1906 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



85 



been necessary to purchase other sup- 

 plies, if this had not been at hand. As 

 the work was undertaken to improve 

 the growth and increase the future 

 crop, the improvement would have been 

 clear gain, had the product only paid 

 for its removal. The profit that has 

 been realized may be regarded as an 

 extra profit that may be applied to 

 planting the open lands. 



The planting has been chiefly to 

 white pine in mixture .with broadleaf 

 trees, such as chestnut, sugar maple, 

 white and red oak, and hickory. All 



which has come with experience, and 

 in part to the production of more and 

 more of the stock in the nursery on 

 the tract. 



This nursery was established in 

 1903. It occupies only a third of an 

 acre. It now has a stocking of 125,000 

 plants, chiefly white pine, white ash, 

 and sugar maple. 



It has been found expedient to sow 

 such species as chestnut, oak and hick- 

 ory directly in the place where they 

 are to grow, rather than to start them 

 in the nursery. 



An Improvement Thinning on New Haven Water Company's Land. 



but the choicest of the broadleaf trees 

 will come out in the process of thin- 

 ning, leaving a stand of white pine 

 with a small admixture of hard woods. 

 The mixed planting has been found 

 cheaper than pure planting to pine ; 

 and the broadleaf trees are a benefit to 

 the pines ; and, moreover, their pres- 

 ence make a choice of species for the 

 final stand possible, should anything 

 happen to the pines. As the work has 

 progressed the cost of planting has 

 been reduced from $8.00 per acre to 

 $6.33. This is due in part to the in- 

 creased efficiency of the workmen 



The plantations have been very suc- 

 cessful, in all cases insuring a dense 

 stand in the future. Several averages 

 in the 1903 plantings of white pine 

 show that 93.4 per cent, are living. 



The young trees planted or sowed 

 in the old fields and pastures have be- 

 gun to show a little above the weeds 

 and grass ; and their growth will be 

 rapid now that they have made a start. 

 For instance, the white pines planted 

 in 1903 and which are now five years 

 from the seed, having been planted 

 as two-year-olds, now average 14.6 

 inches in height, almost exactly half 



