THESIS

ROSE HIT MN MTT T biown Area
ACR ali: planting
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RECLAVATION OF SAND BLOWN AREA
BY
WHITE PINE PLANTING,
R.P.Norman, HJ. Lowe,

1914,
is (47

pro!

‘

1.

Through the cooperation of the Forestry Department
and Mr, BE, K, Warren of Sawyer, Mich., the writers were dele-
egated to superintend the planting of fifty thousand white
pine trees (6 years old), which work was carried on from April
4th, to April 20th, ,1914,

LOCATION and SITE.

The planting operations were carried on two miles
south west of Sawyer, Berrien County,on the estate of E, K,
Warren under the directio of Paul C, Warren and Curtis Rich-
ardson, representing the owner,

The thirty seven acres planted were situated in a
large ‘wind biow' which extended back from the shores of Lake
Michigan for one-third of a mile,in a strip about three hundred
to six hunéred feet wide,and along the shore for twenty five
hundred feet,and inside of the first row of dunes about two
hundred feet from the lake,

{ See Plate 1 for picture of planting site, )

The soil on the planting site was the typical wind
blown sand,dry on top but always moist below two inches under
the surface, By a former analysis by the Soils Department of
the Mich, Ag'r. College, this soil was found to contain less
than one-tenth per cent nitrogen,the bulk of it being silica,

Throughout the main ‘blow’ there was an entire ab-
sence of any ground cover whatever,and only on the south and.
southwestern slopes,waa there any vegetation on the ground,
Here there was the typical snake grass,sand cherry,and bunch
grass in smal] amounts, Otherwise the monotony of stretches

of sand was broken only by a littie dead and down drift wood
Plate No, I.

 

 

 

THE PLANTING SITE,
Picture taken from rear of ‘blow’ and

showing lake in hack ground,
2.
at the foot of the slopes,

Subsoil conditions were lacking,except in a wery
small part of the area lying on the southern rise of hills,
which joined a straggling growth of native pine and hemlock,
Here there was a little leaf mold and humus present due to
the nearby vegetation,

There was a general rise from the lake shore to the
crest at the back end of the planting area of one hundred feet
in the third of a mile stretch, On the northwestern border of
the area was ‘01d Tom' which was one hundred and sixty eight
feet above the lake,only part of which was planted as an ex-
periment. Here the slope was even too steep for climbirg,and
only six hundred trees were set out. In two day's time,but a
few of the original trees were visible,the others being blown
under by the wind, Here and there on the wings of the main area
were scattered kopjes of varying heights,rising above the gen-
eral surface of the 'blow',

( See Plate 2 for pictures of ' Old Tom' )

For the general topography, the topographic map in
the Chart enclosed,will show the relative elevations of the
planting area,

The area planted was the direct result of the action
of the wind from the lake, The general direction of these
winds was either from the north west or south west from the
lake and the north east towards the lake,

It was only the wind from the lake that was creating
the damage,and the lack of any ground cover, showed the terrific

sweep of the wind, The sand particles blown by the wind were
Plate No. 2.

 

 

 

 

‘OLD TOM’

Showing size and steepness of slope,
3.
not the only menace,as the dryirg action of the wind also cor-
tributed to the lack of vegetation, plant life being unable to
withstand the rapid evaporation,
OBJECT of the PLANTING,

The object of the planting was threefold,namely:-
1. To prevent blowing of sand,

2. For aesthetic reasons,
3. For timber production,

The rise from the farm land,immediately back of the
bliow,to its crest was eighty five feet at an angle of forty
degrees, At the base of the slope,in a willow bottom, a small
creek ran, During the summer,this stream was negligible, but
in the spring it assumed alarming proportions,

The orchards and farms of various kinds,extended to
within a few hundred feet of the base of the blow, the inter-
vening distance being bottom land filled with willows, grasses,
and thorny plants of various kinds, Some cedars and a few
white pines were also found,

The territory,eithner directly or indirectly,affected
by the blow was roughly estimated at about half a mile wide
and a mile deep, This area stretched back from the crest ina
fan shaped direction,with the point at the crest of the blow,
Only a small portion of this area was controlled by the Warren
interests,

The wind carried the sand both to and from the lake,
but it was only the latter that did any damage. It had a clean
sweep along the blow for one third of a mile,and by the time it

reached the crest at the rear,the air was literally a solid

 
4.
mass of flying,biting sand particles, Under such conditions,
the sand transported in a year reacheé alarming proportions.

The crest forming the rear of the blow has moved

in an easterly direction on an average of fifteen to twenty

feet each year, This,of course moved the stream bed accorde-

ingly. During the last ten years,the whole back of the blow

has moved inland nearly two hundred feet,
The actual moving inland of the crest itself,was of

The greatest damage was done by the depo-
The

minor importance,

sition of sand over the Jarge orchard in the farm area,
picture in Plate 3 will give an idea of the movement of the

sand across one of the orchards during a wind of a forty five

mile velocity, This blowing was sufficient in a year to bury

such plants as strawberries and at the same time,make much

of the surface soil of too sandy a nature for the successful

growing of various small vegetables, At the same time,the

blowing sand made life almost unbearable to the farmers and

resorters in the immediate vicinity of the area,
The Warrens are trying to sell these lands and are

making them stitable for resort purposes, The planting will

not only make them more saleable but will add to their beauty

and attractiveness,
It was not the intention to plant with the idea of

the production of timber, However it is hoped that eventually

the lumber produced will make the original planting of a proe

fitable nature,
STOCK,

The stock used for the planting was white pine,
Plate No, 3,

 

 

THE BLOWING SAND.

Picture shows movement of sand in orchard
below 'blow' during forty-five

mile gale,
5,

grown two years in the seed bed,and four years in rows as

transplants,
The general run of the trees was twelve to eighteen

inches,with about sixteen inches as an average height above

ground, The root system was a little shorter,averaging about

twelve inches long with a fine mass of rootlets and root

hairs,
The trees were purchased from the Mich, Ag'r, Cole

lege at $10, per thousand, The trees,growing in nursery

rows were plowed up and packed in bundles of twenty five each

and loaded into the car in tiers, the roots being piled inside

and covered with straw at the top of the tier, They were

shipped in two carloads,one car containing forty thousand,

and the following car,the remaining nine thousand,

Although the first car came through to its des-
tination jn three days,it was an additional three days before

the car was all] unloaded,a Sunday and misunderstanding of the

destination preventing. However the trees showed up in very

good shape,and the majority,thirty two thousand, were ‘heeled

in’ after the haul,on the lake shore adjacent to the plant-

The remaining trees were ‘heeled in ' in an orche

and were later

ing area,
ard about one half a mile from the 'blow'

hauled to the planting site, Those on the lake shore were

within two hundred and fifty feet of the water's edge,in rows

parallel to the lake, The second car of nine thousand was

delayed in transit,so that the trees were in the car for
seven days, They were heated somewhat and a few bunches were

discarded as the roots were dry as tinder, They were ‘heeled
6,

in' at right angles to the lake and within twenty five feet

of the water's edge,
HAULING OPERATIONS and COSTS,

From the car to the place where the trees were

heeled in was a distance of two and a quarter miles, A three

mule team was employed with a wagon box and hay rack,and ae
bout two hundred bundles (five thousand trees ) were hauled

at one time,
The first one and three quarter miles were along

the highway, but the last half mile was a stiff haul through
sand up to the hubs,over the hills to the lake shore where
the planting operations were carried on,

( See Plate 4 for pictures of hauling methods, )

Fach day,enough trees for the day's planting were
hauled back from the beagh on a stone boat drawn by one mule,
These were ‘heeled in' at spots advantageous to the planting
operations, This usually took about an hour or so each day

and the rest of the time for the driver was spent in planting.

Two hours were spent on the seventh and ninth of

the month by the entire crew in passing trees up from the

creek bed to the crest at the back of the ‘blow', The hill

was too steep for a man or mule to climb with a load and this

method was devised as shown in Plate 5,
The following tabulation will show the total costs

and costs per thousand for hauling,
Hauling from car to Jake side ( April] 6-7-9-17, )

1 man and team -----36 hours @ $, 40--------- $14, 40

2 helpers --<<------ 36 " @ .,20.--...--- 14,40
Plate No, 4.

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MANNER OF HAULING,
Plate No, 5.

 

 

MOVING TREES UP HILLSIDE,

Method used on steep slopes,
7.
Lowe and Norman ----10 hours @ $,38--------- $ 7.60

Hauling to planting areas ( April 7-20.)

1 man and mule ---- 17 hours @ .30 -<ocunee-ee 5.10
Total cost of Hauling ---<«-------- 41.50
Cost per Thousand <-<--------ecnennwnnnnne -- $ 0,85

TOOLS USED and COSTS,

The following is a list of the tools used,

2 stone boats for hauling water and trees

2 barrels for water

4 - #1 spades @ $ 1,00-------------- -- $ 4,00
2 - #2 shovels @ 1, 00--------e+--- - —- 2,00
6 - 12 quart pails oe Ween men conn voce 3,00
4-12 " " e280 een e mene meee e- __.».80

Total cost of To0l8 eeneereeeneene 9, 80
Cost per Thousand -<---cnenconmenneeneneoe=e § 0,20
HAULING WATER and COSTS,

Water was drawn from the lake in barrels on a stone
boat to convenient places near the day's work,and from these
the men got the water supply. The average haul from the lake
was from five hundred to fifteen hundred feet at the back of
the 'blow'., This took,on the average,one and a half hours a
day to fill each barrel and place it. Time for watering the
trees ‘neeled in' on the beach, is also figured in the followe
ing expense, From four to six barrels were needed to Keep
the trees from getting dry.

Hauling water on boat,
1 man and mule ---- 35 hours @ $ .30 ------- $10.50.

Cost per Thousand --<-------e---<- cone eenne $ 0,21
8.
SPACING of TREES in ROWS,

In planting, the rows were six feet apart,the guide
Jines being run every six feet at right angles to the pre-e
vailing winds from the south west and north west,and the trees
were so alternated or 'staggered' in the rows,that the whole
planting presented a solid front to the winds from the lake,
leaving no alley way for a sweep of the wind,

This system of planting six feet by six feet, by
theoretical figures,will show twelve hundred and ten trees to
the acre,but after careful ly counting a few measured acres,
we found an average of thirteen hundred per acre,

One man was delegated to mark these lines by mesins
of dragging a stick in the sand in the general direction,and
six feet from the line already marked, At times , these lines
would be obliterated by the blowing sand,but this method gave
the best result in making the rows uniformly six feet apart,as
there was ro show for a horse marker,on account of the steep-
ness of the grade and the poor footing, Also the diggers
could not be relied upon to keep in line without some guide,
This man who was marking,also did part of the digging as well
after having marked out a portion of the day's work,

DIGGING OPERATIONS and COSTS,

On account of the character of the area and the
easy digging,it was found advisable to divide the men into
two crews,one crew to dig the holes,and the other to plant,
This method,in contrast to that of two men working in pairs,
was adopted to overcome the unequal division of labor, due to

the easy digging, Thus both diggers and planters were kept
9,

busy continually, By this method a crew of four to five men
could keep enough holes ahead for twelve to fifteen planters,

The holes were dug about a foot deep and the dirt
thrown out near the hole to aid in easy refilling. Care was
taken not to let the digging get too far in advance of the
planting as the holes would be filled with the blown sand and
also dry out too much, The digging required from three to five
shovels full for each hole and on the dry slopes it often took
twelve to fifteen to get a hole dug.

See Plate 6 for pictures of the digging crew.

The following is the cost data for the digging.

April 7 --4 men -- 10 hours @ $ .20 ------ $ 8.00
" 9-3 © ef 5  H  # eooeee 3.00
*" 10-3 " == 8B * # sense 4,80
" Ji -5 % s- 30 " “ Wwe eeee 10,00
" 13 = 4 “% co 10 " " "  wcacece 8.00
" 14 2*2+6 " =+«s«-= 10 " . = seccee 12.00
" 15-5 " += 10 " " "  eeeeee 10,00
" 1-3 % ow 5 & ® W eacene 3.00
re ae a a 60
" 6.5 9 22 3 & 8 HW mece-- 3,00
"20-4 " == 10 " " 8 eeeeee 8,00

Total cost of Digging ----- 70,40
Cost per thovsanda(49,000) ---------- $ 1.44
SETTING OPERATIONS and COSTS,
At first the men were started out separately, each
one with a pail of trees,, and each planted separately. After

a time it was found a little more rapid to have one man take
Plate No, 6,

 

 

 

DIGGING OPERATIONS,
Note the guide lines,
10,
eare of the trees in the pails and drop out six or eight at a
time and have a couple of men planting behind him. In this way
the best men were doing the actual planting while the poorer
ones dropped the trees in the holes,

The detailed method would be as follows:-

The planter would get a bundle of trees from where they were
‘heeled in' near by and would put them in a pail of water, mak-
ing sure that all the roots were wetted.The trees were then
dropped into the holes prepared for them and the planters
would rapidly set them in place,

In setting the trees in the holes care was taken to
have the roots laid in naturally and not doubled up,but in
their origional position, At first the trees were set in about
one half to three quarters of an inch above the nursery mark
and the sand tamped down about the roots with the heel, Later
developements, when the wind began to blow off the lake, show-
ed many of the trees blown out by the roots. From then on the
trees were set in a little deeper or nearly up to the first
row of branches, This stopped their blowing out. The first two
days plantings were gone over by a couple of men who reset
those biown out, taking two days to complete the work,

In filling the sand into the holes, the moist sand
was put in first around the roots and the drier sand on top.
The men used a littie stick about three inches wide and eight
inches lorig for this purpose, This did away with the use of an
extra shovel or using the hands and better results were accom-
plished,

Especial care was used to keep the roots covered up
11,
and in planting,the roots were not exposed over a minute or
two to the drying effect of the wind, All bundles were ime
mediately ‘heeled in' as drawn from the lake shore and sep-
arately put into pails of water as the planting progressed,
( See Plate 7 for pictures of planting, )

The following is a daily program of costs etc,

April 7 - 7 men -= 6¢ hours @ $ ,20 ------ $ 9,10
“ 92 6G *® «w- § “ " e  eccece 6,0
" 1057 % =e BH HH eee 11,20

9 “ we 4 " " Neeson 7,20
“ 11 =- 7 “% «#10 “ “ Hee eewee 14,00
6" se 6 OF Hm Coe 10,20
" 135 - 4 “ «#10 " " "  eccece 8,00
9 § ee 8B  * % # wecene 14,40
" 3422 " 22510 4 © ceemee 4,00
7 " eo BR ow 8 H seeee- = 11,90
" 15 = 5 “% «9-19 " " "  esecce 10,00
6 " w= BF " " 0 waeeee 10,20
" 16 = 8 “ «#9 § " " "  eeeece 8.00
" 172 3 "N" wm 3 " " n  weeeee 1,80
" 18 = 3 “ w= 3 " " " eeeeee 1, 80
7 4 w-- 1 " "  eeeees 2,10
" 20-7 § 2010 © #  eeneee 14.00

Total cost of Setting ---=- 143,90
Cost per Thousand e--~---------- en-- §$ 2,93
Plate No. 7.

 

 

 

PLANTING OPERATIONS,
Aprij

Je.

TOTAL COST of PLANTING (Digging and Setting)

y . 4 men digging --cc7 ¢ &,0O
7 “ setting --rr7 9.19

Total daily cost -- 17,210

Cost per Thousand ------- on-$ 3,69

Number of trees planted eos-cersrrrrrre 4,625

Average per day per man e=-="""""" ocos- 541

9 - 3 men digging ----- 3,00
6 " setting ----- 6, 90

Total daily cost -- 9,00
3.91

wacceen--=- 2,300

Cost per Thousand es--rrr""""

Number of trees planted ----

Average per day per man cw---errn” eocee 511

10 - 3 men digging ----" 4.80
16 " setting ---°- 18, 40

Total daily cost -- 23,20

Cost per Thousand e--*e7-""" 4,75

Number of trees planted es-csssr re rrr 4,875

Average per day per man -eweerrrrernn’” 420

11 - 5 men digging ----~-" 10,00
13 “” =gsetting ----- 24,20

Total daily cost -- 34,20
4,25
-e2e-c 8, 000

Cost per Thousand --------~-"
Number of trees planted s-----"°
Average per day per man serrreree renee” 470
13 - 4 men digging ----- 8,00
13 ™ setting -°--7 22,40

Total daily cost -- 30, 40
April 14 -

" 15 =

135.

Cost per Thousand «-----~"" e- 4,58

Number of trees planted

Average per day per ma
6 men digging ---°° 12,00
9 © getting ----- 35,90

Total daily cost -- 27.90

Cost per Thousand won ncnenn2e4, 15

Number of trees planted ------

Average per day per man --~---

5 men digging ----- 10,00

11 ©“ setting ----- 20,20

Total daily cost -- 30,20
Cost per Thousand -----"-~--"" 5.22
Number of trees planted ---
Average per day per man --eerrereerrnn”
3 men digging -----" 3,00

8 © setting ----" 8.00

Total daily cost -- 11.00

Cost per Thousand <----%7%*""" § .50
Number of trees planted
Average per day per man -wrererrerenn”
1 man digging ----> ~60

2 © getting ----- 1,80

Total daily cost -- 2,40

Cost per Thousand s--°7*"""" 3,84

Wumber of trees planted s---<--""~""

Average per day per man aeuenneeacrauaeva®

wees wnncnen--- 6,625

436

aseens--- 6,700

480

saeaawmaeonan ene] 5, 775

382

enanee- a--------2, 000

365

625
520
14,

April 18 - 5 men digging ----- 5,00

10 " setting ----" 3,90

Total daily cost -- 6,90

Cost per Thowsand ----r7"""" 2,08

Number of trees planted ------= eoces--= 2,675

Average per day per man ser=--errrrrn’™ 778
" 20 - 4 men digging ----- 8,00
7 +“ getting ----- 14,00 _

Total daily cost -- 22,00

Cost per Thousand ---ser7"""" 3, 86

Number of trees planted en-ecererrerrn” 5,700

wecencen--= 518

Average per day per man ==="
(Note) The comparatively lower costs and higher

daily average on the 17 th, and 18 th,, was due probably to

the very easy going and the nearness of the trees to the

Alao the men only worked three hours on the

planting site.

last day mentioned and were doing their best for a short time.

This was the day that the wind blew so hard and everyone had

to quit work,
The average costs are given below,

Average per Thousand --ersserrrrr"" $ 4,41

oone--- ~ 5,23
w--- 483,

" 0” Acre ewe2eeveaae=
" Wumber of Trees per Day per Man

WEATHER CONDITIONS,

The weather conditions were very varied, On the

night of the second day, there was 4 hard frost and the ground

was frozen to a depth of two inches,so that it was impossible

to continue the planting until the afternoon of the second
15,
day following.
Then there were two days when the wind from the

lake blew the sand in such quantities that it was impossible

to withstand its attack, One of these days,the 10 th., we

worked until 4 P.M. when the blowing sand became unbearable,
On the 18 th,,there was a forty eight mile wind off the lake,
which was endured until 10 A.M, when it begwame folly to suf-
fer the blinding sand storm which lasted throughout the day.
There was but slight rainfall during the two weeks
but in the previous week, there had been a great quantity. To-
wards the end of the work,it was very hot on the planting

site and the trees were in need of rain after being dried out

by the strong winds of these weeks,
SUMMARY of TOTAL COSTS,

STOCK,

Total Cost of Trees (49,000) -----$ 490,00

Cost per ThOvSand eanvweeaeanevcaneaccaannaca $ 10,00

FREIGHT.
Charges on car of 40,000 «<--<--<--=< 37,00
" ._ 7 & 9,000 s-------- 21,60
Total Cost of Freight «----<--- anon 58,60
Cost per Thousand --------- encore en ace eceen 1,19
SUPERVISION,
14 day's time and expenses e----- 100,00
Cost per Thousand -«--eecee sence nce ree esenn- 2.04
HAULING,
Total Hauling Costs -----=- ~2seo- -- 41,60
. 85

Cost per Thousand ----<----ccn enn e cence ne--
16,

HAULING WATER,

Total Cost of Hauling Water ----<-- 10,50
Cost per Thousand ---<-<-----2------------ - $0.21
TOOLS.
Total cost of Tools --------- ececre 9, 80
Cost per Thousand ------------------------- $ 0.20
PLANTING,
Total Cost of Planting,labor ------ 214,350
Cost per Thousand -<---<-ns00cen en nnnnnnee- $ 4,41

TOTAL COST of TREES LAID IN,

Total cost of trees in ground ----- 924,80

" " per Thousand ----- asanawenans - $18.90
" " = Acre (37,7 A, ) ----------- $24.53
RECOMMENDATIONS,

The weather condittons for this locality were about
the most favorable for such planting operations, Any time
before the first of April,the weather is too unsettled,and
later than the last of the month would be too hot and sultry.

This is also the best time to get labor,as a little
after the middle of the month,there is great demand for help
on the farms and orchards around Sawyer,

LATER OBSERVATIONS,

On May 12 th., Mr. Tyler ,field agent, looked this
planting over with the owner and reported ninty per cent of
the trees alive and doing well, He counted several rows
and found one hundred and twenty eight out of one hundred and

thirty five that had buds forming and roots starting to grow.
ROOM USE GiLY

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