[Photo by N. M. Ross 



L3}^ cords of Cottonwood and Russian poplar poles, cut from trees planted four years. Trees planted on 

 Experimental Farm, Indian Head, Sask., in Spring of 1903, and cut in autumn of 1906. 



wood of a very similar quality. As re- 

 gards ease of propagation these three 

 varieties have a great advantage over 

 other kinds, as they are all readily 

 grown from cuttings. The advantage 

 to the farmer on this score is very evi- 

 dent; for, once having got a few trees of 

 any of these kinds on his place, he can 

 increase his plantation as much as he 

 pleases without expending a cent more 

 on nursery stock. 



A mixture of Cottonwood and willow 

 would be preferable to a pure plantation 

 of either variety, as temporary condi- 

 tions frequently are more favorable, in 

 certain seasons, to one kind than 

 another. As to method of planting a 

 spacing of four feet apart each way is 

 probably the best distance. If the trees 

 are set in rows both ways so that a 

 scuffler can be used in any direction 

 very little hand hoeing will be needed. 

 In a plantation of any size it will 

 alwa^'S pay to mark out the groun 1 be- 

 fore planting in order to get the cross 

 rows even. 



Cost of the Pl.\ntation. 



In regard to the actual cost of estab- 

 lishing such a plantation we have the 

 figures from our work on the Nursery 

 Station. Last spring (1908) 25 acres of 

 plantation were set out for test pur- 

 poses. Five acres of this area were 

 planted with spades at a cost of $0.99 

 per acre, and 20 acres were put in with 

 a plough at a cost of only $6.00 per acre. 

 This, then, shows greatly in favor of 

 using a plough in setting the young trees. 



We consider that three years are 

 necessary to establish a plantation of 

 the rapid growing varieties. From 

 actual records kept on the nursery the 

 cost is about as follows per acre: — 



1st Year. — Planting, $6.00; hoeing, 

 $4.97: horse scuffling, $1.11. Total, 

 $12.08. 



2nd Season. — Hoeing, $.5.00; horse 

 cultivation, $1.11. Total, $6.11. 



3rd Season. — -Hoeing, $6.00; horse 

 cultivation, 50 cents. Total, $6.50. 



Grand total for three years, $24.69. 



This sum of $24.69, then represents, 



