Forest tree planting; when to plant, where to plant, what to plant, how to plant

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF
FORESTRY

STATE FOREST COMMISSION

Robert Y. Stuart, Commissioner of Forestry.
Edward Bailey.
Henry W. Shoemaker.

Mrs. John L. Lawrence.
(Mary Flynn Lawrence.)

Henry S. Drinker.

Alfred E. Rupp, Chief, Bu of Lands.

Lewis E. Staley, Chief, Bureau of Operation. |
George H. Wirt, Ciret, Bureau of Protection.
John W. Keller, Chief, Bureau of Silviculture.
W.E. Montgomery, Chief, Office of Maintenance.
is O. Vorse, Chief, Office of Information.

Joseph S. Illick, Chief, Office of Research.

E. A. Ziegler, Director, State Forest Academy.

FOREST TREE PLANTING

WHEN TO PLANT

WHERE TO PLANT
WaltA 20) PE ANT

HOW TO PLANT

By
John W. Keller,

Chief, Bureau of Silviculture

BULLETIN 28

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY
ROBERT Y. STUART, Commissioner

1922

ea ee ee

™ 03 Now2l, 197 3

INTRODUCTION

HERE are 13,000,000 acres of timberland in Pennsylvania. A

large part of this area is not producing what it can and should. If
fires are kept out, many acres of it will come back with a satisfactory
growth of trees, but there are 3,000,000 acres that are absolutely idle
and should be planted with trees at once. Without planting, it will
require half a century for this idle land to be satisfactorily restocked
with trees, and in this time the area is capable of producing enough
timber to supply the entire State of Pennsylvania for twenty years
at the present rate of consumption.

Wood is vitally essential to our people, and the rapidly growing
industries of our State. None of us can get along without it. The
country dweller can get along with less than the city dweller be-
cause it not only takes wood to grow food but, after it has grown,
it must be packed in wooden boxes or barrels and transported in
wooden cars or wagons before the city man can eat it. The lack of
wood will mean physical and industrial decay to our own strong and
properous commonwealth. .

The State of Pennsylvania recognizes its responsibility in making
every acre of idle forest land produce and will gladly supply you,
free of charge, with trees for reforestation.

Forest tree planting methods that Have been tried and are success-
ful are discussed on the following pages. ©

FOREST TREE PLANTING

WHEN TO PLANT

OREST tree seedlings should be planted in the spring after the

frost has come out of the ground and before the new growth has
started, or, in the fall before the ground is frozen. Whenever pos-
sible, planting should be done during the spring because the trees |
will begin to grow at once, and usually more of them succeed.

If labor is not available in the spring, planting in the fall can be
undertaken with reasonable assurance of success under the following
conditions :

First, when the soil is not heavy clay and the danger from heaving
will be slight.

Second, when the area 1S not a irost pocket,’ 1. ¢., subject to
severe frosts. .

Third, when the planting site has a northern exposure and the
frost leaves the ground late in spring.

Fourth, when the trees tu be planted start to grow early in spring,
such as American larch, European larch, Japanese larch and wild
black cherry.

One tree-planting enthusiast wrote:

“I am planting for timber. It is better than bonds.”

6

WHERE TO PLANT

DLE lands that are not needed for, or not adapted to, agricultural
LS other more important uses, should be planted with forest trees.
These lands usually come within one of the following classes:

Class 1. Cleared lands, such as abandoned fields and worn out
pastures, eroding banks, slopes and gulleys, odd and unused corners
about the farm, along highways and water ways.

Class 2. Worn out farm woodlots which are growing up with
undesirable trees or do not support a satisfactory stand of valuable
young growth. ;

Class 3. Areas on which a windbreak is needed to protect build-
ings, live stock, orchards and crops.

Class 4. Burned over areas covered with bracken, sweet fern,
aspen and fire cherry upon which small seedlings of desirable trees
are.not coming in naturally.

Class 5. Scrub oak barrens on which growth of oak, chestnut
or other valuable trees are not present in sufficient quantities to
insure a satisfactory forest crop. These areas should be planted
immediately after the fire has killed the scrub oak sprouts. If plant-
ing is done under sprout growth the planted trees will often be
killed by the dense shade.

Class 6. Areas upon which the chestnut has-been killed by the
Chestnut Blight and a satisfactory stand of other valuable forest
trees has not come in.

More than 34 million trees have been planted on State

=

Forests during the last twenty-one years. The plantations
now cover 22,500 acres.

COST OF PLANTING

A PLANTING crew of two men can usually set out from 1,200 to

1,600 trees in a ten hour day. If the trees are obtained from the
Pennsylvania Department of Forestry the packing charges at the
nursery will amount to approximately 75 cents per thousand trees,
and the transportation charges will cost about 35 cents per thousand
trees. Under average conditions the total cost of planting an acre
with forest tree seedlings should not be more than $12.00.

7
WHAT TO PLANT

T is best to plant trees that grow naturally in a locality. These

trees will usually thrive under similar conditions when properly
transplanted. Large plantations of foreign trees should not be made
unless experiments have proven that they will thrive in the places
where they are to be set out. Thirty years of experience in planting ~
European and Japanese larches, Norway spruce and Scotch pine in
this State indicates that these trees can be planted on properly
selected sites with reasonable assurance of success.

More evergreens will be planted than hardwoods, because they
are more easily transplanted. They usually grow faster, are more
attractive, produce a larger amount of lumber per acre, and their
wood can be used for general purposes and is in large demand.
Nevertheless, the wood of walnut, ash and oak is so valuable for
special uses that planting of them is recommended on moist, fertile ~
soils which are not more valuable for agricultural or other uses.

The most important factors in determining the kind of trees to
plant are soil and moisture. The greatest care should be used in
selecting the kind of trees that will thrive under the conditions ex-
isting on the proposed planting site. Any of the trees listed in this
bulletin are recommended for planting in Pennsylvania.

AGE AND SIZE OF PLANTING STOCK

HE age and size of the planting stock depends largely upon the

condition of the planting site. If no heavy sod, dense weeds, or
sprouts grow on the area, trees from 4 to 8 inches in height may be
planted. -This will result in the largest number of living trees at the
lowest planting cost. The larger the planting stock the greater will
be the cost of planting, and the harder it will be to get the trees to
grow. Consequently small planting stock should be used unless
there is good reason for doing otherwise.

As a general rule, trees of the following ages are the right size
for the usual planting site in Pennsylvania:

White pine .....-........ ZOrssayrss) Wealmut. peck. i<sievels @ s sie cohen 1 yr
Pel PINE so so0 ess oe 2 yrs. Agti SHR ENE Stat tal Oa hs evens SE 1 yr.
Red pine <-.-.....-5...5- ZeOtroyis. Black lOCust 2c). om. tise encase Lyi
Norway spruce .......... 3}, (ofr G) aiaacl SXac LOIS So daa COMO Imes crs AiG oe 1 yr.

Larch (Japanese or European) 2 yrs. Sugar maple .................. 1 yr.

Japanese larch (left) and white pine Norway spruce (left) and white
(right), two years old. (right), three years old.

Pitch pine (left) and Seotech pine A bunch of 50 white pine seedlings, two
(right), two years old: years old, ready for packing and ship-
ping.

9

HOW TO PLANT

[ MMEDIATELY upon receipt, the trees should be taken to the

place where they are to be planted. If they cannot be set out the
same day they should be “heeled in.” For this purpose select a
place in well-drained soil which is not stony and where water is
available. An open trench should be dug with one side almost
vertical. Take bunches of trees from the shipping boxes and wet
the roots thoroughly. Then cut the strings and place the trees up-
tight in a thin layer against the vertical side of the trench. A
bunch of trees should be spread over about six inches in the trench.
Fine soil should be placed against the roots and lower part of the
stems, and firmed with the foot.

Trees should be “heeled-in” if they cannot be planted the
day they are received.

Fourteen additional forest tree nurseries were started

in 1921 and 1922 at State institutions. The seedlings grown
in those nurseries will be distributed free by the Pennsy]l-
vania Department of Forestry.

cena eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeceeeeeeeeeeee erence a.)

10

THE PLANTING OPERATION

HE roots must be kept moist at all times. If they are allowed to
dry out the tree may die. Two persons make a good planting
crew, a mattock man to dig the holes and a planter to set the trees.
Dig the holes in rows. The distance between rows, and also the
distance between trees in each row, is usually five to six feet. The

spacing will depend upon the kind of trees used, the quality of soil,

and on what is now growing on the area.

Where the ground is not stony nor the sod heavy, one stroke
with the mattock will usually make a hole large enough to plant a
2-year-old seedling. The hole should be big enough to let the roots
spread. Loose dirt is carefully drawn to the edge of the hole where
it can be easily reached by the planter. If the sod is heavy at least
one square foot should be turned back with the mattock, and a hole
made in the loose earth.

The planter with a supply of trees in a pail follows the mattock
man. The pail should contain about an inch of water. to keep the
roots moist. Holding a tree in his left hand the planter sets it in
the hole as deep as it was in the nursery, as shown by the “collar”
on the seedling. The roots should be spread out and loose earth
pressed over and around them with the right hand. The remain-
ing loose dirt is then drawn into the hole and packed firmly with a
mallet, a stone, or the heel of the shoe. No grass, leaves, or stones
should come in contact with the roots. When properly planted
the seedling will stand upright and be so firm that it cannot easily
be pulled up.

OL LS LT I a Sa EME ST TU BET ZTE EY EI RE BSCE ES
An annual demand for 20,000,000 forest trees and for
15,000 shade and ornamental trees is expected by the De-
{ partment of Forestry officials by 1925.
SS STE I ST SSS

ee ee ee ee

11

Two persens make a planting crew, a mattock man to dig the holes and a

planter to set the trees. Carry the trees in a bucket so that the roots may be
kept moist at all times.

[2

One stroke with the mattoeck will make a hole large enough to plant a
tree. If the sod is heavy one square foot should be turned back with the:
mattock and a hole made in loose dirt.

+

13

Loose dirt. carefully drawn to the edge of the hole,
can be easily reached by the planter.

14

With his left hand, the planter sets the ‘tree in a hole as deep as
it was in the nursery. The roots should be spread out and loose
earth pressed around them.

15

Loose dirt is packed firmly around the roots with
the heel of the shoe. :

see ON
Oey,

17

When properly planted the seedling will stand upright and be
so firm that it cannot easily be pulled up.

18

PROTECTIVE MEASURES

Sa rule each destructive insect or disease attacks trees of one spe-

cies only. Nearby trees of other species may not be affected. The
chestnut blight attacks only the chestnut, the white pine weevil
attacks chiefly the white pine and the locust borer works wholly in
the black locust. To guard against loss from insect attacks or
diseases, areas larger than an acre should be planted with a mixture
of two or more kinds of trees that have the same needs for soil and
light and the same rate of growth. This can most easily be fone
by alternate rows, as shown in illustration below:

000000 0

@
@
9
®
é
®
@

+etetetede
@e8e 028 8 @
4
0000000

® + O
@ + ©
@ + O
®@ + 90
8 + 9
® + 0
®@ + O

@®eoeeé6e? 9
900000 006
oo00o0000 0
@2e ©8086 6

Using two species Using theee species

ALTERNATING BY ROWS.

When white pine is planted all cultivated or wild currant and
gooseberry bushes growing within 900 feet should be destroyed. The
best way is to pull them up by the roots and hang the plants on
nearby trees or brush so that they cannot take root again. This is
to guard against the Blister Rust, a fungus disease that kills white
pines. The Blister Rust cannot spread from pine to pine but must
spend a part of its life on the under side of current and gooseberry
leaves, from which spores spread to the pines and cause the rust.

Live stock will eat the leaves and tender twigs of hardwood seed-
lings and root up, break and tramp down small evergreens. No
plantation can succeed when animals are allowed to graze over or
root up the planted site.

Livestock will eat the leaves and tender twigs of hardwood seedlings and
root up, break, and tramp down small evergreens.

20
PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE

FOREST fires have devastated more than one-third of the forest
area of Pennsylvania. Even a very light burning will kill small
trees. Hence, fires must be kept out. On a farm this danger is usually
slight, and little need be done except, possibly, the posting of a few
‘forest fire notices. When a plantation is made near large wooded
areas where fires are likely to occur, or if the plantation is large and
«destruction would involve heavy loss, special precautions should be
taken. In addition to posting fire warnings, this can best be done
by cutting fire lines or by putting on a patrol during dry seasons.

During the last thirteen years, private planters have re-

ceived from the Pennsylvania Department of Forestry 18,-

250,000 young forest trees which were set out in all parts of
the State.

GROWTH TO BE EXPECTED

“THE following tabulation gives a summary of the number of years

that will be required to mature some of our most important forest
trees on sites best adapted to each of them. The most common
uses of the wood produced by these trees are also listed:

Years To
Kind Where To Plant Mature Uses of Wood
: On Best Sites
Carolina poplar Moist fertile soil 25 Pulp, crates.
Black locust Dry sterile soil to fer- Posts, ties, insulator
tile loam 30 pins.
White ash Rich moist soil 50 Implements, furniture,
handles.
Red oak Loam to sand or Furniture, interior fin-
gravely soil aS; ishing, ties.
Black walnut Rich, moist bottom Furniture, gun _ stocks,
lands 60 veneer.
Sugar maple Deep fertile soil to Furniture, interior fin-
rocky hills 75 ishing (maple sugar).
Larch (European Well-drained medium Poles, posts, ties, mine
or Japanese) fertile soil 40 timbers.
Pitch pine Medium fertile soil to Construction timber,
dry slopes 60 mine props, ties.
‘White pine Fertile well-drained Lumber, wooden ware,
soil to gravely hill- excelsior.
sides 50
Red pine Deep loam to dry Construction timber
sand. and gravel 60 and lumber.
Norway spruce Deep moist to thin Construction lumber,
cold soils (will not pulp, thinning for
thrive in wet loca- Christmas trees in 8

tions). 75 years.

21

PLANTING STOCK

REES for reforestation are distributed by the Pennsylvania De-
partment of Forestry under the following conditions:
1. They must be planted in Pennsylvania.
2. They must be planted by the applicant or his representative,
and may not be offered for sale or be sold.
3. They should be set out’in accordance with the best and most
practical modern methods.
4. The planted trees must be protected, as far as possible, from
fire, grazing, trespass, and other destructive agents.
5. Fewer than 100 trees cannot be furnished to one applicant.

In the spring of 1922, the Pennsylvania Department of
Forestry gave without cost 3,500,000 trees to 1,200 private
planters in this State.

Beco

Be

av Se

ye tye a
now

uy 2h :

tee

Ne Fe we Hm)

PREVENT FORSET FIRES—IT PAYS.

SER ee a yoog

er sep

Pie Tilia | rian wi TT) MN |
Ye ait
: Wl |
Wh a
| 8

Mi

7 3 Hii
: |
) :