128 SOUTH DAKOTA AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



the native Spruce (Picia alba} should form at least three-fourths 

 of the plantation, and the remaining one-fourth could be mixed 

 at intervals of twelve feet among the predominant variety. 

 This one-fou-ith should consist of trees of the greatest 

 economical value, hence ash would form a large part of it. Kim, 

 black wild cherry, the walnuts (in some localities), burr oak and 

 in the borders of the plantation, the wild plum could be used 

 w T ith profit. 



GROWTH OF TREKS FROM THE SEED. The question is often 

 asked: Is it best to plant forest tree seed where the trees are to 

 stand, or to plant one year old seedlings? The answer will 

 depend upon circumstances. If good seed could be planted late 

 in the fall, in moist soil, and if the surface soil could then be 

 kept from blowing off before the warm days of spring, probably 

 a good stand would be secuted. But even then the care of the 

 plantation would be much more expensive than where seedlings 

 are used, as more handweeding would be necessary. The use 

 of trees is to be preferred, then, not only because they are more 

 easily cultivated the first and second years, but, generally, a 

 better stand is secured. Seedlings can be cultivated most 

 economically by planting the seeds thick in drills three inches 

 wide and three feet apart, Close sowing in the drill will force 

 the seedling to grow tall and thus make it easier to handle in 

 planting. It is true that thin seeding in the drill will make 

 stronger trees, but usually they will be plenty strong enough to 

 transplant at one } r ear old where sown thickly in drill. 



The seed of silver or "soft" maple (Acer dasycarpum) and 

 White Kim, Ulmus Americana) both of which are native along 

 Dakota streams, ripen almost as soon as the leaves expand and 

 should be sown immediately, as they loose their vitality by be- 

 ing kept a year. The seed of cottonwood should also be sown 

 as soon as ripe. Seeds of black, wild cherry, green ash, white 

 ash, box elder, the acorns and nuts, should be gathered as soon 

 as ripe in the fall, and placed where they will freeze and remain 

 frozen, if possible till planting time. The smaller seeds are 

 usually mixed with moist sand before freezing, and the larger 

 ones may be given the same treatment, or spread in thin layers 



