384 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



conserving' our water sources, in manufacturing soil, in staying 

 devasting tloods, in softening down cyclonic storms, in furnishing 

 atmospheric humidity, in supplying the people with fuel and lum- 

 ber and scores of other benefits that cannot be safely ignored. 



In some parts of Europe, we are informed, where forestry is re- 

 duced to a profitably practical system, the government rewards the 

 proprietor of a forest in installments, for a series of years, to preserve 

 it intact, he using some of the coppice and rotting down wood, if any, 

 for his personal needs. The private forests are thus placed under 

 governmental supervision, allowing no destruction of any of the 

 valuable timber; and when said timber is matured, the govertnent 

 cuts and markets enough of it to get its pay back. Thus the pro- 

 prietor is encouraged to plant and conserve his forest by getting a 

 premium in advance, and the goverment subsequently makes itself 

 whole, and the people have the climatic benefit of it. Some such 

 plan seems to be our necessity. It certainly removes the objection 

 of paying out money without a money equivalent returned. 



TREE PLANTING IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY. 



Many residents of the Red River valley have had much difficulty in 

 raising planted trees, greatly to, their discouragement. When trees 

 naturally grow along some of the rivers there, it should inspire them 

 with hope. Evidently, virhere failure occurs, it is due to improper 

 management. Of course, if their purchased trees are defective, and 

 they are apt to be so when purchased of unscrupulous tree peddlers, 

 or damaged by exposure to sun heat while planting, bj' shabby 

 planting or by neglect to cultivate after planting, the trees will die, 

 and that speedily. The following extract from a paper by Rev. O. A- 

 Th. Solem, at the forestry session of the Horticultural Society, Janu- 

 ary 11, 1894, gives a sixre index of success in that vallej' under right 

 management. Halstad, where this forester lives, is located in Nor- 

 man county, 471^ degrees north latitvide. — Secy. Barrett. 



" Six 3'^ears ago, I made an attempt to plant evergreens, but was 

 careful not to procure trees froin the canvassing agents. I gave my 

 order to a responsible and highly recommended nurserj'. My trial 

 order gave entire satisfaction, and as a result I now have several 

 thousand trees of different varieties. Last year I had the pleasure of 

 distributing a goodl}^ number of these trees among mj^ friends. 



"I now have sixteen different varieties of evergreens, ranging from 

 two inches to five feet in height, a majoritj' of which seem to be 

 thrifty and doing well. Scotch pine grows very rapidlj\ 'Colorado 

 blue spruce' grows quite slow, but pleases and engages my atten- 

 tion the most. It is my intention to secure as manj- as possible of 

 this fancied variety. I have quite a number of this variety from 

 seed. Of deciduous trees, I have a vast assortment, such as elm, 

 American linden, American larch, red cherry, European birch, etc. 

 American larch grows very rapidlj^ here. Red cherrj'and European 

 birch remain unmolested as yet, but I cannot give an}- definite opin- 

 ion as to their hardiness, this being the first winter of my experi- 

 ence with this variet3^ 



