16 THE FOREST TREE CULTURIST. 
CHAPTER II. 
PROPAGATION. 
Tiere is no occasion for a very scientific or elaborate 
description of the different methods employed in propaga- 
tion of forest trees being given in a simple treatise like 
this. That they may be propagated in various ways is 
true, but the man who desires to grow only the native or 
more common exotic forest trees has no occasion to study 
the mysteries of horticultural science. I am well aware 
that it has been generally supposed among the farmers 
that it was only nurserymen that were able to grow such 
trees successfully ; but this is an error; or, at least, if 
they do succeed better than others, it 1s only because they 
have given more attention to the subject; as it does not 
require any more skill to grow an acre of our common 
forest trees than it does to grow an acre of cabbage or 
corn. They require no better preparation of soil or any 
better after-culture than a majority of our ordinary farm 
crops. 
The cost of producing seedling trees is also much less 
than those unacquainted with the subject would suppose. 
Having grown many thousands, I think that a fair esti- 
mate of cost at one year old, tuking one variety with an- 
other, will not exceed two dollars per thousand. ‘This 
estimate includes the cost of seed, preparing soil, hoeing, 
weeding, ete., for one season. The cost will certainly de- 
