110 PRACTICAL FORESTRY IN 



very successful in many regions, but, unlike most conifers, it 

 sheds its leaves in winter. Where a windbreak is to consist of 

 a single row only, it should be of a densely growing type 

 that branches close to the ground. For low breaks of this 

 character the Russian mulberry and Osage orange are excel- 

 lent. 



Trees for woodlot or windbreak planting can be purchased 

 from commercial nurserymen or grown by the farmer. Many 

 growers of orchard trees, particularly in the states in the 

 middle West, do a large business in forest tree seedlings. 

 Since the transportation charges are often high, and since 

 most farmers can give the attention and labor necessary to 

 raising the trees themselves without inconvenience or extra 

 expense, it is often desirable for them to do so. The Forest 

 Service of the U. S. Department of Agriculture has issued sev- 

 eral publications containing full directions for the establish- 

 ment of nurseries, and these can be obtained from the Super- 

 intendent of Public Documents, Washington, D. C, free or at 

 a nominal cost.* 



Planting may be done in the spring or fall, the latter being 

 often preferable in regions where a dry season occurs early in 

 the summer. For plantations of broadleaf species, one-year- 

 old seedlings are best suited, while coniferous species should 

 be two to three years old. The chief points to remember in 

 setting out the trees are not to allow the roots, particularly of 

 coniferous trees, to dry out; to dig the holes large enough to 

 enable the roots to take a normal position without doubling 

 up, and to pack the soil firmly around them. Where planting 

 is done on open ground, it is highly advantageous to plow and 

 harrow the soil before setting out the trees in order to pre- 

 serve the moisture and kill weeds and sod. 



Willows, cottonwoods and other poplars are very easily 

 propagated from cuttings. Cuttings should be of strong, 

 healthy wood of the previous season's growth which ripened 



* Reprint from Yearbook, Dept. of Agr., 1905, "How to Grow Young 

 Trees for Forest Planting." 



Bulletin No. 29, "The Forest Nursery." 



Planting leaflets for almost all important forest trees. 



