Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-03-14
FOREST PLANTING.

The Vermont Experiment station
has just issued timely bulletin on the
subject of forest planting in that
State
Some of the advice rs to the kinds
OF soil suited for planting. and, with
some modification. as TO the time for
planting should be found applicable
to forestry in Utah.
The method and as We should sup
pose the kinds of trees recommended
for Vermont might be suitable for
many Of our higher canyons.
Forest trees may be started from
seed. Sowing the seed in the field
either broadcast or in spots is not adj
vised, 1t Is better practice TO SOW
It in seed beds and to transplant the
seedlings when strong enough.
Home growing of tree seedlings in
garden beds on rows IS practicable. 1t
requires an understanding of the
methods suited to each kind. coupled
usually with some practical expert
cree, to insure full success. Locusts
and other declduous trees make strong
growth from the start and so present
relatively little difficulty. They can
b. planted in drills. and may be trans
planted to the field when one year
old.
Conrerous seeds such as pine,
spruce, etc, need more care and the
seedlings must remain in the seed bed
two years before they are large
enough to be transplanted, The bed
riust be on well drained soil, prefer
ably sandy loan, free from weed
seeds, in good filth and carefully pre-
pared. The seed may be drilled but
is better broadcasted. In the latter
case eight to twelve ounces of seed
should be sown on bed four by
twelve feet. This seed should then
be lightly covered with soil and the
whole protected by a layer of leaves,
straw or other litter or n close shade
To hold moisture until termination be-
gins. This requires two weeks or
more, according to temperature con-
dltions. Partial shade must be kept
over the seedlings during the first
summer, either by brush or lath
screens. If sparrows or other birds
are numerous a netting TO keep them
away Is also desirable. A protective
liar is needed the first winter. There
after they require no unusual atten-
ton. The chief cause OF failure Is
damping off fungous disease which
attacks the stems of the seedlings
during the month Immediately fol-
lowing their termination. sprinkl-
ing the surface of tho bed with hot
sand Is a partial preventive, but the
chief reliance must consist in keep
ing the surface OF the beds as dry as
practicable during this critical perl
cd II IS evident from what has been
said that until one has had expert
ence he should proceed on only a
small scale In such nursery-bed work.
The roots of such seedlings as are
recommended are small and the
planting is a simple matter. II Is best
| done by two men, one opening the
holes with a grub hoe or spade, the
other setting the plants by hand,
Transplanting native seedlings is
satisfactory and practical for decid-
uous. or broad leaved trees, such as
maple. 1t can also be done with
good results in the case OF tho con-
ifcrs or evergreens, such as pine,
spruce. etc, where tho seedlings are
abundant, especially with the white
pine. II Is possible in the prlng to
transplant young pine OF any reason
able size. Tho pine Seeding must be
two years old before It is safely
moved. Thereafter both the amount
Of work ana the danger OF loss in
creases rapidly with the size of the
tree The ideal age for transplant
ing pine ls three 10 rive years, When
the seedlings are three TO eight inches
tall Most people seom instlnctlvely
to seek larger trees, but the smaller
ones are preferable.
Besides the white pine the Vermont
station recommends the locust tree.
Considering how well this tree has
thriyed In Liberty Park and on many
Of the drIer sidewalks OF this city, II
might be well TO give It a fair chance
Lea several of Our iTaalang rcyI,pa