FOREST TREE PLANTING, 45 



should be carefulh' sorted before setting, and those uniform in size 

 and vigor should be set together. Tbe propriety of this is obvious, 

 as no one would propose to feed a calf and a two-vears old steer 

 in the same manger. I have no practical experience in the cultiva- 

 tion of pines, but, had I a piece of land which I desired to set for a 

 profitable investment, I would plough the land in the fall, aud set in 

 the following spring. I would carefull}' assort the plants, and set 

 those of the same size by themselves, at intervals of 10 feet by 

 8, thus using 543 seedlings to the acre. I would run a culti- 

 vator between the rows about twice a year until the plants had 

 l)ecome well rooted, and attained the height of 3 or 4 feet. I 

 would also, with a sharp knife, cut off one or two of the lower 

 lateral branches or shoots, alwaj's cutting upward, so that the 

 bark on the under side would not be stripped or torn f)om the 

 trunk. This I would do annuall}' so long as any branches re- 

 mained within m}' reach. By ploughing I should secure to the soil 

 whatever organic matter in the shape of moss or grass there might 

 be on the surface, and bj' using the cultivator I should destro}- or 

 greatl}- discourage any plant that might undertake to subsist on 

 the scant}' food of my pet seedlings, and at the same time increase 

 the absorbent power of the soil, and thus furnish a greater amount 

 of moisture, so essential to the thrift of a j'oung tree in the early 

 stages of its growth. Bj' early and judicious pruning I would 

 throw the growth into the trunk, and gradually accustom its smooth 

 and tender bark to resist the effects of the sun's ra^'s, from which 

 nature evidently designs it shall be shielded b}' a profusion of 

 lateral branches. This mode of culture would reduce to a mini- 

 mum the risk of loss by fire. By carefully assorting my trees I 

 would found my colony on a basis of equalit}-, giving seedlings of 

 the same size and vigor equal chances in the race of life, and thus 

 to a great extent avoiding that inequality in size which so much 

 lessens the beauty of the grove. 



The treatment above outlined might perhaps be profitably varied 

 by sowing broadcast between the rows the seed of the White 

 Bii'ch (Betula alba var. popuiifoUa) . This should be done when the 

 pines are 4 or 5 years old. Being the only deciduous tree which 

 is known to flourish best where the land is the poorest, they would 

 soon overtake the pines, and b^' their dense and rapid growth 

 would so check the lateral branches of the pines that pruning 

 would be unnecessary. At the end of 12 or 14 years the bi]-ches 

 should be cut, when they would probably yield as many cords per 



