1878.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



181 



Elder, Cottonwood, Honey Locust, Osage Orange, 

 Silver Maple, and, for fuel and fruit, the Peach. 

 The Ash is a beauliful, fast-growing tree, and 

 makes valuable timber, being used extensively 

 in the manufacture of farm implements. It 

 grows along nearly all the streams in Kansas. 

 The seed can be easily gathered from the trees, 

 as at ripens in the Fall. It should be kept in 

 <lamp sand till Spring, and then planted about 

 one inch deep, dopping ten to twelve seed to the 

 foot, in nursery rows, to be transplanted to the 

 forest at one or two years old. 



Black Walnut is a handsome, hardy, fast-grow- 

 ang tree. The valuable properties of its wood 

 are so well known that I need not speak of them 

 here. In a few years from planting the annual 

 eropofnuts will amply pay all cost. The nuts 

 are easily obtained from the trees which grow 

 along the streams, and should be gathered in the 

 Fall for seed, and bedded in the ground, covering 

 them with earth to keep moist till Spring, and 

 then plant two to three inches deep where the 

 trees are to remain. 



Box Elder is one of the hardiest trees we have ; 

 makes a rapid growth for the first eight or ten 

 years, and is a handsome tree, but seldom gets 

 ■over thirty or forty feet in height. The quality 

 of its wood is similar to that of the silver maple. 

 The seed can be gathered the same as the Ash, 

 a,nd at the same time. They should be mixed 

 with sand, and kept damp (never wet) through 

 the Winter, in a cool place. Plant as recom- 

 mended for Ash. 



Cottonwood grows rapidly, with little care ; 

 makes a quick shade or wind-break, and is pretty 

 good fuel when dry. Young plants are often 

 found along the streams, and may be transplanted 

 to the grove ; or it may be easily propagated 

 from cuttings of the last year's growth, which 

 may be taken off at any time in mild weather 

 •during the Winter. Cut twelve inches long, and 

 pack Mway in earth till Spring. Plant in mellow 

 soil, leaving only two or three inches of the top 

 above ground. 



Honey Locust is a beautiful, hardy tree, well 

 suited to our soil and climate. The seed should 

 be gathered as soon as ripe in the Fall, and kept 

 in moist sand till Spring, and then planted about 

 two inches deep. The seed should be soaked in 

 warm water till it begins to swell, before planting. 

 Osage Orange is one of the most valuable trees 

 we can cultivate. It mnkes a tolerably rapid 

 growth. It is a hardy tree, easily propagated, 

 and the wood is exceedingly tough, liard and 



durable, making g-)od fuel, and the tiniber is of 

 great value whenever strength and durability are 

 required. For the manufacture of wagons and 

 farm machinery, it is said to be the best timber 

 in the world. In its native forests in Texas, it 

 makes a tree two and one-half to three feet in 

 diameter, and sixty feet high. It is usually 

 cheapest to buy the plants at one or two years 

 old, of growers. 



Silver Maple is a rapid grower ; the wood is fine- 

 grained, and is used to some extent in cabinet 

 work. It is, however, liable to be broken by 

 high winds, and by ice and snow accumulating 

 on the branches. When closely planted in groves 

 or belts, this is less likely to occur. The seed 

 ripens in May and June, and must be gathered 

 and planted soon after, in drills, covering about 

 one inch deep. 



The Peach tree grows well on the prairies — 

 makes a rapid growth — and for quick returns i» 

 a good substitute for some of the slower-growing 

 forest trees. It will produce a large amount of 

 fuel in four or five years from planting, and the 

 fruit may pay well for all cost of planting and 

 tending. Cover the seed lightly to keep them 

 moist during the Winter, and in the Spring crack 

 all that are not cracked by the frost, and plant 

 about two inches deep. 



There are other trees of more or less value 

 that we are testing upon our experimental 

 grounds, that promise well, so far as tried, and 

 may be planted by those who want a great va^ 

 riety, or can aflbrd the greater care and cost ne- 

 cessary to insure success — among which we might 

 name as worthy of attention the Burr Oak, 

 Hackberry, Ameiican Elm, Kentucky Coflee 

 Tree, and Ailanthus. 



Burr Oak.— The seed of the Oak ripens in the 

 Fall, and should be treated as recommended for 

 Walnut. The Hackberry and Kentucky Coffee 

 Tree ripen their seed the same time as the Oaks, 

 and should be treated as recommended for Honey 

 Locust. The Elms ripen their seed in May and 

 June, and should be treated as recommended for 

 Silver Maple. 



Native Trees. — All the trees I have named, ex- 

 cept the Ailanthusar.d Osage Orange, are natives 

 ofKansa.s,and can bo depended ujion. The seed 

 can be ea'-ily gathered from then\ all as they ripen. 



SWAMP DOGWOOD. 



J. T., CIIANUTE, NKOSIIO CO., KAKSA8. 

 Will you or some of your ccrresp.irdenls in- 

 form me as to the value or meiits of the Swamp 



