300 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



be used successfully, as clay is likely to crust over so that winged forest tree seeds can- 

 not break the crust. 



The seeds should be planted thickly so that they can help each other through the 

 ground; then, if a heavy rain should fall after the seed is planted and before it is up, it 

 is often necessary to go over the rows lightly with an iron-tooth rake and break the 

 crust. The rows should be two feet apart. They should be cultivated by a harrow-tooth 

 cultivator drawn by a steady horse at least once a week. As we use nothing but new- 

 land w^e are obliged to weed the young plants but once or twice. All cultivation should 

 cease by August 1, that the trees may have time to ripen before the freezing weather 

 sets in. 



We have found the Whitney seedling digger to be the best machine with which to 

 dig seedlings, and that tarred twine is the best tying material, as willows and wool- 

 twine are likely to rot during the winter. We always tie in bunches of 100 and tind it 

 cheaper to count and grade during the winter, labor not costing us as much as in the 

 fall or spring. 



We have found a judicious mixture of varieties in planting to be very beneficial. 

 For instance, light foliage trees, like ash, should be planted with heavy foliage trees 

 like box elder, it being always an object to shade the ground as soon as possible to pre- 

 vent weeds from growing and to produce humid atmosphere under the trees. 



We copy from a leading New York journal as follows: "It is to be regretted that the 

 United States is doing so little toward replenishing the fast disappearing forests. Last 

 year, according to the statistics procured from Washington, Great Britian planted 

 4,287,000, France, 5,400,000, and Germany 13,000,000 deciduous forest trees." As seen 

 from the foregoing, these three great empires planted 23,687,(X)0, while the books of the 

 nursery I represent will show an actual sale for the year ending April 20, 1889, of over 

 25,000,000, enough, if planted four feet apart, to make a timber belt around the globe, 

 besides overlapping the three greatest European countries by over 1,000,000 trees. 



There are several other firms in southern Nebraska whose sales run up into the 

 millions, and there are to-day growing in three southern Nebraska counties. Saline, 

 Fillmore, and Jefferson, over 1CK>,000,000 forest tree seedlings for the fall and spring 

 trade. 



We mention these facts because we have learned that even in forestry planting the 

 United States leads the world, and that the state of Nebraska alone leads all Europe, 

 for her citizens have a motto which is, "Plainsman, plant a tree." 



Mr. Emery: I think there is one important fact that has been over- 

 looked by Mr. Carpenter, and I believe it to be the duty of this association 

 to consider it. That is, is the Cottonwood a desirable timber tree? My 

 observation is, throughout the northwest there are more cottonwood seed- 

 lings planted than anything else. I refer to Dakota, Minnesota, and that 

 region. The best we have had were trees six inches in diameter; I think 

 it is a poor tree to plant and that this association should discourage it. 



Mr. Carpenter : I will say that my time was very much limited — five 

 minutes is a very limited time in which to discuss so large a subject. I 

 expected Mr. Douglas to read his paper first, and I would follow. With 

 regard to the cottonwood, we are doing everything to discourage planting- 

 it. The cottonwood is a kind of thief, a murderer. It will kill ever tree 

 within its immediate reach by absorbing all the moisture there is in the 

 soil, and then, after killing the other trees, it commits suicide. 



Mr. Douglas: Two years ago I read a paper on forestry, and I spoke 

 of the cottonwood in this way: "Our agricultural and horticultural papers 

 are recommending the planting of the cottonwood. The cottonwood can 

 be gathered up on the borders of the Missouri river at 40 or 50 cents per 

 thousand. It is better to plant cottonwood than not to plant trees at all." 

 But I indorse in the main what the gentleman has said about the cotton- 

 wood. Mr. Douglas then read his paper upon 



SUCCESSION OF FOREST GROWTHS. 



It is the prevailing and almost universal belief that when native forests are destroyed 

 they will be replaced by other kinds, for the simple reason that the soil has been 



