17 



the second season's growth promptly, and with scarcely any check 

 from transplanting. 



Pine seeds germinate readily, but to avoid losing the young seed- 

 lings requires so much care for light and moisture conditions that the 

 ordinary planter will do well not to experiment with them. The ger- 

 mination of the red cedar is one of the troublesome problems of nur- 

 serymen; so much so that many prefer to buy 1-year-old seedlings, 

 which they transplant and prepare for their own trade. 



SPACING. 



Spacing is largely a question of utility and taste, with some varia- 

 tion for different species. In general, however, closer planting is 

 advisable on the Plains than most people imagine or are willing to 

 concede. A single tree or row of trees in the sod has little show for 

 life. If an artificial forest is to succeed in the struggle against native 

 vegetation, wind, sunshine, and dry weather, it must stand in a dense 

 mass and present a solid front to its foes. Cultivation is the best 

 method of conserving soil moisture, and if cultivation can be continued 

 indefinitely and the abundant pruning required to produce the proper 

 form where the trees are not crowded can be given, rather wide spac- 

 ing is beneficial ; but the average planter will prefer a method which 

 does not require so much time and work. The less care the trees are 

 to have, the thicker they should be set. They must be close enough 

 to establish forest conditions of shade, litter, and undergrowth when 

 evaporation and weeds are no longer checked by cultivation. 



Shelterbelts should be close planted in order to give protection 

 quickly. It is well to plant thickly enough to be able to thin as the 

 growing trees need more room. In this way one can be certain of 

 having good trees. If the ultimate object is to have spaces 4 by 8, or 

 8 by 8. and the trees are set 4 by 4, the poorer trees can be cut out 

 and a final stand left of better individuals than if the wider spacing 

 had been used at first. The crowding also prevents the trees from 

 heading too low. The thinning will give fuel, posts, and stakes, 

 always useful on a farm or ranch. 



The practical consideration is the spacing of the rows in a manner 

 that will admit ready cultivation with the harrow, disk, or other tool 

 for surface cultivation which the farmer possesses. The method of 

 wide spaces between the rows with trees set closely in them is an 

 excellent one, since it permits of cultivation for a much longer time 

 than the 4 by 4 spacing, gives room for a team and wagon when thin- 

 nings are made, and still allows a large number of trees to the acre. 

 A 2 by 8 spacing gives the same number of trees per acre as a 4 by 4 

 spacing, and 3 by 8 the same as 4 by 6. 



69616 Cir. 161- 



