324 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION July 



vided us with a deep, rich, easily worked ever, can be largely compensated for by 

 soil, which the farmer is learning how setting closer in them. The common 

 to utilize best. The abundant crops spacing of plantations under the pro- 

 which are sometimes produced with the visions of the Timber Culture Act was 

 poorest methods of cultivation have 4 by 4 feet. Trees set this way could 

 tempted many to use more land than be cultivated for only a very short time, 

 could be well handled, but experience A 2 by 8 spacing gives the same number 

 is proving that for a succession of years per acre and permits much more satis- 

 there is no question about the increase factory cultivation For species which 

 in financial returns to be secured by need more room, a 3 by 8 or 4 by 8 

 better systems of culture. The wheat- spacing can be used at first, while with 

 grower formerly thought that if he increasing age and size the space re- 

 plowed his ground once in two or three quired for cultivation can be obtained 

 years he was doing well enough. Now by thinning. The less cultivation that 

 he has discovered that it pays to plow is to be given to the plantation the 

 every year. Similarly the early tree thicker the trees should be set. Where 

 planters often set their trees carelessly the soil moisture is not conserved by 

 and left them to struggle unaided with cultivation, the stand must be thick 

 dry weather and native vegetation, enough to finally establish forest con- 

 Now the planter knows that trees, too, ditions of shade and litter, if the plan- 

 respond most encouragingly to good tation is to succeed. .It is undoubtedly 

 cultivation. true that on the plains wide spacing 



The object of cultivation is twofold : and frequent cultivation will produce 



First, to prevent the growth of weeds and better trees than close spacing and little 



grass; second, to conserve soil moisture, or no cultivation. 



Thenaturalsupplyofmoistureinwestern Aside from the preparation of the 

 Kansas is sufficient for the needs of sev- ground for planting, the plow has no 

 eral species of trees, provided it is fully place among trees and should not be 

 utilized by the trees and not allowed to used thereafter. Too often it is the 

 escape through evaporation or be di- case that the plantation is neglected 

 verted by weeds and grass. There is until the weeds have formed a dense 

 not enough to warrant any wasting, mass 3 or 4 feet high, and then in des- 

 Before the trees are set the ground peration a plowing is given, not fol- 

 should be thoroughly worked and put lowed by a harrow of any kind. The 

 into good condition. Virgin sod, un- plow leaves the ground rough, thereby 

 less very sandy, should be broken and greatly increasing the loss of soil moist- 

 farmed to other crops for two or three ure through evaporation. A dead fur- 

 years prior to the planting of the trees, row is formed between the rows, or the 

 Deep plowing, followed immediately by earth is thrown away from the base of 

 the harrow, saves moisture and makes the trees and many roots are cut, so 

 the soil easily penetrable by the roots. that the root system is injured and the 

 After setting, cultivation should be shal- growth of sprouts encouraged. The 

 low and frequent. An ideal method is man who is not willing to take proper 

 a surface cultivation as soon as possible care of his trees deserves to lose them, 

 after every rain. The nearer this ideal and quite likely he will, 

 is approached the better the results will The best tools for the preparation of 

 be. The dust mulch is the best mulch the surface of the ground and subse- 

 of all to save the moisture already in quent cultivation are the Acme disc 

 the ground and keep the soil in good and dagger-tooth harrows and the five- 

 condition to receive the next that comes, tooth cultivator. The Acme harrow is 



The advantage to be gained by long an excellent tool for shallow cultiva- 



continued cultivation of a forest planta- tion, and, used frequently enough, it is 



tion makes a rather wide spacing advis- all that is necessary most of the time, 



able, and with some species will neces- Another thing in favor of the Acme is 



sitate some pruning of the lower limbs, the ease and rapidity with which it 



The wide spaces between the rows, how- works. The western farmer, with his 



