252 



AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE BULLETINS. 



clear to the minds of incredulous people now some kinds of trees may succeed' 

 other kinds, and yet force no one to believe in spontaneous generation. 



After cultivation ceases some of the annuals, such as shepherd's purse, an- 

 nual poa, pigweeds, "pusly" and others, are first to appear. Very soon June 

 grass appears, and is a most persistent intruder and comes to- monopolize much 

 of the spare room. 



Eapidity of growth is relative, variable and an uncertain element; still some 

 trees are usually more rapid growers than others. To grow fast relatively a 

 tree needs to have many good roots anl branches clothed with an abundau )e of 

 good leaves. For this it needs a suitable soil and climate, and room enough in 

 Avhich to spread itself. The south tree of the row is more exposed to the light 

 than most of the rest, and is generally the largest. 



I have made a selection, and below are given the age, height and diameter of 

 the largest tree of its kind. The diameter is taken one foot from the ground. 

 If there is no mistake in figuring the tree first mentioned made the slowest, 

 growth, and the one last named the fastest growth. 



Table Giving the Age, Height, and Diameter of Different Trees. 



Name. 



Swamp White Oak 



Sugar Maple 



White Pine 



Butternut 



Blacli Walnut , 



White Ash 



Black Cherry 



Basswood 



Red Elm 



Poplar Birch 



Balsam Poplar 



European Larch . . . 



Locust 



Chestnut 



Catalpa speciosa... 

 Silver Maple 



Diame- 

 ter, 

 Inches. 



2. 

 2 



2'/4- 

 3 



m- 



3 



6 

 6 



7 



7 

 10 

 10>i.. 



With reference to the above figures I may add that butternut does not hold 

 out its rate of rapid growth as well as it promised for a few years at first. White 

 ash has been checked for two years by bark lice. Tlie locust trees are very fine 

 and healthy, only a few in all, and were planted later than the trees on either- 

 side. The size of the chestnut tree, as given in the table, is considerably larger 

 than any other tree of the kind. The catalpa is the one usually called hardy, 

 but our trees are mostly damaged by cold winters. 



We have no cottonwoods which have had a good chance, hence no example 

 is cited aboye. 



