2 BULLETIN 1113, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 



to be followed in preparing the land for tree planting, in planting 

 the trees, and in cultivating and caring for the trees after planting. 

 Special instructions are given for the planting and care of evergreen 

 or coniferous trees. 



Experience has shown that proper preparation of the land is es- 

 sential to the successful growing of trees in these semiarid plains. 

 The soil must be free from sod and growing grass and must contain 

 at the time of planting a reasonable supply of moisture. Clean 

 summer fallow has been found the most effective tillage method for 

 this purpose. In addition to proper preparation of the land it is 

 necessary to practice clean cultivation until such time as the trees 

 are large enough to practically shade the entire space between the 

 rows. Farmers are required to maintain these conditions as their 

 part of the cooperation. 



As the trees are grown under unusually severe conditions, nothing 

 but small stock is used. The age and size of the different species 

 are as follows : Box elder, Russian olive, and Tartarian maple, 1-year 

 seedlings ranging from 6 to 24 inches high; green ash, caragana, 

 and white elm, 2-year seedlings from 12 to 24 inches tall ; and poplars, 

 rooted cuttings. The caragana and poplars are cut back to about- 

 8 inches to insure their proper growth after planting. 



The conifers are of a necessity older stock, being seedlings trans- 

 planted to the field the second year and allowed to grow one or two 

 years, according to the species — jack, Scotch, and western yellow 

 pine are 2-1 transplants ; that is, two years in the seed beds and one 

 year in the transplant field. Spruce may be either 2-1, 2-2, or 2-3, 

 according to the size of the original seedlings and the rate of 

 growth made in the transplant fields. 



The use of small stock insures a more satisfactory stand than 

 when larger stock is used, besides insuring its delivery to the co- 

 operating farmer in the best condition. 



The farmers of this region having come into the northern Great 

 Plains from other more favorable sections, are not familiar with 

 the conditions under which trees may be grown. In addition to the 

 printed instructions in regard to the work, all farmers are visited 

 each summer to check up their work and to see if the plans and 

 instructions have been followed. This has been found to be one of the 

 most essential parts of the work, as without the personal visits and 

 the assistance given by the field men, the farmer soon grows dis- 

 couraged and often abandons the trees to grow as they may, which 

 results in their failure, due to the growing about them of grass 

 and weeds. The farmer is also furnished cards on which to report 

 the cultivations during the summer and the losses during the first 

 two summers. 



