Musser Forests, Inc., Indiana, Pa. 
Christmas Tree Bulletin 

Plant Several Species 
A mixture of species in the same plantation is the 
most desirable method of planting. With a variety of 
species to offer, you will undoubtedly make additional 
sales. Also different species have different rates of growth 
making it possible to harvest more crops from the same 
plantation. 
We would sugges: a planting of 70% pines, and 30% 
spruces. You may have several varieties of both species 
depending on your particular soil and climate conditions. 
You will find it will pay you well when marketing 
time comes. 

Bundled Christmas Trees leaye plantation by team and wagon. 
Standing trees will be left for timber. 
Preparation of the 
Planting Site 
We recommend no preparation of soil before planting. 
The added expense is usually not justified, and often a 
light growth of grass and weeds is actually beneficial to 
the growth of young trees since they offer shade and 
moisture retention during the early stages of the planta- 
tion. If you intend to cultivate your trees after planting 
it will be necessary to plow the site first. 
Planting 
When growing trees are spaced too closely together 
they crowd, and the resulting competition speeds up the 
height growth but tends to make the trees thin and thus 
poor Christmas Trees. The best shaped trees will be 
grown by spacing far enough apart that they do not inter- 
fere with each other. However, it is economical to speed 
up the growth somewhat, and it is advisable to utilize all 
the land. Through years of experimenting we have arrived 
at an average spacing of four feet as being best for all 
Christmas Tree plantings. Planting is done as with any 
forest trees. Directions accompany our price list literature. 

Bundled trees ready to be trucked or loaded on railroad cars. 
Pruning or Shearing 
Pruning or shearing is recommended for growing all 
varieties of PINE Christmas Trees. It develops a solid, 
extra heavy branched and bushy tree. This procedure will 
produce a premium tree that will command the very high- 
est prices. Pruning is done at about the fourth year, and 
BEFORE the NEW tender growth starts to get tough and 
woody. It is usually done between June Ist and July 31st. 
Pruning is an easy thing to do, one man using long 
shears can prune at least fifty (50) trees per hour. Trim 
off about one half of the NEW growth made during one 
season. Later in the season many new buds will form 
which will produce many more branches the following 
year. Also shape the tree to a symmetrical form. 
Except for pruning, no care or cultivation is necessary. 

Christmas Trees go by railroad car to distant cities. 
Two to four thousand trees per car. 
Harvesting 
The trees of a Christmas Tree plantation do not all 
arrive at merchantable size the same year. As soon as 
some are of suitable size they should be cut and marketed. 
The following year more will be ready. Where much 
land is available it is a good plan to combine reforestation 
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