GAGE COUNTY NURSERIES, BEATRICE, NEBRASKA. 
3 
SUGGESTIONS TO PLANTERS. 
Success depends in a large measure on the treatment given stock after it is 
received by the planter. Thousands of well-grown, healthy specimens, delivered in 
first-class condition, are annual. y lost through neglect and bad treatment. Avoid 
all unnecessary exposure to the air. The natural place for the roots of trees is in 
the ground; as soon as received they should be heeled in. so that mellow earth will 
como in contact with all the roots, pressing the earth firmly about the roots with 
the foot. When planting, take out but a few at a time. One hour’s exposure to hot 
sun or drying wind is sure death to many trees. More particularly Is this the case 
with evergreens, as their sap is composed of a resinous matter which, when once 
dried, no amount of soaking wil» dilute and restore to its normal condition. 
It may be taken as an invariable rule that good fruit cannot be raised upon a 
soil which is wet or not well drained. It should be rich enough to produce a good 
crop of corn, and should be well prepared for planting by deep plowing and liberal 
manuring if not in good condition. Cut off the ends of all bruised or broken roots 
with a sharp knife, as a clean cut will heai much sooner than a bruise. If it be a 
standard tree for the orchard, cut each of the side limbs back to a bud four or five 
inches from the body of the tree, leaving the leader or central limb from 12 to 18 
inches long. When there are no side limbs suitable for this purpose, the tree should 
be divested of all its branches and headed back to a proper height to form the top. 
Peach trees should be cut back about one-half of the original height, while with 
cherry trees the limbs shou.d only be trimmed out a little. 
Jn properly prepared ground the holes need not be dug much larger than neces- 
sary to receive the roots in their original position, but it is always best to dig. some 
distance below the roots and refill with surface soil. Two persons are required to 
plant trees properly; while one holds the tree upright, let the other fill in with rich, 
mellow earth, carefu.ly among the roots, keeping them in position, and when the 
roots are covered, turn In about one-half pail of water, or enough to mold the soil 
about the roots, stamp the soil down as solid as the surrounding ground. Thousands 
of trees are lost annually by leaving the ground loose in planting, permitting the 
air to penetrate to the roots. Plant the same depth, or a little deeper, than when 
in the nursery. 
As soon as planted, five or six inches of coarse manure or other litter should 
be spread over the ground about the tree, four or five feet in diameter. This will 
keep the surface moist, and aid the tree during dry weather. Then carefully cul- 
tivate the ground between the trees. 
NUMBER OF TREES AND PLANTS ON AN ACRE AT VARIOUS DISTANCES. 
1 
foot 
X 
1 
foot. . 
43.560 
5 
feet 
X 
5 
feet.. 
1,712 
2 
feet 
X 
1 
foot.. 
21.7.S0 
6 
feet 
X 
6 
feet.. 
1.210 
2 
feet 
X 
2 
feet... 
10.800 
8 
feet 
X 
8 
feet. . 
680 
3 
feet 
X 
1 
foot. . 
14,520 
10 
feet 
X 
10 
feet. . 
3 
feet 
X 
2 
feet... 
7.260 
12 
feet 
X- 
12 
feet.. 
302 
3 
feet 
X 
3 
feet. . . 
4.840 
1 5 
feet 
X 
15 
feet.. 
1 0.3 
4 
feet 
X 
1 
foot. . 
16 
feet 
X 
16 
feet.. 
170 
4 
feet 
X 
2 
feet. . . 
5.445 
18 
feet 
X 
18 
feet.. 
131 
4 
feet 
X 
3 
feet . . . 
3.630 
2e 
feet 
X 
20 
feet. . 
108 
4 
fe«'t 
X 
4 
feet. . . 
2.722 
25 
feet 
X 
25 
feet.. 
60 
5 
feet 
X 
2 
feet. . . 
4.350 
30 
feet 
X 
30 
feet. . 
48 
5 
feet 
X 
3 
feet... 
2 304 
33 
feet 
X 
20 
feet. . 
66 
5 
feet 
X 
4 
feet... 
2,178 
The 
number 
of plants required for fin 
acre, at 
any 
etlven 
distance apart, may 
be ascertained by dividing the number of square feet in an acre (43.560) by the 
number of square feet given to each plant, which is obtained hv multiplying the 
distance between rows by the distance between the plants. Thus, strawberries 
planted three feet by one foot, gives each plant three square feet, or 14,520 plants 
to the acre. 
BLACK LOCUST. 
We consider this the most valuable tree we have for fence-post timber, and the 
immense sa.es we are having on these seedlings the past few seasons in the East 
as well as in the West shows that the people are just beginning to realize its great 
value. You do not have to figure out how much good it will do further generations 
when planting it. but you can expect to commence cutting fence posts In 5 to G 
years. Several of our customers who planted the 6 to 12-inch grade last spring 
wrote us this fall that they had a fine grove that would run about 5 feet in height. 
We have known trees to make a growth of eight feet In one season when conditions 
were favorable. They flourish in almost any climate and soi» and soon grow into 
very valuable timber. You will note favorable prices on page 23. 
RUSSIAN MULBERRY. 
The Russian Mulberry we consider the best deciduous tree for close-in wind- 
breaks for stock or buildings, as the branches grow close and foliage dense, making 
a protection for stock equal to, and often better than, open sheds. They cost only 
a trifle, and you cannot invest a litt.e time and money to better advantage than 
by planting a protecting grove or hedge about the place where it is needed. These 
seedlings transplant so easily that with the heavier grades you are practically as- 
sured of a stand of trees before they are planted. 
CATALPA SPECIOSA. 
The value of this tree is now becoming generally known, not by hearsay, as 
formerly, but by experience and general observation, as these trees have been widely 
grown for sufficient time to give practical tests as to their rapid growth and also 
to their enduring qualities for fence posts. We gather our own seed, thereby secur- 
ing the genuine Speciosa variety, which is the variety that should be planted as 
far north as Kansas. 
