328 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
SOME DESIRABLE FORESTRY EXPERIMENTS. 
PROF. S. B. GREEN, ST. ANTHONY PARK. 
It seems to me that our forestry interests would be helped by having 
a few experiments started as soon as practicable. It is not necessary to 
carry on experiments to demonstrate the possibility of securing a stand of 
young trees upon the land, nor demonstrate what varieties of forest trees 
may be best grown together, nor to determine the rate of increase in forest 
trees, for these points can be easily determined by a study of the conditions 
prevailing in this state, since we can find many localities where nature has 
brought about conditions which give the very best opportunity to study 
these matters without any delay; and while it is desirable that studies be 
made as to the conditions under which the best wood is produced in this 
state, yet they should not be regarded as experiments. 
It does seem to me important, however, that a few varieties of trees be 
planted here on a considerable scale to determine their value for economic 
purposes, for which they seem especially promising. I refer especially to 
the introduction of the Douglas fir, red spruce of Maine and Norway spruce. 
The Douglas fir, of Colorado, is not nearly as large as those found in the 
milder climate of the Pacific coast, where it attains exceedingly large size, 
but this Pacific coast form is not hardy with us while the Colorado form is, 
and this Colorado form is a rapid grower and makes a good sized log. This 
tree should be tried by the sowing of seed to test its power of competing 
naturally with other vegetation, and to determine its rapidity of growth 
under various conditions. It should also be transplanted on a considerable 
scale, for which purpose I think it is exceedingly well adapted, as I have 
moved it very safely. There is every indication that this tree will prove to be 
a valuable timber tree here and be able to easily reproduce itself. We have 
on the grounds of the experiment station several hundred seedlings of this 
tree, which have made very rapid growth. We have raised perhaps six or 
seven thousand from seed and find that the seed starts easily and surely. 
The trees seem somewhat inclined to grow crooked when growing in the 
open, but when crowded I think would easily take on the upright form. 
The terminal growth seems to be somewhat tender and liable to be frost 
injured when it is under two feet high, but as it gets older and away from 
the ground, it holds its leader well. I suggested five or six years ago to 
Dr. Fernow, at that time chief of the division of forestry, that some experi- 
tents be made in determining the value of this tree for commercial lumber- 
ing in this state, and further experiments on our grounds at St. Anthony 
Park and at Grand Rapids give me increased confidence in its probable 
value for moist lands in this section. 
Norway Spruce.—It is unforunate that so much of the moist land of 
this section that seems to be especially well adapted to the growing of 
spruce should be occupied with our black spruce, which is of very slow 
growth. Some specimens which I have examined have attained a diameter 
of not more than 14 inches in seventy years on wet land. It is also a tree 
that does not stand well upon upland, and is really of very little value. 
Our white spruce is of rapid growth, but not widely distributed and does 
not reproduce itself very quickly from seed, and the seed is very difficult 
to obtain. On the other hand, it is found in general cultivation in this state 
that Norway spruce holds on nearly as well, even in very severe situations, 
