112 Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society. 



import from? It depends upon where you want to take the tree. 

 If I want to take them to the northwest I would go away from the 

 coast to the interior of Russia, where the gulf stream does not affect 

 them. We look upon this work which Prof. Budd, of our State 

 Agricultural College, is doing as a good work. (Mr. Gibbs re- 

 marked that Mr. Wright is the President of the board of that in- 

 stitution.) I think the larch was not a failure, and there is no tree 

 that has given more satisfaction than the white willow. It will not 

 do in certain localities; but we must discriminate. Jesse Full, of 

 Illinois, who has studied the willow more than any other person, 

 perhaps, said in a letter that he had a section of a fence rail before 

 him which he put in a fence thirty years ago and it shows no signs 

 of decay. I speak of growing it as a forest tree, not as a hedge. 

 In regard to another importation which Prof. Budd has made, 

 there are forest trees adapted to this country which we get from 

 Europe. The silver-leaf poplar will not sucker in groves, only 

 around the edges. It is as valuable as the black walnut in quality. 

 I say in discussing these varieties we must take in consideration the 

 country we take them to. When we go to Volga we find a high 

 and dry place. They have from six to ten inches rainfall, and they 

 raise trees successfully. In Dakota it was said we could not raise 

 trees because it was too dry. I went there and I said trees could be 

 grown where cereals grow, and I see no reason to change my opin- 

 ion. They are growing the cottonwood. It will do on some soils 

 where it is low and wet. The box elder will grow better in dry 

 places, also the ash. I have met a great many persons who say that 

 box elder is not worth growing, but if grown systematically it will 

 do well. They want to be planted close together and be trimmed 

 up. It is one of the best trees also, for street planting. 



Question — Are there not two kinds? 



Mr. Wright — I never have noticed any particular difference. 1 

 have noticed a difference in the ash. If we go at tree planting sys- 

 tematically we will succeed. 



Mr. Pierce, of Minnesota — Mr. Gibbs is right in recommending 

 few varieties for Minnesota. If I did not believe we could raise 

 apples easier than potatoes, I would not go back home. While you 

 freeze to death here at zero, we are comfortable at forty degrees 



