TREE-PLAXTIIfG ON PRAIRIES. 55 



that can be easily transplanted is to start with seedlings 

 and plant in rows. The simplest and easiest way of doing 

 this is to furrow one way, mark out the other way, and plant 

 the trees in the furrows at the intersections. If Black 

 Walnut or any of the oaks are wanted in a mixed planting 

 it is generally best to plant the other species first and put in 

 the nuts or acorns afterwards. Where it is desirable to 

 plant seedlings or cuttings to fill vacancies, a pointed stick 

 or spade may be used to make the hole. Whatever method 

 is used in planting, it is most important that the soil be 

 packed firmly around the roots, so they will not dry out. 

 If the soil is dry, it cannot be made too solid around the 

 roots. If cuttings are used, they should be made about 

 14 inches long, and in planting be pushed into the loose soil 

 in a slanting position, leaving only one bud above the 

 surface, as recommended for the planting of cuttings. 



Cultivation should be commenced shortly after planting 

 and be repeated often enough to keep the top three inches 

 of soil loose, so as to form a dust blanket to retard evapora- 

 tion during dry weather. The soil should never be allowed 

 to become baked hard after a rain, but the crust should be 

 broken up -^ith a horse cultivator as soon after a rain as it 

 can be worked. Cultivation should be discontinued after 

 the first of August, in order to encourage early ripening of 

 the wood. The weeds that grow after this time of year 

 will do no harm. 



One of the best tools for early cultivation of small seed- 

 lings is Breed's Weeder, which may be worked both ways 

 and cleans out the weeds to perfection. The ordinary corn 

 cultivator is also a good implement for this purpose. 

 Later cultivation should consist of working the soil with a 

 one-horse cultivator or plough. If the horse implements 

 are properly used there will be no necessity of hand hoeing, 

 for the few weeds that grow in the rows of trees will do no 

 injury to them. Some planters sow oats among the young 



