planting, it is a good practice to 

 take up the plants in the fall and "heel them in "over winter (covering them, closely packed, in a 

 dry trench of soil). Conifers can be planted later in spring and earlier in fall than broad-loafed 

 trees. 



The density of the trees is a matter in which most planters fail. The advantages of close 

 planting lie in the quicker shading of the soil, hence the better preservation of its moisture and 

 improved growth and form development of the crop. These advantages must be balanced against 

 the increased cost of close planting. The closer the planting the sooner will the plantation be 

 self-sustaining and the surer the success. 



If planted in squares, or, better still, in quincunx order (the trees in every other row alter- 

 nating at equal distances), which is most desirable on account of the more systematic, work possible 

 and the more complete cover which it makes, the distance should not be more than 4 feet, unless 

 for special reasons and conditions, while 2 feet apart is not too close, and still closer planting is 

 done by nature with the best success. 



The following numbers of trees per acre are required when planting at distances as indicated : 



H by U feet 19,360 2 by 4 feet 5, 445 



1* by 2 feet 14,520 ' 3 by 3 feet 4,840 



2by2feet 10,890 3 by 4 feet 3,630 



2 by 3 feet 7,260 , 4 by 4 feet 2,722 



To decrease expense, the bulk of the plantation may be made of the cheapest kinds of trees 

 that may serve as soil cover and secondary or nurse crop, the main crop of from 300 to 000 trees 

 to consist of better kinds and with better planting material, mainly of light-needing species. 

 These should be evenly disposed through the plantation, each closely surrounded by the nurse 

 crop. -It is of course understood that not all trees grow up; a constant change in numbers by 

 the death (or else timely removal) of the overshaded takes place, so that the final crop shows at 

 100 years a close cover, with hardly 300 trees to the acre. 



After-culture is not entirely avoidable, especially under unfavorable climatic conditions and 

 if the planting was not close enough. Shallow cultivation between the rows is needed to prevent 

 weed growth and to keep the soil open until it is shaded by the young trees, which may take a 

 year with close planting and two or three years with rows 4 by 4 feet apart, the time varying also 

 with the species. 



It is rare that a plantation succeeds in all its parts; gaps or fail places occur, as a rule, and 

 must be tilled in by additional planting as soon as possible if of larger extent than can be closed 

 up in a few years by the neighboring growth. 



When the soil is protected by a complete leaf canopy, the forest crop may be considered as 

 established, and the after-treatment will consist of judicious thinning. 



The diagrams following present planting schemes illustrative of the rules given above, the 

 species being adapted to planting on the Western plains. 



