•^50 AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE BULLETINS. 



No. 21— BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT. 

 LESSONS ON GROWING FOREST TREES. 



Of the various things attempted since my connection with the Agricul- 

 tural College few have given greater satisfaction, considering the outlay of 

 time and money, than the selection and growing of trees. In the summer of 

 1875 a small beginning was made towards an arboretum, which has since 

 that time been enlarged, till it now covers about two acres of land. The 

 spot is relatively low, the soil a sandy loam, most of which is naturally well 

 drained. A part of the lot was at one time occupied by a nursery, and the 

 trees were not all removed at once, hence the trees now standing are of dif- 

 fereat ages. There are at present two hundred and fifteen (215) species of 

 trees and shrubs, many of which are different from any in the college park. 



Till a person begins to plant and cultivate trees and shrubs, as here 

 attempted, he does not realize how little any one in this country knows about 

 the best sorts to select and how to treat them from the seeds to mature 

 trees. For want of information mistakes have been made, but even these 

 mistakes often teach as much as the successes. Whether Michigan men ever 

 grow forest trees for profit or not, the information acquired in growing an 

 arboretum has already been the means of helping to answer many inquiries, 

 and is likely to help in answering many more. 



We are often asked what trees or shrubs are hardy at the Agricultural 

 College and vicinity. The hardiness of a tree depends on many things — as 

 elevatio, soil, drainage, exposure, cultivation, rapidity of growth, whether 

 crowded or grown with plenty of room, the nature of the summers, springs 

 and winters, or any one or all of these, and doubtless on still other con- 

 ditions. 



Last winter was as cold as any we have had in 20 years — 33° F. below zero — 

 yet thrifty sprouts of Magnolia umbrella remained alive to the terminal bud. 

 Perhaps this was owing to the fact that there was plenty of moisture in the 

 soil, or little wind or no sunshine during the freezing period, or all of these 

 combined, or for some other reason not yet understood. These magnolias 

 iliave usually, even in mild winters, died to the snow line. 



For six years a number of trees of the American persimmon have died every 

 ■winter near to the ground. From this I supposed I was warranted in pronouncing 

 this well-known tree as tend'^r in Central Michigan. Two years ago I chanced 

 to visit a garden on high clay land, less than ten miles distant, where young 

 trees of the same kind were healthy and hardy, and had borne fruit two sea- 

 sons in succession. Whether this difference was all owing to the difference in 

 soil, or elevation, or cultivation, or the different locations from which the seed 

 was jirocured, or from other causes, I am still uncertain. Other instances of 

 ii similar nature could be given. 



In starting the trees in the arboretum the seeds were usually planted when 

 freshly gathered. Just where the trees were to remain. The rows are four feet 

 .apart and run north and south. For five or six years, and in some cases 

 more, they were regularly cultivated like a field of corn till about the middle 

 of August, and again late in autumn. As the trees crowded some were cut 

 out. A very little trimming has been done by way of removing dead limbs 

 and preventing bad crotches. 



After the trees had got a good start and shaded the ground pretty well, culti- 

 vation generally ceased, as it seemed as though they would take care of them- 



