STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 161 



was a failure; but since that his opinion had been entirely changed. 

 In visiting some of the same localities recently, he had been surprised 

 to find beautiful, thrifty plantations of timber growing. He men- 

 tioned one instance in particular, on the Grandin farm, in Traill 

 county, Dakota, where some seventy acres had been pLinted in trees 

 some t\,-elve or fifteen years ago. The trees were as handsome as any 

 he had ever seen grown. It was necessary that trees should be prop- 

 erly set out and intelligently cultivated and cared for. The trees re- 

 ferred to stood from thirty to forty feet high, were beautiful specimens 

 and almost every tree was living. 



One of the greatest drawbacks for success in growing trees upon the 

 prairies was the ignorance of the classes who were trying to grow 

 them. Many of these settlers were from other professions than that 

 of farming, such as hod-carriers, hack drivers, etc. Many of those 

 attempting to open up farms in that new country were middle-aged 

 men, who had made failures in their calling elsewhere. They had 

 followed a little of everything except practical farming. When they 

 emigrated to Dakota for the purpose of acquiring a home, they found 

 themselves totally unprepared, so far as experience was concerned, for 

 agriculturists or horticalturists; they were as ignorant as to farming 

 operations practically as a child ten years old was ordinarily, and had 

 to learn by actual experience. On planting out their trees upon 

 their new breaking, because they didn't grow timber large enough for 

 fuel in three years, they pronounced the whole thing a failure. 

 The result was, where there was one such person made a success there 

 were a thousand to make a failure; not because the soil would not 

 grow trees, but people there didnot understand how to grow them, or 

 failed to give them proper attention. 



Mr. Pearce said the difficulty with many people in that country was 

 they were unable to obtain trees. Many of them lived at a distance 

 from railways, and did not know of reliable parties of whom they 

 could obtain trees and cuttings. If trees could be furnished in large 

 quantities to those who would set them out they might be grown suc- 

 cessfully. Scotch pine would grow rapidly, and could be furnished 

 at reasonable rates. Thousands of dollars were paid for trees that 

 were of no value. Another thing, trees were too much scattered and 

 set too far apart. They were neglected and the fire allowed to run 

 through them. Many valuable timber claims were ruined after the 

 trees had attained considerable size. 



Prof. Schv^tzka said that according to his experience it would not 

 do to depend upon farmers to extend timber culture; forestry ought 

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