108 Fourth Annual Report of the 



by us of the denuded lands in the Forest Preserve has on but one 

 occasion (1912) been equalled, while other years show but a small 

 portion of such a large area planted. 



Nurseries 



The same nurseries were in operation as in 1913. The only 

 increase in extent is at Saratoga where a small additional area 

 was made available. We are endeavoring to place all of our 

 nurseries on a crop rotation basis, i. e., use the soil for three to 

 four years for production of stock, then apply a heavy coat of 

 manure and sow a soil crop for one to two years. This results in 

 far better trees, prevents deterioration of soil and maintains fer- 

 tility at lowest cost. This plan will not necessarily mean exten- 

 sion of area or reduced output because we are using a different 

 transplant spacing. We have departed from our former system 

 of six-foot beds with two-foot paths, and now set the trees in large 

 blocks about fifty feet square. We have changed the spacing from 

 three to one and one-half inches for trees in the row, while the 

 distance between the rows has been increased from six to nine 

 inches. The net result is that the transplant area will be in- 

 creased sufficiently to allow for the crop rotation. We shall have 

 a greater stand per acre and the new spacing will permit use of 

 wheeled hoes. These factors will decrease the weeding expense 

 and thus tend to lower production cost. 



The inventory of stock on hand November 23, 1914, shows a 

 total of 32,182,600 evergreen and 796,100 hardwood seedlings 

 and cuttings, or a grand total of 32,978,700. This is an increase 

 of approximately 5,000,000 over the same time last year. The 

 inventory shows coniferous stock by age classes as follows : 



4-year transplants 2,743,000 



3-year transplants ! 7,320,000 



3-year seedlings 676,000 



2-year seedlings 10,109,000 



1-vear seedlings 11,334,600 



Total 32,182,600 



