1904 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



325 



hundreds of acres of land and thousands 

 of bushels of grain, has learned the value 

 of riding implements and rapid meth- 

 ods. He may ride an Acme harrow 

 among his trees and still be sure that 

 he is doing the best tiling by them. 

 The one-horse size is 3 feet 6 inches 

 wide and the two-horse 6 feet 6 inches. 

 Where the weeds have made a strong 

 start, an ordinary cultivator may be 

 put in or a shallow disking given ; but 

 the disk should be set quite slanting or 

 followed by a harrow to produce the 

 best surface conditions. Dagger-tooth 

 harrows are made in five-foot sections, 

 so a single section and one horse can 

 be conveniently used between the rows 

 of trees. The five-tooth, one-horse cul- 

 tivator requires the least space of any 

 of the tools mentioned, and can be used 

 when the rows are quite close together 

 or after the trees have filled most of the 

 space. 



An excellent example of the extent 

 to which cultivation can replace irriga- 

 tion is furnished by the Rainbelt Ex- 

 periment Station at Cheyenne Wells, 

 Colorado. The station was established 

 in 1894 in a typical high plains region. 

 The elevation is 4,200 feet, with water 

 260 feet below the surface. The annual 

 precipitation is about 13 inches. An 

 apple orchard set in 1895 contains fine, 

 healthy trees, which have produced 

 well. They are of the usual varieties 

 common farther east, such as Ben Davis, 

 Winesap, Janet, etc. The intention is 

 to give two shallow cultivations monthly 

 if possible. The tools used are a five- 

 tooth cultivator and a dagger-tooth 

 harrow with the teeth set slanting. 

 While less has been attempted with for- 

 est trees at the station, there are some 

 green ash a year older than the apples 

 which are making good trees, and 

 young honey locust are promising well. 

 Since such good results have been ob- 

 tained with apple trees, there is no 

 doubt that the same method of cultiva- 

 tion would enable several species of for- 

 est trees to be successfully grown. 



The Pomeroy model farm, at Hill 

 City, Kansas, which has been practicing 

 the " Campbell system " of cultivation 

 since 1900, is a valuable experiment in 

 methods applicable to the semi-arid re- 



gions. While the main object is the 

 production of wheat and other farm 

 crops, considerable has been done with 

 trees. Besides fruit varieties, Russian 

 mulberry, soft maple, and white elm 

 have been set. They are doing well so 

 far, although it is a very unfavorable 

 situation for the maple and only fair for 

 the elm. Cultivation is given as soon 

 as the ground can be worked after every 

 rain. An Acme harrow is generally 

 used, preceded by a disk in case the 

 weeds get too much of a start. 



In river and creek valleys, where 

 water is 1 from 5 to 20 feet below the sur- 

 face, cultivation is not ordinarily nec- 

 essary after the trees get thoroughly 

 established. The same is true in many 

 places on the upland, where there are 

 shallow basins which catch the run-off 

 from a considerable adjoining area. In 

 such situations the supply may be in- 

 creased by plowing furrows along slopes 

 lying above the plantation to collect 

 water which would otherwise be lost. 



Mulching has been practiced to some 

 extent hay, straw, or manure being 

 used. It is better to mulch than to let 

 the weeds grow. The mulch also checks 

 evaporation and keeps the soil in good 

 condition. The complaint is sometimes 

 made that long -continued mulching 

 brings the roots too close to the surface, 

 and then they are exposed if it chances 

 to be removed. The mulch certainly 

 furnishes a congenial harbor for mice 

 and all sorts of insects. The best mulch 

 in all respects is the dust mulch, secured 

 by cultivation, while the most suitable 

 place for the one of hay or straw is 

 around trees set in the sod, where it is 

 inconvenient or undesirable to culti- 

 vate. Along a hedgerow, for example, 

 a mulch may be of much benefit. 



Occasional!} 7 field crops are planted 

 between the rows of young trees, but 

 the person who has any regard for their 

 welfare will not do so. The trees need 

 all the moisture and should not be forced 

 to divide with other vegetation. Corn 

 is especially harmful. The roots will 

 spread both down and out for 4 or 5 

 feet and take much more soil moisture 

 than do the young trees. If any crop 

 is to be planted, it should be a short- 

 lived one of the garden kind, either 



