Forests and Forestry in Wisconsin. 149 



drouth. Either the ground was very dry, or a thick growth of 

 grass under the trees robbed them of needed moisture. 



Mr. Scholzka thought the soil did not furnish the needed nour- 

 ishment. As soon as the tap root reached the poor soil beneath, 

 the tree began to die from starvation. 



Mr. Huyck: I would not have it understood that this trouble 

 is confined to tbe black oak alone; the poplars also are dying out, 

 but the burr oaks standing in the same lot are not affected. If the 

 gentleman says that the poplars which have no tap root die out 

 for the same reason and can explain why the burr oaks which 

 have a tap root escape, then we can believe that this starvation is 

 the cause. 



Senator M. Anderson : I would like to know if the grove had 

 been used as a pasture ; if so, the earth has been tramped down so 

 as to smother the roots. 



Mr. Huyck : Yes, the lot was pastured, but this would not 

 seem to be a sufficient cause, for other groves which had not been 

 pastured were affected in the same way. One corner, or a small 

 spot, would be first attacked and then the trouble seemed to ex- 

 tend in all directions. 



Mr. Scholzka said different kinds of trees do not always thrive 

 in the same kind of soil, and there should be an adaptation of the 

 soil to the wants of the trees. When anything is the matter of the 

 trees it is often necessary to examine the soil before we can find 

 out definitely the cause of the trouble. In such cases we often 

 find that the soil is not suitable for the trees. 



Mr. J. N. Ames, of Oregon, said he had taken pains to save 

 the young timber growing upon his farm. Many of his neighbors 

 had expressed surprise that he had not cut off the trees and carried 

 them to market, but they were young and growing thriftily and he 

 thought it would be much better to let them stand, and the result 

 is, that he has now about seventy-five acres of the nicest young 

 timber in that section. He had not used these groves for pasture, 

 ani had no trouble with any of the trees dying out, except the 

 poplars, and he regarded these as short-lived any way. He had 

 noticed, both on his own place and through that section, that the 

 black oak seemed to be taking the place of the burr oak, and to 



