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— nt eee tena _ ~ es “* _ . — ee ra WY}. ¢.14é P LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BuREAU OF Forestry, Washington, D. C., June 21, 1905. Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report entitled “Advice for Forest Planters in Oklahoma and Adjacent Regions,” by George L. Clothier, Assistant Forest Inspector, Forest Service, and to recommend its publication as Bulletin No. 65 of the Forest Service. The map, four plates, and seven text figures accompanying the re- port are necessary for its proper illustration. Very respectfully, , GirrorD PINCHOT, Forester. Hon. James Wi1son, Secretary of Agriculture. CONTENTS. The region. .....---------------- eee eens Ce eee ee eee eee Forest supporting capacity of the region..__.-....------.---.--------- The ability of the region to support forests _..........------ Leen eee The care of forest plantations on the prairies and plains_.._......--...---- Treatment of the soil .....-.....-..-----.------------ ee ee eee Mulching...._.....-- 22. ee ee eee ee Spacing the trees ..............--------. eee eee -- Ln eenee Situations where cultivation is unnecessary .....-..-------..--------- Fall cultivation harmful ._.......----.....---.2--. +. --------- — Tools— Methods of cultivation..............-.....----2.. 2-2-2 Grazing—Fire ...__.. 2. 20222222 eee ee eee eee ee Setting out trees .....---..----.--. ee ee eee eee wee eee ------- The proper season ....--..---.-------------- ------ 22 eee ee eee ee ee Heeling in_.....-- wee eee eee ee eee ce ee cee wee ee ee eee Planting deciduous trees _.......-.-...------------------------------ Planting by horsepower........ ......-.-------.---------------------- Treatment of evergreen trees...........-....--------- +--+. ++. ------ Planting plan suited to the Lowlands Belt -.... Le ee ee ee eee eee eee eee Planting plan for a demonstration area in the Lowlands Belt_....-... .---- Planting plan suited to the Cross Timbers Belt ............. ---.-...---.- Plan for a commercial plantation in the Red Beds Belt--.._.......---.---- Another planting plan suited to the Red Beds Belt.............---..-..- Model planting plan for prairie farms in Oklahoma ..........----.--- Model planting plan for the plains of eastern New Mexico and western Texas Trees mentioned in this report Shrubs useful for planting in this region Index ae ewe ewe ee ew eww ew ew ee ew ew eRe ewe ee ee ee ee ew we HM we Rw ew Re wD ww we eB ew ew we wt wm ww ew eee Ke HK 36 41 43 ILLUSTRATIONS. Map. Page. Map showing silvical belts and rainfall __..._---2- 2 .2.--- Frontispiece. PLATES. Puate I. Fig. 1.—A “‘lister’? double moldboard plow making shallow furrows for planting locust seed. Fig. 2.—Planting forest trees in lister furrows on the semiarid plains ........ ... 16 II. Fig. 1.—A portable sawmill converting into lumber cottonwood logs from planted trees 15 years old, Kingman County, Kans. Fig. 2.—Locust on an abandoned ‘‘ tree claim ’’ in southwest- ern Kansas.........--. Lee eee ee ee eee eee eee eee 16 III. Fig. 1.—Locust and hardy catalpa in mixture, eastern Kansas. Fig. 2.—Green ash 4 years old, Staked Plaing of Texas.. 32 IV. Plantation on the Staked Plains of Texas, made according to planting plan No. 37: Fig. 1.—Locust 5 years old in fore- ground; white elm in background. Fig. 2.—Locust 5 years old; cultivation between rows neglected........-..----.---- 32 TEXT FIGURES. Fia. 1. Heeling in young trees _.............----.------------------- -. 13 2. Planting plan for the Lowlands Belt ..... ..) _....--.----.----- 17 3. Planting plan for a demonstration area in the Lowlands Belt -----. 21 4, Plan for a commercial plantation in the Red Beds Belt ... ... ---- 26 5. Another plan for the Red Beds Belt........:--.--..-.-.-.-------- 29 6. Model planting plan for a prairie farm . ...---...-.------- 32 7%. Model planting plan for the plains of eastern New Mexico and 37 western Texas ...__.........----- eee eee eee eee ee eee eee 6 ADVICE FOR FOREST PLANTERS IN OKLAHOMA AND ADJACENT REGIONS. THE’ REGION. The region to which this publication is devoted les between the thirty-third and thirty-eighth parallels and the ninety-sixth and one hundred and fourth meridians, and embraces approximately 160,000 square miles. It includes all of Oklahoma and portions of Indian Territory, Kansas, Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico. In order to show the relative distribution of the rainfall and the physi- ographic features that influence the choice of species for planting, © the region has been divided into four belts, named, respectively, the Lowlands, Cross Timbers, Red Beds, and Plains. These belts are shown on the accompanying map. Their boundaries have been made to coincide with the even thousand-foot contours, since those inter- vals represent quite truthfully the varying character of the forest growth. , ~ The Lowlands Belt is so named because a large part of its surface is occupied by broad, flat river bottoms; the Cross Timbers Belt is named from the Upper Cross Timbers of Texas, which extend into this belt from the south; the Red Beds Belt is named from the geological formation prevailing in western,Oklahoma and the eastern part of the Texas “ Pan Handle”; and the Plains Belt is named from the high plains which extend from western Texas northward along the eastern front of the Rocky Mountains. FOREST SUPPORTING CAPACITY OF THE REGION. For several years past the Forest Service has been cooperating with farmers in making forest plantations. It has made planting ~ plans for seventy-six landholders in Oklahoma and adjacent regions, in accordance with its Circular No. 22, and the information here pub- lished has been collected by the agents of the Service chiefly in con- nection with the making and execution of these planting plans. A planting plan, as prepared by the Forest Service, is a detailed statement of all the operations necessary to establish and maintain a forest plantation upon a specific tract of land. Before a plant- ing plan of value can be made, the nature of the soil and subsoil of 672—No. 65—05 mM——2 7 8 ADVICE FOR FOREST PLANTERS IN OKLAHOMA. the planting site, the climatic conditions of the region, and the qual- ities of the tree species that may be planted must be thoroughly con- sidered. Further, a planting plan applicable to a farm on the prai- ries or plains requires that the whole system of farm management be considered. The forest plantations on any farm must be subsidiary to the business interests of the farmer. A plantation might be made that would not only be useless, but a positive damage to the farm. The planting plans described herein were prepared with special reference to the wants of farmers and other tree planters, and to the local conditions in the belts to which each applies. The model plant- ing plan (pp. 31-36) has been made to fit practically perfect condi- tions on a flat prairie. While it is quite probable that this plan un- modified could be applied on but a small proportion of the farms of the region, it illustrates principles that are fundamental to any useful planting plan. It isexpected that farmers using the plan will modify it to fit their needs and opportunities. | THE ABILITY OF THE REGION TO SUPPORT FORESTS. A large part of this region is practically without natural forests, and only a small part of it is capable of growing trees without cultivation. - The Lowlands Belt is potentially a forest area, but westward of its borders climatic conditions become more and more inhospitable to tree growth. A large part of the region lies where prairies and plains merge. The rainfall decreases steadily from upward of 38 inches per year in the southeast to less than 12 inches in the northwest. This is due to a situation which gives the eastern portion the benefit of moisttire-laden winds from the Gulf of Mexico, but leaves the western portion under the control of the dry winds that descend from the Rockies—for in this case the common law that increasing altitude is correlated with increasing humidity is contradicted. The figures on the map (Frontispiece) show how the average annual precipita- tion decreases steadily from the eastern to the western stations, and emphasize the necessity for considering the rainfall and other climatic factors of each locality when making a planting plan. As a rule the seasonal distribution and character of the precipitation must be studied also, since it is often true with trees as with field crops that a moderate rain during the growing season is of more value than a heavy rain after growth has ceased. The great fertility of the soil, together with the rapidly increasing population, gives promise that this part of the country is destined to a large development. Tor these reasons every effort should be put forth to overcome the unfavorable conditions which hinder forest planting and thus retard the region’s development. There is no doubt. that by carefully selecting the species, choosing suitable situa- THE CARE OF FOREST PLANTATIONS. 9 tions, and properly managing the plantations, useful forest trees may be grown in every county of the region. In the three western belts, however, it will be necessary for landowners to give careful consid- eration to the choice of the ground for forest planting, since the amount of land suited to tree growth is relatively small. THE CARE OF FOREST PLANTATIONS ON THE PRAIRIES AND PLAINS. Successful forest planting on the plains, where the rainfall is light © and irregular and the evaporation great, depends largely upon the proper tillage of the soil. The region possesses a deep, rich, easily worked soil, which the farmers are learning how to utilize to the best advantage. The early tree planters often set their trees carelessly, and left them to struggle with the native vegetation and dry weather. Planters are now beginning to realize that trees as well as agricultural crops respond to good cultivation. The objects of cultivation are two: First, to prevent the growth of weeds and grass; second, to conserve the soil moisture. The natural supply of moisture on the plains is sufficient for the growth of many species of trees, provided it is fully utilized and not allowed to escape through evaporation or to be appropriated by weeds and grass. TREATMENT OF THE SOIL. Before the trees are set, the ground should be thoroughly worked and put in good condition. Virgin sod should be broken and the land farmed for two or three years. Deep plowing, followed immediately by the harrow, saves moisture and makes the soil easily penetrable by the roots. After the trees are set there should be frequent shallow cultivation. An ideal method is to cultivate as soon as practicable after every rain, 1n order to maintain a dust mulch over the surface. The nearer this ideal is approached, the better the results will be. The dust mulch is the best medium to conserve the moisture already in the ground, and to keep the soil in condition to absorb the next rain. MULCHING. A mulch of hay, straw, or well-rotted manure may be used where cultivation is not feasible, but it is not to be generally recommended. The mulch retards the growth of weeds, checks evaporation, and pre- vents baking of the soil, but if continued long it causes the roots to grow close to the surface, so that when the htter is removed they are likely to be damaged by the exposure. The mulch has another dis- advantage in that it furnishes a congenial harbor for mice and all kinds of insects. A mulch of hay or straw is less objectionable 10 ADVICE FOR FOREST PLANTERS IN OKLAHOMA. around trees set in the sod, where it is inconvenient or undesirable to cultivate. Along a hedge row, for instance, a mulch may be of great benefit. SPACING THE TREES. The advantage to be gained by continued cultivation of a forest plantation makés rather wide spacing advisable, even though certain species which have a spreading habit may require pruning, so that the trunks may grow clear and the cultivation not be impeded. Com- pensation for the wide spaces between the rows can be secured in large measure by setting the trees closer in the rows. The spacing of many plantations is 4 feet by 4 feet, but trees set in that way can be culti- vated only two or three years. Spacing 2 feet by 8 feet gives the same number of trees to the acre, and makes it possible to continue the cultivation much longer. Species which need more room can be set 3 feet by 8 feet or 4 feet by 8 feet, and, as they grow, the space required can be obtained by removing the less promising individuals. The less cultivation that 1s to be given a plantation the closer the trees should be set; for, in the absence of artificial methods of conserving the soil moisture, the stand itself must be dense enough to shade the ground and furnish a litter which will maintain the proper moisture conditions. Without this the trees will neither grow rapidly nor pre- serve their vigor. On the semiarid plains, however, wide spacing and frequent cultivation will produce better trees than close spacing and little cultivation. SITUATIONS WHERE CULTIVATION I8S UNNECESSARY. In river and creek valleys, where water is found at from 5 to 20 feet below the surface, cultivation is not ordinarily necessary after the trees are thoroughly established. The same is true in many places on the upland, where shallow depressions catch the run-off from considerable adjoining areas. In such situations the supply of water may be concentrated on any desired part of the depression by running furrows to it from the surrounding slopes. This method has been successfully used by some of the most progressive western farmers. FALL CULTIVATION HARMFUL. Cultivation should not be continued too late in the fall, or tender voung shoots, which may not be able to withstand the winter, are likely to be produced after the normal growth has ceased. The wood should have time to harden before cold weather sets in. If the ground has been kept clean, weeds will give little trouble after the middle of August. | THE CARE OF FOREST PLANTATIONS. 11 The planting of field crops between rows of young trees on the plains is unwise; the trees need all the available moisture. Corn is especially harmful, because the roots spread both down and out from 5 to 8 feet and take much more soil moisture than the young trees. If any crop is planted, it should be a short-lived one of the garden kind, whose roots do not spread far and are soon gone. TOOLS—METHODS OF CULTIVATION. The plow has no place among trees, other than to prepare the ground for planting. The plantation is often neglected until the weeds have formed a dense growth 3 or 4 feet high, and then the ground between the rows is plowed. The plow leaves the ground rough, a condition which greatly increases the loss of soil moisture through evaporation. Dead furrows are formed between the rows or the earth is thrown away from the bases of the trees and many roots are cut, which does great injury to the trees. The best implements for the cultivation of the ground are the pulverizing harrow, the disk harrow, the dagger-tooth harrow, and the five-tooth cultivator. The pulverizing harrow is an excellent tool for shallow tillage, and, when used frequently enough, is all that is necessary. Where the weeds are large an ordinary cultivator may be put in or a shallow disking given, but to give the best surface conditions the disk should be set rather slanting or be followed by a harrow. A single section of a dagger-tooth harrow, drawn by one horse, may be used advantageously between the rows of trees. The five-tooth, one-horse cultivator requires the least space of any of the tools mentioned and can be used when the rows are close together or after the trees have grown so as to fill most of the snace between the rows. Care should always be taken that the stems of the trees are not injured in any way. There should be no projecting parts about the cultivator or the harness, but if such parts are unavoidable they should be wrapped with pieces of old sacks. GRAZING—FIRE. Grazing animals should be rigorously excluded from all tree plan- tations until growth is well advanced. Even if the trees are too large to be broken off by the stock, every branch within reach will be browsed, and the desirable forest conditions of shade, under- growth, and litter will be destroyed. In a well-established grove stock may do little harm, but until the crowns of the trees are entirely 12 ADVICE FOR FOREST PLANTERS IN OKLAHOMA. out of reach cattle should not be admitted. Even then injury may result from the trampling of the soil. A heavy soil becomes packed so that it is nearly impervious to water, while a sandy one is worn and blown away, leaving the roots exposed. The damage to large trees in situations where moisture is abundant is not usually great, and the protection furnished to stock in such a case may more than offset the slight injury to the trees. ' Every tree plantation needs to be protected by some form of fire guard. Where conditions permit, a very satisfactory guard is made by plowing two or three furrows about the plantation close to the trees and then making a second series of furrows from 1 to 2 rods outside the first. These lines may be kept free from vegetation by replowing each year, or they may be used for crops that do not easily burn. The space between the two series of furrows should be kept free of all combustible material by burning it over at safe times. SETTING OUT TREES. THE PROPER SEASON. The best time to transplant young trees is just before growth begins in the spring, while the vital functions are still dormant and the seedlings liable to receive the least injury. In general this is just after the frost is out of the ground. Fall planting in the prairie States is usually unsatisfactory. The dry, freezing weather