Minnesota Svrare HorvicutturaL Sociery. 29 
> - over. Who can correctly eaiiate the climatic effects and the ameliorating influ- 
z ences following so grand a work? I assume, as a matter of course, that in the 
treeless region, the planting would be close enough to form staunch and perma- 
nent wind breaks. 
f - The protection thus afforded to growing crops would of itself be of inestimable 
— yalue. The »rotection afforded to orchards and other fruit growing institutions 
would alone amply repay the cost, while the comfort afforded to man and beast 
would be beyond the power of figures to express. 
VARIETIES OF FOREST TREES BEST ADAPTED FOR THIS WORK. 
This is so largely a matter of taste that no list that could be made would suit 
every one. This task must conform to facts and to common sense. ‘I'he adapt- 
ability of the soil to each variety of forest tree must be recognized. The natural 
limits that have been assigned to each variety of forest tree must be borne in 
mind, and then the peculiar service required in the particular locality to be bene- 
fited, and, finally, the pecuniary ability of the owner of the real estate must be 
taken into account. 
For merely shade, in my opinion no tree can excel the White Elm (Ulmus 
Americana). As an ornamental shade tree it is absolutely unapproachable. It 
is undoubtedly the most ‘‘ magnificent vegetable of the temperate zone.’’ It is: 
long lived, hardy, and a rapid grower. But it needs room to spread itself. 
Planted sixty feet apart their tops will interlock long before reaching maturity. 
The White Elm will do well on any Minnesota prairie from Iowa to Manitoba, 
but growsymore rapidly on river bottoms and rich, moist soil. It seems to pos- 
sess the advantage of withstanding the bad effects of dust and smoke, and would 
consequently be better adapted to planting in large towns than most other vari- 
eties of trees. In this connection, let me warn the fellows out on the broad prai- 
ries not to plant too large White Elms. I have seen them transplanted from 
two to three or four inches in diameter, trimmed to bare poles, tops cut off say 
twelve to fifteen feet from the ground, and in three years develop so much top 
that the wind would blow them over so far as to leave them standing at a very 
acute angle. They seem to develop top more rapidly than root. On the rich, 
moist alluvial soil of the western counties plant small trees. 
Acer Saccharinum—Sugar Maple, Rock Maple. 
The Sugar Maple as a shade and ornamental tree can not be too highly prized. 
It is indigenous to Minnesota, but is more particular about its location than the 
White Elm. In this state it prefers well drained localities. A locality in which 
the White Elm would flourish to pertection would in many instances prove fatal 
to the Sugar Maple. I have had but poor success in planting them on leve} 
prairie with deep clay subsoil. Such localities should be underdrained for the 
Sugar Maple. I very much doubt if they can be made to live where the ground 
is saturated with moisture during the growing season. On the second bench of 
the streams, and along the banks and sides of ravines, on any tolerably good soil, 
and on hill sides, the Sugar Maple flourishes and reaches its best proportions, 
Poor sandy soils are not suited to the growth of the Sugar Maple, neither are 
most of the rich bottom lands of the Red River Valley. 
