xt7nk9314570 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7nk9314570/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station.  journals kaes_circulars_004_531 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 531 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 531  2014 true xt7nk9314570 section xt7nk9314570 S d` cl G `
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Circular 53}
College of Agriculture ond Home Economics
Agricultural Extension Service
Lexington

 C O N T E N T S
Page
Advantages of Seedlings Over Sprouts ......   ....v,,........   .....,....,.....vv.,.,... 3 i i
Growing Locust Seedlings ,,.... VV v.....v, V ..,i..vv V ...v V ..........v.,_,, VV v..4. V ...........,.,, 3 ·
How to Get the Seed ..i.........vv...., V .,..,, V .vv.. V ....v V .i.. V .... V ....,.....v,......... 3
Preparation of the Seedbed VV V ...,...v.,....v V VV .VVVV. V ...VVVV..V.....V..V..V.V.......... 4
Planting the Seed   VV..   VV.. V V..... V ...V V ....VV..V.....V V ....4.V..VV......V..... 4
Care of the Seedbed VV.V V ..VVV.. V .V.. VV VV .V..VV... V V......V.....V. V ....V.V..VVV...... 5
Cultivation of the Seedlings in Seedbed VV V ...VV.V.VV V VV... V VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV 6
Removing the Seedlings from Bed VV VVVVVVV V VVVVVVVV   VVVVV V VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV. V 7
Grading the Seedlings V V VVVVVV VV VVVVVVVVV   VVVVVV V VVVV   VVVVV V VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV VV 7
Care of Purchased Seedlings Before Planting VVVV V VVVV VV V VVVVVV V. VVVVVVVVVV 7 - i
Planting Locust Seedlings   VVVVV VV  VV V VV VV VVVVVVVVV VV VV VVVVV V VVVV   8
When to Plant     VV V V   VVVV V   V VVVV V VVVVVVV VV 8
Preparation of the Ground V VV VVVV   V VV   VV  V VV VVVVVVV 8
Use of Fertilizer V V V V V V VV V V VV VV VV V VVVV V VVVV   9
How to Plant VV VV VV   V V V VV VV   V V l0
Spacing V V V VV VV VV V VV V VVVV V VVVV ll ’
Cultivation and Care of Locust Plantation V V ll .
Harvesting the Tree Crop V V V V VV VVVVV V I2
lnsccts Affecting Locust Plontations VV V V   V l2
The Locust Borer V V VV V V   V l2
Treatment of Borer—lnfested Plantings V V V V l3
The Locust Twig-miner V V V   V V l4 V
Le¤f»miners and Skeltonizer V     I4
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prin!). I! uI.s·0 l'(’])[(l('(’.S` Lmflwl 42 "Hmc In Crow
Il/ark or Y<·/[mr Lm·u.s·l Sr*¢·¢{i11,;{.s." V

 Seeding ond Growing Block (Yellow)
Locust Trees
By W. E. Jackson
The Black loc·ust (sometimes called Yellow locust) is one of
the most desirable trees on the farm because of its dense, durable
wood which is excellent for many farm uses. Also, plantings of
, the tree are useful for controlling erosion.
Growing tree seedlings from seed in a prepared bed on your
farm provides a readily available supply of young trees for trans-
planting at the proper season when other farm work permits.
Seedlings can be drawn from the bed in whatever quantity needed
· for the period of time which you may have for transplanting
` them. Also, growing your own supply gives you the advantage of
having fresh—dug seedlings. In the ease of purchased seedlings,
sometimes their roots become dried out from exposure during
shipping.
ADVANTAGES OF SEEDLINGS OVER SPROUTS
A free seedling, originating from a seed or nut, has roots of
A its own which enable it to draw food and moisture from the soil
when it is transplanted. This self—suHieiency enables the seedling,
when planted correctly, to live and grow quickly into a healthy
tree.
Tree sprouts are off—shoots from roots or underground stems
· of older trees and may not have roots of their own. Lack of roots
is usually the cause of large losses in newly transplanted sprouts.
A Another disadvantage of sprouts is that, because they are usually
. of various sizes, a plantation of them makes an unsightly and
irregular growth.
GROWING LOCUST SEEDLINGS
‘ How to Get the Seed
Get your locust seed for planting from the trees or buy it from
a reliable dealer. lf you get your seed from trees, gather the pods
3

 il A
containing the seed in late summer or fall after they are mature -
and dry. Hull the pods and carefully pick out the larger, better-
filled, plump seed. Growing good, strong locust seedlings from
home-grown seed depends on planting good seed. Results are
likely to be disappointing if the seed is not carefully selected and
too many small, imperfect seeds are planted. Locust seed which
has been carefully selected and recleaned is highly fertile and
germinates 60 to 80 percent—and even higher if normal moisture
conditions prevail during the first 30 days after the seed is planted.
The number of black locust seed to the pound varies accord-
ing to the plnmpness and size of the seed. One pound will aver-
age from 22,000 to 24,000 seed. The area a pound of seed will
sow depends upon the width of the rows and the distance the
seeds are apart in the row. On an average one pound of seed is
sufficient for planting about 1/10 acre, or 7 rows, 100 feet long,
with 18 inches between the rows. _ ‘
Preparation of the Seedbed
Select a deep, sandy loam, fertile and well-drained location
with a northern exposure. Plow, harrow and smooth the soil,
getting it into a good, fine, workable shape just as carefully as if
it were a tobacco seedbed. Make shallow rows, about 2 inches
wide and iyf, inch deep, 18 inches apart, running lengthwise of .
the bed. Unlike the preparation of a tobacco seedbed, do not
burn the bed, or place a cotton canvas over it, or use phosphate _
or any commercial fertilizer before or after the seeds are planted. ·
The small, tender locust seedlings do not grow well and may
die if overtopped by other trees, weeds, and grasses. Therefore,
do not broadcast or scatter seed on the field site where the locust
trees are to grow. The best way to establish a good plantation is
to transplant seedlings grown in a bed. Y
Planting the Seed
Plant seed from April 15 to May 15. Good seedlings have
been grown from seed planted in ]nne, bpt earlier planting is .
much better. Use either dry seed or those soaked in lukewarm
water 3 to 4 hours. Avoid over-soaked seed because they are so

 5
To Grow Good Locust Seedlings —
1. Prepare the seedbed well. Pulverize all clods. Give the
soil as fine tilth as a tobaceo bed.
2. Plant the seed between April 15 and May 15—no earlier,
no later.
3. Don’t plant the seed too deep. From % to % inch is best.
Firm the soil well, but don’t pack it.
‘ 4. Keep the bed free of grass and weeds.
5. Don’t make a seedbed on a dry site, such as on a ridge or
an exposed hillside. Such soil is inclined to dry and bake,
thereby preventing the seeds from germinating and grow-
. ing.
6. Protect the roots in transplanting. More seedlings are
killed from exposure of roots to sun and wind when trans-
planting than from any other one cause.
soft that they dry out too readily when placed in the ground.
_ Drop the seed about an inch apart in the row and cover them %
to % inch deep with woods or sandy loam soil, which will not
crust or bake in the sun after a rain.
Cure of the Seedbed
Nlake the soil over the seeds firm by laying a plank on the
row and tapping it along its length with a shovel or hoe. DO NOT
p \VALK ON THE BOARD OR RONV.
Keep a light mulch of clean straw or leaves over the bed to
maintain suflicient moisture and warmth in the soil during the
normal germination period (14 to 21 days). Xlulched seed germi-
nates much more quickly than other seed. Remove most ol the
mulch as soon as the plants show through the ground. Pull the
remaining mulch to the space between the rows, thereby better
conserving moisture in the bed.
Place poultry netting of sullicient height around the bed if
the young seedlings are threatened by chickens or rabbits.

 /
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Fig. l.- lr is important to keep the locust seedbed
free ol` grass and weeds.
Cultivation of Seedlings in Seedbed _
(Zultivate the surface of the ground between the rows during
the growing season, keeping the seedlings free of grass and weeds. .
ll the growing season is normal, with enough moisture, the °
seedlings should reach a height of 24 to 36 inches by fall.
Seedlings 12 to 18 inches high are the best sizes to transplant,
and will stand a better chance of surviving after transplanting
than taller ones. If the seedlings are more than 24 inches high. _
eut oll their tops 6 to 8 inches above the ground before you trans- _
plant them. Cutting back the tops of taller seedlings gives a
smaller top stein to be fed from the roots while the roots are get-
ting established in their new location.
Crow only the best planting stock possible—a plant having a _
medium-lu·i<*ht to n and a well-develo >ed. lleshv main root sha >ed
¤ 1 1 . 1
something like a long white radish. Discard seedlings that do
not have a fleshy main root.

 ‘ 7
A Removing the Seedlings from the Bed
After the seedlings have dropped their leaves in the fall, they
are dormant and may he safely removed from the growing hed
for transplanting. Use a garden fork or a long—handled shovel
for this purpose. Press the digging tool well into the soil, so as
to cut off any holding roots, hut protect the main stem of the
. seedling, A small turning plow may he used to break the seedlings
loose from the soil, if care is taken to keep the point of the plow
away from and to one side of the center of the seedling row.
Grading the Seedlings
Grade the seedlings as to size as you take them from the hed.
A Cover the roots as soon as you dig the plants so as to protect
them from the sun and drying wind while you are grading the
- plants. Tie the seedlings into hundles of 50 to 100 (depending
` on size) and place them in a "heeling in" trench to prevent their
roots from drying out. Place no soil on the seedling tops. Keep
the soil over the roots moist hy watering. if necessary, while the
plants are `iheeled in."
CARE OF PURCHASED SEEDLINGS BEFORE
PLANTING
If the seedlings to he planted were not grown on your place
I or were received from a distant
. Q Ҥ%;J%? ?%& nursery, inspect them as soon as pos-
 ·,_ ,U ..NV  sihle to make sure that they have
  not hecoine heated while in the ship-
/{Y<\l\ \.  l ping hundle. lf they cannot he planted
" ’ "" fb" at once and nnist he held several days.
‘ p;g_ g__,\S $,,0,, as imust open the hundles and "heel in`) the
‘ trees Mc ¤`¢<#¢iv¢d ¢`¤‘<>¤¤ dw seedlings in a shady place, in a shal-
:;:l”§:;éug;l°   low trench dug with one sloping side.
|wdcd_in_ Pm [hem in 2, The roots oi the seedlings should he
trench deep enough to rover careflllly SpI‘t’z1(l Ollt z1l1(l C()\’L‘!'C(l llll—
‘ lllc l`°°lSl ll lllc Sllll is (lll-‘ inediatelv with line soil, and watered
\\'RllCl` [llc trees. _ .   _
il the soil is dry.

 is ` _
PLANTING LOCUST SEEDLINGS
When to Plant
Early spring before the leaf buds begin to swell is the best
time to plant Black locust seedlings. Trees set in the fall on open,
worn soil sites are likely to be killed or injured by the alternate
freezing and thawing of the soil. If the tree seedings are set out
late in the spring, those having a deficient root system or which
have begun leafing out should be cut back to approximately 8
inches in height above the ground line.
Preparation of the Ground
lf the land is level or gently sloping, furrows made 6 feet
apart may be plowed, running with the contour of the site, in
which to set the trees (Fig.   Deepen each planting spot with
a digging tool, if the soil is hard. Take care to have the holes
wide and dee) enoufh that the roots of the seedlin can be .
l
spread out in a natural manner.
Before planting trees in a severely gullied area, it is advisable
to break down the tops of the gully ridges (Fig. 4) and to build
check dams of logs, mill slabs, stones or brush across the gully
bottoms (Fig. 5).
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Fig. 35.- Plow furrows. ti feet apart. running with the contour of the
site. are an good means of laying out rows. Rows ol` this type help
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_ I Fig. 4.- In gullied areas, the tops of the banks should be broken down
before planting black locust trees.
The Use of Fertilizer
As has been already stated, locust trees produce the fastest
and best growth on above—average fertile soil sites. There have
been many plantation failures in the past where locust trees have
_ l)€€l] pl2Ult€Cl ill ]_)OOl', \’VO1`11OUt SOllS. SllCl`t sites Illdy l)G llHpl`()\‘(‘(l
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  . r ~·~;¤p.·~» New- ·· , t _   · wfdx,. ~···
        4»‘‘   V i'    V.      
Fig. 5- llelorc locust trees are planted. elxetlt dams ol` logs, mill slabs.
or stones should be constructed at ri rht an ·les to the direction ol` the
P. · !—.
gully. This onte-gullied area has regained a more normal physical
condition berause of the planting ol` lorest trees.

 ll)
l>clot‘e the trees are )lanted bv s)readin0’ over the area Ground
4 O O
litnestone at the rate of 2 tons per acre. Also, place about a table-
spoonlnl of a general fertilizer, such as 3-10-3, in the planting
hole of each tree. If plow furrows are made in which the trees
are to he set, the fertilizer may be distributed along the furrow A
by hand or by the use of a fertilizer distributor. ~
How to Plant (Fig. 6)
Place the trees in the bottom of the furrow or planting hole,
slightly deeper than they were in the nursery with the roots
W \ J ‘i· \.,-. .
.- J Q` t l;
`lxxipl ’~\IJ \
\t
  ‘;‘.)•-yi!   _ Don't let the roots ,_ 
V > ‘ »,; ‘·· \ d ’  .·3~m._>·__ ,
l   96* ’Y· , »   iu
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ll
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A
Fig. li.- These suggestions will help you in planting your Black locust
seedlings, .
(\> lransport tlte trees Irotn tlte lteeling—in trenth or secdhed to thc
planning site in a |>ne