48 



five seedliKg tveea, than be at the, risk and cost of transplanting one frotft 

 'the riureery, if his sole olyect is to grow a forest tree. 



In planting seeds the bed where they are to lie, should b* made level 

 and never more than two inches below the general surface of the grounds 

 The seeds should be dej)0sited, one or two inches apart, and covered as evenly 

 as possible . "The smaller the seeds the lees should be the covering as a gene- 

 ral rule, but none need be covered more than one inch deep. Extra seeds 

 being allowed for stich As do not come u^, and such as may burn or rot off 

 when small. The soil with which they are ooveired should be mellow, and if 

 it contain a large allowance of 'Vegetable material-, so much the better, as in 

 that case the covering will retain moisture without liability to bake iu drying. 

 ■After they come up they Require about the same care as beets or carrots, and 

 must be kfept clear of grass and weeds until they are large enough to produce 

 'sufficient leaves to shade the ground completely. ' 



If tie plantation of trees be intended for a tree-belt or forest^ such a plan 

 must be adopted as Will give sufficient space between the rows and trees to 

 'allow the horse-h'oe or cultivator to pass ; then in the Vacant spaces some low 

 growing crop, like bush btans, dwarf peas, onions, turnips, beets, carrots and 

 parsnips, ttiight be planted; remembering 'all the time that these last are but 

 the tempor'tiry crop and only planted, not for themselves, but to assist in part 

 pitying for th'e the cultivation of the greater crop of trees, during the first 

 years of their existence. Tap roots should never be grown, after the 'roots 

 of the trees have so extended themsel'ves as to be endangered in taking up 

 the crop of roots. ATter thkt period only such Crops as produce no roots to 

 be dug should be grown. Such crops, without damaging the young treea 

 Would be a real benefit ; as they would induce manuring the ground, and se» 

 cure thorough cultivation of the Biirfiice. No crop should be attempted 

 where hickory nuts or other seeds are planted as thick as for growing hoop» 

 poles; that is in rows four feet apart, and 12 to 18 inches in the row. Such 

 rows ought to occupy the entire ground after the second year, and never al- 

 lowing room for more than the cultivator to pass ; though a small crop might 

 be made, if the land were worked by hand only; but it is doubtful if it 

 would pay for the summer work which would be required. 



FORMS OF PLANTING. 

 Trees in forests and belts designed for timber or protection against winds 

 may be variously planted, as they may be designed for different purposes, 

 reference also being had to the kind of trees used. Such trees as are de- 

 signed primarily for their fruit, and ultimately for timber, such as chestnuts 

 butternuts, walnuts, and hickories, might be planted in squares one rod apart, 

 or 160 to the acre, or at 8 feet 8 inches apart each way, thus giving four trees 

 to the rod square, or 640 trees to the acre of land. This would be a good 

 distance for maples designed for making sugar ;"and for the couiferaj intend- 

 ed to be grown into large trees for timber. This form might be secondarily 



