PROGRESS IN FORESTRY PLANTING IN THE 

 NEBRASKA SAND HILLS 



ONE of the largest tree nurseries maintained by the Federal Government 

 is located at Halsey, Nebraska, (and is maintained) in connection 

 with extensive planting experiments to determine the possibility of 

 producing a forest growth within the sand hill region of western Nebraska. 

 But a very small per cent of the sand hill land is fit for agriculture, the 

 greater portion being a rolling hill country covered for the most part with 

 coarse grass that is but indifferently suited to grazing. When the sod is 

 broken up the fine sandy soil drifts badly so badly, in fact, that hundreds 

 of "nesters" who have tried to make a start in this region have moved out 

 only when their fields have blown into the next section or county. This may 

 seem to those unfamiliar with this region an extraordinary statement. How- 

 ever, when one understands that the soil has the appearance of fine sea-sand ; 

 also that the wind blows fiercely throughout this entire country, the state- 

 ment does not appear so overdrawn. On a bright day in spring in the sand 

 hill section of Kansas, with what is known in that country as only a brisk 

 wind, it is possible to locate all of the ploughed land for from 15 to 20 miles 

 around by the dense clouds of sand that stand out against the blue heavens 

 like pillars of gray smoke. 



Experiments carried on at Halsey for the past seven years have proven 

 pretty conclusively that success can be secured in plantings, provided only 

 good sturdy stock is used and the plants are put in with care. 



THE ANNUAL PRODUCTION 



The capacity of the nursery has been raised to an annual production of 

 2,000,000 plants, and as transplanted 1 2 and 2 1 stock is used, some time 

 will be required to get the nursery up to this output. The sandy soil which is 

 readily worked, make excellent seed and transplant beds, provided it is heav- 

 ily fertilized with well-rotted manure and an abundance of water is used. It 

 is next to impossible to use water to excess, as the soil is so light that within 

 one hour after completely flooding the soil can be worked to advantage. An 

 abundance of water is secured from the Loupe River by pumping, and irriga- 

 tion is used throughout the nursery except on the seed-beds, for the period of 

 two or three months after sowing. The beds are made on a level with the 

 paths. If irrigation is started and it is found that the paths are lower than 

 the beds, they are filled in so the water will run directly over the bed and not 

 in the paths. 



The beds are sown during the month of April, so the plants which are 

 produced at a density of from 6,000 to 8,000 to the bed, 12 ft. by 4 ft., will get 

 the full benefit of the entire growing season. 



The beds are sown and covered with burlap, which is placed directly upon 



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