NURSERY PRACTICE FOR PRAIRIE-PLAINS PLANTING 



91 



soon as it is dry enough so that the upper one or two inches can be 

 brought into a fine, mealy crumb condition. 



The type and spacing of sweeps and shovels are important to assure 

 a satisfactory job. Six-inch duck-foot shovels or 6-inch flat sweeps 

 spaced so as to give full cut or cover are to be preferred in weed 

 removal. Sharp, self-scouring tools are essential. Spike- tooth culti- 

 vators are desirable where improvement of the physical condition of 

 the soil is the chief consideration. 



Close row spacing in nursery operations demands a degree of ac- 

 curacy and precision in cultural work not easily attained with horses; 

 therefore, tractor power (rig. 29) is becoming increasingly popular in 

 nursery work. Garden tractors, properly equipped, have proved 



Figure 29. — A, garden tractor equipped with cultivator for small nurseries; 

 B, multiple-row cultivator taking 4 rows at a time. 



very satisfactory; but larger tractors will do the job more economi- 

 cally, since they can handle a number of rows at one time. Less 

 turnrow area and reduced losses from trampling are other advantages 

 of tractor cultivation. In addition, the convenience of tractors for 

 intermittent jobs is a factor to be considered. 



Hand cultivation and weeding within or closely adjacent to the 

 rows are necessary as soon as the machine cultivation between the 

 rows has been finished (fig. 30). A wheel type of hoe is useful where 

 the rows are narrow and straight. Hand hoes with the blade cut down 

 to a 2-inch width are helpful in close work. These may be supple- 

 mented by small hand weeders (fig. 31). 



Irrigation 



In irrigating deciduous nurseries the frequency of irrigation and 

 amount of water needed will be dependent on available rainfall, soil 

 type, growth habits of the species concerned, stand density, and size 

 of stock desired. Climatic factors such as temperature, wind velocity. 

 and humidity are also important. For the most part, irrigation will 

 be confined to a period of 1 to 2 months in midsummer. Without 

 exception it should be tapered oil" in late summer and early fall to the 



