Engelmann Spruce 



The average first-year survival (71 percent) of spring-planted Engelmann spruce 

 (fig. 3) exceeded that (60 percent) of fall-planted trees over the 3-year study period. 

 During the first two test years the differences favored spring planting by fairly wide 

 margins (75 percent compared to 57 percent for the 1966-67 series and 76 percent com- 

 pared to 52 percent for the 1967-68 series) . However, during the third study year 

 survival was good (70 percent) for fall-planted trees, but survival of spring plantings 

 was reduced (67 percent) by a June drought and some nondormant stock. 



Survival variations for trees planted during the fall season were large compared 

 to variations for trees planted in the spring. Survival of spruce planted early in 

 the fall on either moist or dry sites was significantly better than that of trees 

 planted later (fig. 3D). For the first 2 years of the study, the survival of spruce 

 declined steadily throughout the fall planting season. In 1968, survival was lower for 

 the midfall planting, but improved slightly for late plantings. 



The survival of stock planted within the spring planting season was consistently 

 high and relatively unaffected by lateness of planting. During the 1966-67 and 1967-68 

 scries, survival of spring-planted trees was not reduced appreciably by planting as 

 late as June 19. In the spring of 1969, when some nondormant stock was planted in 

 relatively dry soil, survival decreased as planting was delayed. On the dry site, 

 little difference was recorded between the survival of trees planted in spring or fall 

 (57 percent and 54 percent, respectively). On the moist site, survival was benefited 

 by spring planting (86 percent compared to 63 percent survival for fall planting). 



11 



