MICHIGAN Experiment station 15 



iproduced good timber, it is a sure sign that it is unsafe to plant such 

 trees for profit; on the other hand, if fire and browsing animals are kept 

 out, it is pretty safe to rely on a good crop of timber on land where one 

 fine crop of trees has been removed. 



For Michigan the following kinds have been known to grow well, 

 each in soil suited to it; white pine, Norway pine, American elm, white 

 ash, basswood, sugar maple, black cherry, yellow birch, red oak, and per- 

 haps also -with good care, butternut and walnut. Many others have n^ade 

 valuable timber, but most of them grow too slowly for profit, or grow 

 rapidly but make timber of poor quality. 



In 1863, Prof. James Satterlee, with his father, planted near Greenville, 

 Montcalm county, a considerable grove of chestnuts, butternuts and black 

 walnuts. All have done well and are now healthy. The leading native 

 trees on such land were white oak and black oak. Such an experiment 

 begun thirty-five years ago, is worth considerable to one interested in tree 

 planting. 



In some places it may be profitable to grow aspens and some other 

 poplars, with a view of using the timber for paper pulp. 



There is no danger of planting the trees too thickly, but this work 

 costs something. The better kinds selected to plant may be scattered 

 about among the stumps, placing four to the square rod, 640 to the 

 square acre, and among these, and near them, should be other cheap and 

 quick growing trees or shrubs to shade the ground and help keep out 

 grasses, herbaceous plants and weeds. For cheap nurse trees, to 

 start quickly and shade the ground, there appears nothing better than 

 "box elder. On the light sand, jack pine started from the seed, is first 

 rate. 

 What preparations shall be given the land? 



To cover every case the answers would be numerous and long, because 



of varied conditions. If much rubbish is left unburned it may be best 



to fire it and clear the land. If grass and pasturing have left the surface 



with a good deal of sod, plowing will be beneficial, but this, is not always 



possible. In case it is not, dig over a space two feet or more in diameter 



wherever a small tree is planted. In most places the ground is already 



somewhat shaded by trunks of small trees. In this case no preparation is 



•needed, possibly, excepting the reduction of neighboring bushes the better 



to expose to light the young tree you are planting. Bear in mind that 



this planting anew has to be done but once for all time, and the work 



should therefore be well done. 



After setting the young trees what care will, they need? 



Rigidly keep out fire and grazing animals. While your choice saplings 



■are yet small, pass over the ground from year to year and lop off the 



tops of the surrounding bushes, if thej' reach much above those you are 



■caring for. If two branches to the main trunk are very nearly equal in 



size, cut one off or remove a part of it, thus sending more vigor into the 



remaining branch, that a straight trunk may be produced. After the 



trees have grown so large that a crop is to be harvested there are two 



ways to proceed. One is to cut off every tree of any value and allow 



•sprouts or seedlings to renew the forest, the other is to keep taking out 



from time to time a tree here and there as it is needed, leaving the rest 



to grow. On hilly land the latter method is always preferable. 



Evergreens are best planted just as the buds are pushing in the spring, 

 -other trees may be planted in the spring or fall, while they are destitute 



■of Ipnvpa 



