296 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



nor well suited for grazing, such work can be carried on to excellent 

 advantage and serve to furnish the ranch with a sufficient supply of 

 fence posts, repair material, and shelter-belts. Once a forest cover Is 

 established in this region it will create conditions suitable for keeping 

 the area in permanent forest. 



FUTURE PROBLEMS. 



Many other phases of forestry are of vital importance to the state 

 and should be treated specifically. This article is intended to convey 

 only a general idea of the importance of the well-established work in 

 the state and the need for still more extensive work than as yet pre- 

 vails. Owing to the importance of the national forest work the govern- 

 ment has largely discontinued the preparation of planting plans for 

 those who desire such assistance. This work should be taken up by 

 the state and made an important feature of the work. Still broader 

 study is needed for each of our prominent trees suitable for profitable 

 grove purposes, especially relative to mixtures and spacing. Experi- 

 ments are needed in wood preservation, since it is in the prairie that 

 wood scarcity will be felt most keenly and where there will be a 

 greater demand for the best preservation. Work should also be con- 

 ducted to determine more exactly the actual benefits of wind-breaks 

 and shelter-belts to the crop producer. More information is needed 

 regarding desirable species for each county and each class of soil in 

 order to get the most valuable stand of trees in the least possible time, 

 or as Professor Graves has stated it, "To secure the best forest in the 

 largest quantity in the shortest time and at the least expense." •* 



The organization of tree buying and tree planting societies in each 

 county or possibly a definite portion of each county would greatly bene- 

 fit forest planting. Somewhat similar societies should be formed in 

 our prominent cities for the improvement of park and street planting. 

 Several other lines of work are needed and will develop from time to 



time. 



ASSISTANCE IN PLANTING. 



The prospects for future forest planting in the state are bright. 

 Nurserymen report an increased sale of forest trees in both the east 

 and the west and the work is shaping itself on a more practical basis 

 than ever before. In the east it is the question of the woodlot on good 

 soil, in the west it is a question of more extensive plantings on poorer 

 soils. The farmer's forest already assumes several times the importance 

 that it did ten or even five years ago and yearly becomes more im- 

 portant. It is well that no phase of forestry work is receiving more 

 attention and that the men who are most dependent on the timber 

 supply are also the ones who are most capable of raising it. 



Work at the Nebraska State Experiment Station is designed for the 

 benefit of the farmer. Advice will be cheerfully given relative to forest 

 planting and it is hoped that before long some provision will be made 

 by the state, or by co-operation of the state and national government, 

 so that each farmer who desires to plarft can have a personal investi- 

 gation and recommendations from the men in charge of forestry work 

 in the state. 



