AND U. S. EXPERIMENT STATION. 15 



The ground for the deciduous trees had been plowed very deep in 

 the fall, and was in the finest condition at planting time. It sloped to 

 the east, with a slight southern trend. The plat was laid off in rows 

 165 feet long, four feet apart. The seeds were sown quite thick in nar- 

 row drills, and covered from one to three inches deep the latter cov- 

 ering only for the nuts, acorns and buckeyes. 



The subjoined tabulated statement will give in brief the record of 

 the year. 



The white ash was almost an entire failure, but few seeds germi- 

 nating. There was but little severe weather after the seeds were put 

 out to freeze, and this may account for the failure to germinate. We 

 have had the best results with ash with fall-planted seed, having tried 

 fall-planting, soaking in water 10 days, and the plan above mentioned. 

 If the seeds could be placed to freeze in the fall, it would be better 

 than March 1st. 



It is customary to plant the seeds of birch and alder under shade. 

 In this experiment all the seeds were given the same treatment. Not 

 a single seed of birch or alder germinated. The ground was very dry 

 for a while after the seeds were put in, and this may account for it. 

 Seeds of birch from the Turtle Mountain region, N. D., were soaked in 

 water a week and then planted under a well-built shade, in moist soil. 

 These also failed to germinate. 



A heavy loss was caused by cutworms ; entire rows of box elders 

 were cut off when the trees were in the fourth leaf, and maple, black 

 wild cherry, apple and black locust, were badly cut. During the time 

 that the cutworms were at work the weather was dry and cold, making 

 altogether a most unfavorable season up to the month of July. During 

 this month frequent showers and warm growing weather started an ex- 

 cellent growth. As will be seen by the table, the hickory nuts and 

 several other sorts did not germinate until the warm weather and rains 

 of July came. The black locust, honey locust, hickories, hackberry, 

 walnuts and Kentucky coffee tree were very irregular in sprouting, 

 some new plants appearing from time to time until frost came in Oc- 

 tober. Following is a tabulated record of the sprouting and growth of 

 the different varieties: 



