MONTEVIDEO EXPERIMENT STATION. 195 



MONTEVIDEO EXPERIMENT STATION. 



l.VCL Kl.L.S K. M()V1:;K, .~.l I'T. 



This station was established in 1H92 and has been enj^ajj^ed for 

 tlif nicst part in the trial of oruainental shrubs. Montevideo is 

 located on the 45th parallel, not far from the DGth meridian, and 

 thirty-tive miles from the western boundary of the state. Horticul- 

 tural experiments to be of much value must be continued through 

 a lonjjf series of years; such conclusions as are here recorded must 

 then be looked upon as entirely provisionable, or at least subject to 

 future modification and revision. 



The pa.st two seasons have been verj' trying- ones; the annual 

 precipitation of moisture has been verj' far below the normal, and 

 the climate has exhibited certain vagaries, approximating those 

 found in desert regions; frequent periods of intense heat combined 

 with great drought have prevailed; a hot siinoon from the parched 

 and simmering southwestern deserts has frequently visited us; the 

 lakes and sloughs on the prairies have dried up and disappeared; 

 the Minnesota river has ceased to flow. At Montevideo, the soft 

 maple trees throughout the town have died, as well as man}' cotton - 

 woods; on the prairie farms manj^ groves of trees — some of them 

 twentj' or more years old — have succumbed to the drought; the 

 cottonwoods and the soft maples on the prairie farms are in everj' 

 stage of decrepitude; and even the box-elders are dying in many 

 places. The experience of the last two years is confirinatory of the 

 opinion heretofore expressed that forestry on the prairies will never 

 succeed. We can and must have successful groves and shelter belts 

 and diversified ornamental planting, but we shall never be able to 

 raise successful forests bj- artificial planting on the high, drj-, roll- 

 ing j>rairie9 of western Minnesota: the climatic conditions are 

 against it; but we may still have trees. 



The green ash still remains to us a success everywhere, and in 

 most locations the Cottonwood and soft maple will continue to suc- 

 ceed. The bur oak is a noble tree, and it is unaffected by drought. 

 Whoever is able to offer for sale well rooted and transplanted bur 

 oak trees at a reasonable price will be a great public benefactor. 



POPLARS. 



It has become the fashion to decry the recentl)- introduced Russian 

 |)oplars and to pronounce them valueless. I think it hardly time to 

 do that yet. The Certinensis poplars, which, according to Prof. 

 Hailey, is Populus laurifolia Ledeb, of botanists, is still one of the 

 finest trees on my grounds. The two forms of Populus balsamifera 

 intermedia, sent out by Prof. Budd as pyramid and laurel-leaved 

 jjoplar, are doing well with us. Cuttings from them set out on the 

 open prairie four years ago are making a satisfactory growth and, 

 in fact, are as promising as any trees on the plantation. Tlie black 

 poplar of Kurope (Populus nigra L ), which we received under the 

 name of bircli-leaved poplar, is doing well here anil making a fine 

 symmetrical growth. It seems to be very hardy. Indies' poplar 

 I'opuluH alba Holleana) is a silver-leaved poplar of upright fastigi- 



