SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII 456 



The tree is seldom planted for strictly commercial purposes. A com- 

 bined woodlot and shelter belt might serve as a source of fence posts. 

 The value of the red cedar for ornamental purposes is well recognized. 

 Open grown trees in Iowa are very symmetrical. The light bluish 

 berries add a feature of attractiveness. The trees stand pruning and 

 trimming well but not so well as the arborvitae or white cedar. 



Trees one foot in height or under should be used for windbreak, 

 shelterbelt or woodlot planting. Generally trees 2 to 3 feet in height 

 are preferable for lawn planting. 



One of the greatest disadvantages of planting this tree in Iowa comes 

 through the development of the "cedar-apple" fungus when in close 

 proximity to apple trees. For this reason the red cedar should not be 

 placed near the orchard. 



BLACK HILLS SPRUCE ( WHITE SPRUCE') — (Plcca Canadensis) 



The Tree: The Black Hills spruce is a variety of the eastern white 

 spruce which has been introduced from the Dakota region. When grown 

 in the prairie region it is small in size, of pyramidal form, and has a well 

 developed root system. Although in its native habitat it is generally 

 found on moist situations, it has been found to be very drought resist- 

 ant, and, for this reason, is a valuable tree for planting, especially in 

 northwestern Iowa. It is a tree which resists to a marked degree the 

 drying effects of the winter winds. In planting, it is quite easy to handle 

 because of the compactness of its root system. 



The Wood: The wood is soft, fine grained, light, and not strong nor 

 durable. The timber makes a satisfactory lumber of a poorer grade. It 

 is desirable for box boards, crating material and for paper pulp. The 

 trees can be utilized for fence posts after being treated with a preserva- 

 tive but should not be planted for this purpose alone. 



Planting: In localities to which it is adapted, the Norway spruce is 

 to be preferred for windbreak planting to the Black Hills variety. 

 The former is not only a fast grower but also makes a larger tree. In 

 addition, the Norway spruce is preferable for ornamental planting. On 

 dry, exposed, wind swept areas, especially in northwestern Iowa, the 

 Black Hills spruce is a tree of considerable importance. Because of its 

 slowness in growth, windbreaks of this species should be reinforced, at 

 the start at least, with a row or two of some fast growing tree such as 

 the Cottonwood. The spruce will endure the shade of the cottonwoods 

 and after reaching a fair size the cottonwoods, or a part of them, may be 

 removed to permit the full development of the spruce. This tree may also 

 be planted along with the western yellow, Austrian, Scotch or jack pines. 

 In such combinations the shade enduring spruce should make up the in- 

 terior rows and the intolerant pines the outside rows. 



This spruce has but little value for commercial plantations, since other 

 hardy species are available which are much faster in growth and produce 

 a product of equal or greater value. 



For ornamental planting the Black Hills spruce is important for dry, 

 expoHed situations. 



