8 Farmers' Bulletin 1123. 



the 1 or 2 year old twigs of Jiving trees. The cuts should be made with 

 a sharp tool, to avoid bruising the bark. Cuttings should be collected 

 during early winter and buried in moist sand in a cool place until the 

 time for planting. 



PREPARATION OF SOIL. 



The necessity of soil preparation will depend somewhat on the 

 region. On the prairies or in other regions where tree growth does 

 not naturally thrive, the area should be plowed, preferably in the 

 fall. In regions where trees naturally thrive, such preparation, 

 is also decidedly beneficial although not always necessary. Heavy 



FIG. 3. Soft maple plantation. Trees 5 to 13 inches in diameter. Jefferson County, Iowa. 



sod land in any region should not be planted until it has been plowed 

 and cropped for two or three years. 



METHODS OF PLANTING AND SOWING. 



SLIT. 



In the slit method a wedge-shaped hole is opened in the ground by 

 inserting a spade or mattock and moving it backward and foreward. 

 The root of the tree, or the cutting, is then inserted back of the tool 

 in the cleft thus formed, the tool is removed, and the earth is pressed 

 with the foot firmly around the plant. If the root systems are not 

 overlarge, this method may generally be used with success in light 

 soil that is free from rocks. 



INDIVIDUAL HOLES. 



If the soil is heavy or rocky, or if the trees have large root systems, 

 the best method is simply to dig a hole for each individual tree, pull 



