SYLVICULTURE. 



III. Certainty of planting the seedlings neither deeper nor higher 

 than they were in the nursery. 



Conifers cannot be stump planted. 



If stump plants of Ash or Maple are to be used, stumps one and 

 one-half to two inches high should be left. In the case of Oak, the 

 stemlet should be cut off just above the point of differentiation. 

 Stumping seems practicable in the case of Chestnut as well, and Is 

 often applied to Catalpa, Locust and Honey-Locust. Stumping i? 

 objectionable on account of the rabbits eating the new shoots, or 

 where weeds are rank. 



D. Bunch planting is often practiced where very small seedlings, 

 cheaply raised and not transplanted in the nursery, are thereafter 

 exposed in the woods to atmospheric hardships or to damage by ani- 

 mals. From two to thirty such seedlings form a bunch planted into 

 one hole. Bunch planting is applied to German Spruce and Beech, 

 although losing favor with the foresters abroad. 



E. Plants may be planted irregularly or else in triangles, squares, 

 rectangles. The advantage of an exact regular arrangement, which 

 may be obtained with the help of long planting strings, bearing blue 

 and red marks, are: 



I. Saving -of time .and expense. Each workman is kept busy by 

 the work of his neighbor, and none can fall behind. Supervision by 

 rangers is facilitated. 



II. The number of plants needed is easily found and the probable 

 expense is more accurately estimated. 



III. Small seedlings can be found easily in high weeds or grass. 



IV. A plantation may be opened to pasture at an earlier date. 



V. A mixture of species, and, later, underplanting are more 

 readily obtained. 



VI. The cleaning, thinning and pruning of the plantation is 

 facilitated. 



VII. Possibility of cultivation between the rows in prairies and 

 on abandoned fields. 



The triangular form gives the largest number of plants per 

 acre, distributes the growing space equally, and is therefore said to 

 raise cleaner stems. The arrangement in squares allows for a given 

 planting distance 15% less plants per acre than the triangular 

 system. 



The rectangular system, though scientifically objectionable, 

 practically prevails over the others. The plantlets standing close 

 within a row assist one another from early times on. Planting be- 

 tween the rows and the cultivation of slopes are facilitated within 



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