II 



trees per acre. If the trees are planted five feet apart, 1,740 trees 

 will be required. Close spacing greatly increases the cost, and, 

 therefore, is prohibitive on account of the expense in nearly all cases. 

 The fast growing and light demanding trees may be set at a wider 

 spacing, for example, eight feet apart each way, requiring 680 trees 

 per acre. 



If the trees are not sufficiently close together, grass will grow, 

 rob the soil of moisture which the tree needs, and increase the 

 fire danger, besides resulting in an inferior quality product. 



If a mixed planting is desired the black locust and Carolina 

 poplar are particularly adapted to this purpose. The trees should 

 be planted six feet apart each way: in every alternate hole a 

 locust or poplar, whichever is to be used, should be set, with pine, 

 spruce, larch, or other trees of a permanent nature in the other 

 spaces. The fast growing tree, such as the poplar or locust will be 

 cut out in fifteen or twenty years, and the other tree which will form 

 the future forest is to be left for a longer period in order to 

 produce lumber. 



COST OF PLANTING. 



The cost of planting varies with local conditions, such as soil 

 cover, topography, nature of the soil, size of the trees, price of labor, 

 transportation, etc. An examination of several hundred reports 

 made to this office shows that the price ranges from $3 per acre 

 for underplanting, when 400 transplants are set, to a maximum 

 of $15 to $16 for setting transplants at the rate of 1,200 per acre. 

 The latter price is not a fair criterion as to the cost because in this 

 case excessive cartage, unnecessary preparation of the ground, etc. 

 produce this price. Generally the average price, including cost of 

 trees in cases where transplants are set six feet apart each way, is 

 approximately from $8 to $10 per acre. The reduced price of 

 tree stock prevailing in 1912 ($3.50 per thousand transplants) 

 should lower this average cost by about $1.80 per acre. 



WHAT TO PLANT. 



In order to have the plantation successful and prove a profitable 

 investment, there are certain factors which must be considered. 

 They are mainly light, soil moisture and soil fertility. These re- 

 quirements must be considered in the selection of trees for planting. 

 Some trees have much greater demands on both light and upon soil 

 than others. 



