CHAPTER VII 

 TREE GROWING 



" There is something nobly simple and pure in a taste for the 

 cultivation of forest trees. It argues, I think, a sweet and generous 

 nature to have this strong relish for the beauties of vegetation, and 

 this friendship for the hardy and glorious sons of the forest." 



WASHINGTON IRVING. 



FOR tree growing the first requisite is well-prepared soil. 

 This is so essential that it is mentioned first and perhaps 

 will also be mentioned last in the chapter, so that its im- 

 portance may not be underestimated. It is not absolutely 

 necessary to have any particular kind of soil, but it must 

 be well prepared. There are trees for sand and trees for 

 clay; trees for wet places and trees for dry; trees that 

 endure shade and trees that require light ; but all alike 

 do best on well-prepared soil. The preparation required 

 is that which would be made to furnish a seed-bed for any 

 field or garden crop. A good summer fallow, or land on 

 which roots have been raised the previous year, or well- 

 tilled garden soil are the most suitable. In districts where 

 the rainfall is light, as is the case throughout the greater 

 part of the prairie region, summer fallow is preferable, as 

 part of the rainfall of two seasons is stored in the ground. 

 In fact the superiority of the summer fallow over land 

 prepared in any other way is so great that for several 



