52 FARM FORESTRY 



for the work of planting. Transplanting is a shock to the 

 young trees and all conditions must be made as favorable as 

 possible. 



Preparing the Soil. — Better results will be obtained if 

 the planting site is thoroughly cultivated before setting the 

 trees. This is especially true in the Middle West where the 

 heavy grass sods will quickly kill out the little trees. Thor- 

 ough cultivation of the soil conserves moisture, facilitates the 

 planting of the trees, induces rapid growth, and increases the 

 proportion of successful trees. Where the soil is favorable 

 and where there is not a heavy sod of grass or cover of weeds, 

 preparation is not always necessary. In the eastern part of 

 the country with its moist climate it is rarely that cultivation 

 of the soil previous to planting is necessary. It is only where 

 the conditions are not favorable to tree growth that it would 

 be recommended. 



Spacing the Trees in the Planting. — The distance apart 

 the trees should be planted will depend largely on the species 

 of tree used and on the character of the site to be planted. 

 Tolerant trees, or those that will stand considerable shade, can 

 be planted closer together than intolerant trees. Close plant- 

 ing should be used where the site is unfavorable. Fast-grow- 

 ing trees should be planted farther apart than slow-growing 

 trees. In general most trees should not be spaced farther apart 

 than 5 or 6 feet. The reason for planting the trees so closely 

 together is to get the ground covered as quickly as possible 

 by the crowns, so that the trees will protect the soil and each 

 other from the sun and from cold and drying winds, and 

 bring about forest conditions rapidly. Close spacing also 

 causes the early death of lower branches of the trees before 

 they become large. It causes rapid height growth in trees 

 and produces long and cylindrical trunks. Wide spacing usually 

 results in more branchy trees with thicker trunks. Where the 

 seedlings are planted among the stumps of trees or in brush a 

 wider spacing will often be necessary. 



