394 AJSTNUAL REPORT 



reasons he gave were these: First, that it was less trouble to 

 plant and care for; second, that the willow grew much faster than 

 the mulberry; next, that it was much more valuable for fuel, 

 and taking all three of those into consideration, why, I must say 

 that I agree with him^in his conclusions and approve of his Judg- 

 ment. 



Now, my idea, from all these investigations is that in planting 

 a jtree plantation on the prairies the first necessity is a snow- 

 break, or protection of white willows; which Ibelieve is the best 

 or cheapest of anything that we can get. They should be planted 

 especially to the north and west; I would rather put it clear 

 around for a timber plantation, but certainly to the north and 

 west, at least two rows of willows; the rows to be four feet apart, 

 and about a foot in the row. Then leave a space beyond that 

 which should not be planted to timber at least four rods wide, 

 TV here the snow will gather and not breakdown the young trees. 



Again, in the matter of mixing of timber. I do not believe 

 that we can grow walnuts and evergreens as successfully as sin- 

 gle specimens as we can when we mix them with other trees. If 

 I were to start a timber plantation to-day on the prairie I would 

 start with my willows on the outside, cottonwoods, maples, then 

 walnuts, starting at the same time a nursery of small evergreens 

 and then transplanting after the third year and mixing in the 

 evergreens with the outside trees. The best plantations I have 

 seen throughout the northwest were planted in that way. 



One word in regard to evergreens. I must say I was surprised 

 last summer in seeing the large quantities of young evergreens 

 that have been planted in Minnesota during the past two years. 

 Although we have urged through the press and from the plat- 

 form and other places the planting of evergreens, I was surprised 

 to see the large quantities of the evergreens in Minnesota in 1888, 

 and that a much larger percentage of them had lived and grown 

 better than in any previous year. One reason for this is that 

 the people have learned the best way to handle them and are 

 beginning to understand that evergreens must not be exposed to 

 sun and wind if they would have them live. Shippers and 

 growers are more careful in the handling and packing of their 

 trees. There has been considerable improvement in that direc- 

 tion. And I would say that I think there is still further im- 

 provement to be made. One thing I want to recommend to 

 nurserymen is, my conclusions last fall that every bundle of trees 

 shipped to the planter ought to be properly packed with moss 



