20 FOREST PLANTING. 



Intervals. After the first tree is set let the planter move for- 

 ward the required distance and again sighting for his line, make 

 his second cleft, and so on. It is always possible to approxi- 

 mate the required distance by pacing, by adding the length of 

 the tool or of the tool and arm, to one, two or three steps. A 

 six-foot interval can be fixed by taking one step forward and, 

 with both feet set, making a mattock stroke at arm's length. It 

 is not necessary to attain precision in line or interval ; slight ir- 

 regularities will be lost as the trees grow. 



Speed in Planting. With the help of a line man and basket 

 boy, two planters should set 200 trees per hour unless the ground is 

 very stony or heavily turfed. One .man doing all the work him- 

 self should average 600 trees a day. But do not acquire speed at 

 the expense of good work. Watch the planters that they do not 

 get carelsss and leave the trees bent or half embedded. Better 

 not plant at all than invite failure through carelessness. 



SUBSEQUENT CARE. 



A forest plantation ordinarily needs no cultivation or special 

 care. Fires must be kept out, of course, and stock also, but no 

 expense for culture is warranted unless more than the economic 

 production of lumber is involved. 



Cutting Back. An exception to this rule is made when the 

 growth of deciduous trees is slow. If each tree is cut off just 

 above the ground the succeeding shoot is stronger and ulti- 

 mately taller than the original would have been. 



Replacement. If as many as 30 per cent, of the trees die the 

 gaps should be filled within two years. If the loss is less, and 

 is fairly well distributed, filling is ordinarily not done. 



Cleaning. When a plantation is five or ten years old, some- 

 times earlier, it may be necessary to go through it and cut out 

 brush, tree weeds and other undesirables. This should be done 

 always, and only, when such growth interferes with the free 

 development upwards of the planted trees. Keep the crowns of 

 the young trees free to the sunlight ; let low-growing brush and 

 weeds alone. They stimulate height growth and shade the 

 ground. 



