148 Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society. 



fee tree, red cedar, cottonwoods, willows and others. Still later, it was found 

 by experiment, that native seedlings transplanted into carefully prepared 

 soil, did well on high uplands — out on the open prairie. Not only did well, 

 but grew with remarkable vigor and rapidity, showing characteristics of ex- 

 cellence in quality. To those of indigenous growth were added in time va- 

 rieties of foreign origin : Hard, or sugar maple, American chestnut, white 

 walnut, poplar, beech, birch, black locust, larch, pines, catalpa, black cherry 

 and others. While success followed efforts in this direction, only the most 

 sanguine, adventurous exiDerimenters had faith in idtimate practical results. 

 In further time, through an act of the Territorial Legislature, creating a 

 board of agriculture, the labors of the board organized under its provisions, 

 and afterwards, liberal legislative appropriations, keeping out annual fires, 

 and other aids and precautions, tree growing in Nebraska and Kansas is uni- 

 versally conceded a success. There is now no hesitancy or risk in predicting 

 in the near future, that this region will be known and characterized as a tim- 

 ber-producing division of the country. 



EXTENT OF TREE PLANTING AND GROWING. 



It may be safely stated that but little tree planting was done in the district 

 designated, and by reason of annual fires sweeping very generally over the 

 country, spontaneous growth was exceedingly meagre, for at least ten years 

 after organization of the territories and first efforts by settlers to improve and 

 develop. Statistics here presented in connection with Nebraska and Kansas 

 commence with date, passage of Kansas-Nebraska act, 1854. From that time 

 up to, and including the year 1882, covering a period of twenty-eight years, 

 official statistics, with some reliable estimate to cover dates not thus provided, 

 it is found there have been planted within the borders of what is now the State 

 of Nebraska, 244,356 acres of forest trees. This includes seedlings, seeds and 

 cuttings, planted in permanent forests, groves, and along highways and 

 streets in cities and villages. Si^ontaneous indigenous growth, since fires 

 have been kept from borders of streams and ravines, is estimated equal to 

 half the area planted. Personal observation would warrant a larger propor- 

 tion. Not a few informants contend for an equal extent; some higher — even 

 to double. James T. Allan, Omaha, Ex-Secretary American Forestry Asso- 

 ciation, now in emj^loy of the U. P. R. R. Co., traveling extensively over the 

 West, responding to inquiries on this particular point, writes : " I have 

 watched the sj^ontaneous growth of young elms, walnuts, oaks, ash, hicko- 

 ries, etc., along the Missouri, Wood, and other rivers in the West, since fires 

 have been kept back, and seen their growth among the hazel brush, which is 

 the fringe on the border of native timber, dividing it from the prairie. I 

 hardly think I am out of the w^ay in setting it at double the amount of tim- 

 ber planted." A majority, however, in various jmrts of the State, place the 

 estimate as stated — at one-half. 



It is safe to say a majority of the planting is made, originally, four feet by 

 four, with view to cutting out first one-half, as growth demands space, and 



