THE ASHES : THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND MANAGEMENT. 



45 



for filling in spots, when it is not convenient to get nursery stock, 

 and when it is possible to dig them up from near-by spots where they 

 are unnecessarily thick, and to transplant with great care. Wild 

 stock seedlings to be planted in comparatively open spots must be 

 taken from situations with similar shade conditions. Young (1 to 

 3 years old), vigorous, straight seedlings, under 2 feet in height, 

 should be secured if possible. For nursery-grown stock 1 to 2 year 

 seedlings, 6 inches to 2 feet high, are preferable because cheaper, 

 more easily planted, and usually more likely to succeed than older 

 and larger stock. 



The general spacing for plants on cut-over areas has already been 

 referred to (see p. 41). In general, 8 by 8 feet each way will be all 

 right, with every other tree an ash, although on drier and poorer sites 

 6 by 6 feet should be used. Where there is danger of suppression 

 by undeigrowth or natural growth of any kind, vigorous plants 2 to 4 

 feet high (2 to 3 years old) should be used, but otherwise plants 

 one-half to 2 feet in height (1 to 2 years old) will be sufficient. 



In planting fields and pastures the spacing should be 8 by 8 feet 

 where it is possible to cultivate and to grow field crops several seasons 

 between the rows; where not cultivated, 6 by 6 feet spacing (or 5 by 5 

 if soil is dry) should be used, except on unusually moist fertile soil, 

 where 7 by 7 or 8 by 8 is all right. It is possible to plant as few as 

 one-quarter of the trees ash, and by subsequent favoring to make 

 them form practically a pure stand. In this case every other row 

 could be of another species, and the remaining rows of ash alternating 

 with another species, which would result in the following number of 

 ash trees for the different spacings: 







Ash plants 





Total 



per acre 



Spacing. 



plants per 



(one- 





acre. 



quarter of 

 the total. 



Feet. 







5 by 5 



1,743 



436 



6 by 6 



1,210 



303 



7 by 7 



889 



222 



8 by 8 



681 



170 



Table 19 gives the species suitable for planting with 



