Cdiuididn Forcsliij Joimuil, Srplcinhc/ , lUll 



1281 



Establishing a Plantation of Conifers 

 on the Prairies 



By a. Harding, Lougheed, Al'ta. 



What Trees to Plant and How to 

 Plant Them — as Shown by Experience. 



The planting of bells of trees on 

 the prairie is becoming more ex- 

 tensive each year and the questions 

 which are foremost in the minds of 

 those who are undertaking the work 

 are: 



1st. What species of trees are 

 best adapted for the soil and situation 

 where it is intended to place the 

 woodlot? 



2nd. Where can they be obtained 

 in the most economical and satis- 

 factory way? 



For most districts, the valuable 

 native conifers, especially the white 

 spruce, should be favoured above all 

 the species of trees which can be 

 grown on the plains and partially 

 wooded areas of the west. They not 

 only excel other trees in usefulness 

 for the protection of buildings and 

 stock but their drought-resisting 

 nature and the comparative ease 

 with which they can be grown place 

 them foremost in the list. 



Pines and spruce are rapid growers 

 when once past the seedling stage 

 and for a sustained growth and long 

 life they must be placed in the shelter 

 of other forest trees which are in- 

 digenous to the west. 



Persons living within a moderate 

 distance of a spruce or pine woods 

 may obtain young trees for planting 

 by carefully digging up the seedlings 

 which are usually to be found at the 

 edge of the forest or in openings 

 which have been created by fires or 

 logging operations. Preference must 

 be given to those which are growing 

 in the most exposed and sunny loca- 

 tions. The soil can be easily washed 

 from the roots for convenience in 

 packing and then the trees placed 

 closely together in small bundles and 



their roots wrapped in wet moss for 

 transportation. It is usually best 

 to take trees from (> to 12 inches in 

 height, though slightly larger ones 

 may be successfully handled. 



The Planting Meihod 

 The trees should be carefully plant- 

 ed in the garden or in other specially 

 prepared soil, setting them slightly 

 deeper in earth than they were origin- 

 ally and cultivating them for several 

 years until a suitable size for perman- 

 ent planting is reached. 



People who are too great a dis- 

 tance from the woods to procure their 

 own trees, can have some one who 

 lives by the woods dig up the seed- 

 lings, taking great care never to 

 allow the fibrous roots to become dry 

 for an instant, then packing the 

 roots closely in wet moss and placing 

 in a box lined with burlap or other 

 sacking and shipping to destination 

 by express. This plan has been 

 carried out with perfect satisfaction 

 by the writer. 



Preparation of Soil 

 Preparation of the soil for the 

 plantation ought to be started early 

 in the year previous to setting out 

 the trees in order to conserve mois- 

 ture and otherwise obtain a suitable 

 condition for the trees. The soil 

 should be plowed to a depth of 9 

 to 10 inches so that the tree roots can 

 readily penetrate to a sufficient depth 

 to withstand drought and become 

 firmly rooted in the earth. 



Spruce and Pine 

 Spruce and pine should be lifted 

 with as much earth as is permissable 

 for handling and spaced 4 by 5 feet 

 or .5 by 5 feet apart in rows. 



