147 
Perhaps the seeds of the Rocky Mountain yellow pine could be planted 
directly in the sand hills. Judge J.C. Tolivar, of Ainsworth, Nebr., 
gathered a few bushels of cones in the first part of September, 1893, and 
placed them in the sun to dry. The cones opened ii a few days, and he 
immediately planted the seeds on the sand hills of his treeclaim. <A few 
days later the young pines came up, and they are said to have grown 
to a height of 6 to 8 inches before the frost set in. The rapidity of the 
germination of the seed las been confirmed in the greenhouse of the 
University of Nebraska. The method of Judge Tolivar, if successful, 
as it promises to be, will be the least expensive. It may be that the 
young trees will need some protection against the sun and hot winds 
the first two summers, but when 2 years old the roots will have reached 
the permanent moisture and no care will need to be taken of them 
except to keep away the prairie fires. It would be desirable to find 
some tree or shrub that would furnish the necessary protection the first 
two years. The box elder is excellent for shading, but it is not easier to 
grow than the pine itself. The native shrubs of the sand hills are 
mostly too low. Prunus besseyi generally trails in the sand. Ceano- 
thus ovatus is mostly too bushy. <Amorpha canescens and NKuhnistera 
rillosa have a good amount of foliage and would give some shade for a 
year or two. Better than these would be Pinus divaricata, if it is as 
well adapted to the region as reports seem to indicate. 
If forest trees are planted to produce climatic effects, they must be 
grown in large tracts. The groves on the tree claims do little or nothing 
toward changing the conditions of the region, Extensive planting 
could be done by the General Government or by the State, or at least 
under the direction of one of these, perhaps best on a cooperative plan, 
like the one proposed by Mr. Fernow, Chief of the Forestry Division, 
United States Department of Agricuiture. This planting should of 
course be undertaken only on lands useless for agricultural purposes. 
In the region of our summer's collecting was a tract of land of this kind 
between Middle Loup and Dismal rivers, in Thomas County, a distance 
of about 15 miles. The Jand consists mostly of sand hills, with scarcely 
any grassy valleys between, ‘The hills along the rivers could be used 
as summer pastures for a width of 4 or 5 miles. The cattle seldom go 
farther, indeed, as a rule, scarcely so far, from water. <A belt about 6 
miles in width is then left, of nouse whatever. Even the hills near the 
rivers are worth so little for grazing that the land would increase many 
times in value if covered with woods. 
CATALOGUE OF SPECIES. 
In determining the plants of this collection, I have had help from the 
following botanists, to whom thanks are due: Mr. Jd. Ik. Small has 
determined the species of Polygonum, Mr. Jd. G. Smith those of Sagit- 
turia, and Dr, William Trelease those of Hpilobiwm. The Cactacee 
were sent to Prot. J. M. Coulter, The determination of the species of 
