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Many file, depending on future developments to help them toward a compliance with 

 the law, and it is from these, ignorant of the simplest laws of nature, that the greatest 

 annoyances arise. 



Their lands, as a rule, are poorly prepared, and sad lack of judgment is shown in 

 the selection of stock, in planting it, and subsequent cultivation. In many instances ab- 

 solute lack of cultivation follows, so much so, that in traversing the frontier, when atten- 

 tion is directed to some particularly weedy and neglected plot of ground, the information 

 is vouchsafed that this is Mr. So and So's timber claim. 



Men, otherwise intelligent, have been heard to say that the timber law was abso- 

 lutely inoperative, owing to its being an impossibility to successfully grow timber upon 

 the naked prairie ; a new version of the old story of the fond mamma, who didn't want 

 her boy to go near the water until he could swim ; all this in spite of the fact that in the 

 settled parts of this country, timber is steadily on the increase, in spite of the amount 

 used annually for fuel and other purposes. And it is no infrequent occurrence to exhume 

 from excavation on the prairie, well preserved specimens of timber, giving the best 

 evidence that it formerly existed on all our prairies. 



One of the most plausible reasons for the abundance of alkaline deposits, as evinced 

 in the water and other ways, is a heavy deposit of ashes in the soil (1) centuries ago, 

 caused by the destruction of timber by fires. The increase of timber is owing to the sup- 

 pression of these fires, which in their annual sweep over the country, destroy the season's 

 growth of such deciduous trees as may have sprung up from wind-sown seed. 



Two years ago, in making a delivery near Fort Abercrombie, a Norwegian, in com- 

 pany with his wife, called for his bill, in which was a large quantity of cottonwood .seed- 

 lings. The woman objected strenuously to the goods, giving as her reason, that she did 

 not think they were cottonwoods, as the same things were growing all over their new 

 breaking. Subsequent examination proved this to be a fact ; it was " bringing coals to 

 Newcastle." 



As a rule these claims are being planted to the quick-growing deciduous trees, as Cot- 

 tonwoods, Box Elder, Willow, and Soft Maple — all good in their place, but hardly to be 

 chosen as lifetime neighbours. These planters are many of them poor, with urgent calls 

 for all the money they can get, and it is not strange that they secure those trees that can 

 be had to the best advantage, financially and otherwise. The islands and low lands of 

 the Missouri furnish the bulk of these trees ; and cottonwood seedlings are sold at figures 

 that will hardly pay for count and packing ; these, if given anything like a fair chance 

 for their lives, will get out at the little end of the horn, and struggle into some promin- 

 ence as applicants for public favour; however, at best they are poor in quality for fuel and 

 timber, and their open growing tops offer but little protection from drifting snow. 



The White Ash, willow, and Box Elder are of more value to the frontier than the cotton- 

 wood. The Lombardy poplar is useless, not being sufficiently hardy to stand the low tem- 

 perature of the winters. The Soft Maple suffers as a small tree, from the same cause, and 

 after attaining respectable dimensions as a tree, suffers from wind storms, which break 

 the tops badly. The Walnut, Butternut, European Larch, Hard Maple, and White Elm 

 are all within reach, and highly desirable as timber trees. 



Many are planting liberally of evergreens. These, with proper care, are flourishing, 

 and are valued as snow and wind-breaks, and also as ornamental trees ; their rich deep 

 living green breaking the monotony and desolation of the snow-covered prairies. 



The varieties doing the best are in the following order, Scotch Pine, White or Silver 

 Spruce, Norway Spruce, American Pine, Balsam Fir, White and Red Cedar, and Austrian 

 Pine. Their growth in our rich soil, stimulated by good cultivation, is phenomenal. 



Before leaving the subject of timber planting, attention should be called to the merits 

 of the Black Oak. This possesses peculiar attractions to those living on the prairie. It 

 is easy to propagate by sowing the acorns, care be taken not to disturb the tender root- 

 lets, during the first season, until they have penetrated into the earth and are well estab- 

 lished. They increa.se in size wonderfully fast, and from their habii of holding their 

 leaves during the winter, are almost equal to evergreens as a shelter-belt a quality by no 

 means to be despised in the blizzard region. 



