FOREST PLANTING IN THE INTERMOUNTAIN REGION. 5 



snowfall is not excessive, and should be as nearly free from unusual 

 frosts as possible. The soil should be a rich, moderately light sandy 

 loam, free from coarse gravel and rock. The arable area would 

 naturally depend on the amount of stock to be grown and the methods 

 used. With the intensive methods in practice in the past, approx- 

 imately 5 acres would be required for an annual output of 1,000,000 

 2-1 transplants. An ample water supply is essential. 



NURSERY OPERATIONS. 



The nursery practice at these nurseries indicates that standard 

 methods will apply as well in this region as in the more humid 

 localities where they were originated. The dryness of the air neces- 

 sitates more watering and greater care and rapidity of work in all 

 processes of transplanting, packing, etc., which involve exposure of 

 roots to the air. Germination of seed with thorough watering is 

 about as found elsewhere, averaging as follows: 



Species Germination period 



Engelmann spruce 21 to 28 days. 



Norway spruce 21 to 28 days. 



Blue spruce • 21 to 28 days. 



Lodgepole pine 25 to 30 days. 



Western yellow pine (Utah) 25 to 30 days. 



Western yellow pine (Idaho) 25 to 45 days. 



Douglas fir 25 to 45 days. 



After germination the seedbeds require careful watering to keep 

 the developing seedlings from drying and to bring on the germination 

 of lagging seeds. Even in this dry region it is inadvisable to try to 

 force the last seeds to germinate as it is likely to bring about losses 

 from " damping off". Established seedlings require a thorough 

 watering but once in 8 to 10 days. After August 1 all water is with- 

 held to insure proper hardening before frosts occur. 



The degree of shade is a matter that has to be determined for each 

 site, and accordingly little can be said on that point for future guid- 

 ance. It is worth knowing, however, that lodgepole pine and 

 western yellow pine were grown successfully at the Cottonwood 

 Nursery without any shade. Douglas fir and all of the spruces 

 required shade during the first season and throve better when shaded 

 during the second and third seasons. Experiments for the purpose 

 of determining the optimum amount of shade for Engelmann spruce 

 and Douglas fir gave results indicating that for the former species 50 

 per cent or possibly 75 per cent is optimum and half shade is suf- 

 ficient for the latter. 



First year seed beds were shaded from the time germination 

 began; or if the weather was excessively hot, from the time the seed 

 was sown until cool weather set in about September 1. In earlier 

 years shade was furnished by means of a woven 4-foot wire and lath 

 fencing, supported on a permanent framework by posts 8 feet above 

 the ground. However, in 1919, the greater portion of the frame- 

 work was torn down and replaced by low shade frames. The most 

 satisfactory method of shading tried at the Cottonwood Nursery 

 was a rolled 4-foot lath fencing of any desired length, supported by 

 stakes 8 to 12 inches above the bed, on whicl) were nailed 2 by 2 

 inch scantlings. The shades were placed in position and also re- 

 moved by rolling them along on top of the scantlings, being very 

 readily shifted at small expense. 



