A ]\I E R I C A X SYLVICULTURE 



Sassafras: Planting of seed in nurseries at Biltmore has been 

 an entire failure. The seeds lived through the first summer but 

 did not begin to sprout. Deep cover required, since cotyledons are 

 kept underground. The removal of the flesh enwrapping the seed 

 (by malting, etc.), is required before planting. 



Paragraph XXXVI. Raising and planting soft- 

 wood seedlings. 



Yellow Pines: Seeds are covered two-fifths to three-fifths 

 inches' deep. Nursery soil to be pressed thoroughly before and after 

 seed planting. Planting of yearlings (from 5,000 to 40,000 per acre) 

 forms the rule. The roots of such yearlings are ten inches long. 

 On sandy soil, cleft planting is universal (with planting dagger). 

 On binding soil, ball plants one or two years old are best. 



Recently some foresters recommend transplants two years old 

 which more readily overcome the infantile diseases. No mound 

 nor bunch planting. On very sandy soil Yellow Pines are planted 

 deeper (up to first needles) than they stood in the nursery. A 

 plantation ten years old should densely cover the grovmd. 



Jack Pine (Pinus divaricata) does very well on the poorest 

 sand. Very rapid growth. Pinus rigida crawls on the ground dur- 

 ing the first and second j'ear, putting up a strong stem thereafter. 

 Pinus sylvestris (Scotch Pine) is the cheapest that can be planted 

 and the most successful species in the Adirondacks. At Biltmore 

 it does exceedingly' well on dry south slopes.. 



White Pine: Quite different from Y^ellow Pine is the ease 

 with which it is transplanted. Seedlings one year old are very 

 small and apt to suff'er from leaves smothering them. Seedlings 

 two years old have been planted at Biltmore on abandoned fields 

 (in holes) very successfully. Transplants three and four years old 

 are usually used. Owing to its greater shade bearing qualities 

 White Pine may be used also for temporary underplanting. Seed- 

 lings suff'er badly from fungi. White Pine is subject to damage 

 from too-deep planting. In the Adirondacks, the best and strongest 

 individuals form a second summer shoot, the buds of which are killed 

 by early frost, so that no top shoot grows in the ensuing year. At 

 Biltmore, the second shoot seems to be safe from frost. 



Spruce: Nursery rills one inch wide, five inches apart. Trans- 

 planting distance usually four to six inches. Slow growth at first. 

 Smallest size that may be used are seedlings two years old. Ball 



