4 MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION Cir. 78 



yard proper and the barnyard. Do not be afraid of setting aside 

 ample land for the home grounds. Five acres, if well planned, is not 

 too much and a smaller space does not allow for good arrangement. 



PREPARATION OF LAND 



The land to be planted to the home grounds should be well 

 prepared and fallowed at least one year before any attempt is made 

 to start trees and shrubs. The land should be deeply plowed and 

 under most conditions fall plowing is preferable. During the fol- 

 lowing summer it should be well cultivated to keep down the weeds 

 and conserve the moisture. If it is not practicable to keep the whole 

 yard area cultivated, particular spots chosen for the location of 

 clumps of trees or shrubs may be given a good mulch of straw or 

 coarse stable manure. This will keep down the weed growth and 

 conserve the moisture. 



In plowing and working the land, avoid ridging it in places 

 where rows of trees are to stand. On the contrary, the land should 

 be so prepared that the rains will drain toward the newly planted 

 trees. Be sure to cultivate well the area to be occupied by the 

 trees and shrubs, the windbreak, and especially the yard, if an 

 attempt is to be made to grow a lawn. If rows of trees are to be 

 planted on the borders of the yard opposite the windbreak, it will 

 be desirable to plow and summer-fallow strips of land at least ten 

 feet wide here. 



SELECTING AND BUYING THE PLANTS 



Under such adverse conditions as prevail on our dry farms, it 

 is only natural that one of the most frequent causes of failure is 

 the improper selection of plants. The newcomer brings his ideas 

 with him and attempts to work them out under conditions entirely 

 different from those he is accustomed to. One can not hope for 

 success in growing trees and shrubs unless he has made the proper 

 selection of varieties to begin with. It is no doubt true that there 

 is much yet to be learned about selection of plants for Montana 

 conditions, but observations made in our own State and experiments 

 carried on here and in other States under similar conditions have 

 suggested some of the most promising kinds. Further experiments 

 may lengthen this list. 



Many are undecided as to where they should purchase stock. 

 In the first place we may say that it should be bought of a well- 



