COTTONWOOD IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 59 
FIELD PRACTICE. 
METHODS. 
Cottonwood seedlings possess a long, thick taproot, with a few 
short, fibrous laterals. Methods of field planting will differ little 
with seedlings or cuttings. One of the best tools for setting either 
kind of stock is a long, narrow-bladed spade, with a sharp cutting 
edge, which can be inserted at least 12 inches into the ground. The 
blade need not be over 4 to 6 inches wide, but should have a foot 
extension for forcing it more easily into the ground, and a cross-bar 
handle to turn in making the hole. The soil can readily be filled 
in about the plant by forcing the earth from the outside by several 
insertions of the spade and finally firmed down about the plant with 
‘the foot. To facilitate the work’a boy should insert the tree in the 
opening and hold it in place, while a man firms the earth about it: 
The boy also carries the basket of cuttings or seedlings. Seedlings 
should be set shghtly lower than they stood in the nursery bed. Cut- 
tings should be inserted about a foot deep. In cultivated soil, where 
short cuttings are practicable, they should, be buried for their whole 
length, with the exception of 3 or 4 inches of top bearing the bud, 
and may be set at an angle of nearly 45° with the surface in order 
to facilitate packing the earth about them. 
A plain pointed iron bar will often serve for planting cuttings. 
This may be improved by attaching a cross handle and foot bar 
similar to those described for the spade. A very satisfactory plant- 
ing tool of this character can be made of iron gas pipe, with the 
lower end brought to a sharp point of specially hard temper. 
COST. 
By working 10 hours a day a man and boy should be able, after a 
little experience, to set out 1$ acres of seedlings or 2 acres of cuttings 
per day, which would amount to from 1,020 to 1,360 trees, if spaced 
8 feet apart each way. Proper alignment of the rows can be gained 
by using flags or stakes, by which one man in each crew can line 
himself in. Assuming that two men plant an acre and a half per 
day, and allowing a wage of $2 for the man and $1.25 a day for his 
assistant, the total cost of planting should not exceed $2.50 per acre. 
In the case of cuttings, which are easier to handle, this cost may 
fall below $2 per acre. If a closer spacing is adopted the cost will be 
proportionately increased. 
Some rather large planting operations with cottonwood have been 
reported in which the total cost per acre, including cost of stock, 
preparation of site, and planting, with a spacing of 6 by 6 feet, was 
only $5 a thousand for seedlings and $3 for cuttings. The planting 
stock in this case was collected by the company in the vicinity of the 
planting. 
