128 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



substantial roots except in a moist season. The white willow is a com- 

 mendable tree with us to mix with other trees and help form a windbreak. 

 The native black cherry is a failure unless specially protected. The 

 hickory, black walnut and butternut may yet live with us under right 

 environment, but it is useless to plant them here and expect paying 

 success. The poplars are short lived. The hackberry will do close by the 

 river companionated in a forest. The balm of gilead is a tough, un- 

 shapely thing. The soft maple does reasonably well when numerous other 

 arms closely encircle it. The sugar maple signally fails us thus far. The 

 basswood is promising, but costs too much for forest planting. The 

 birches have generally failed. The mulberry is non compos mentis. The 

 catalpa ditto. The european larch does not give us hope on the open 

 prairie. The red cedar, too costly, is one of the survivals. The 

 box elder does quite well when forest planted, four to eight feet apart, 

 and well cultivated during its early stages of growth. It is not, however, 

 the most valuable tree. It is a good pioneer, and fills the letter of the 

 law on a timber claim. Where properly treated it is to be credited as a 

 success. The cottonwood, whether white or yellow, does well in deep 

 alluvial soil, but on most of our prairies it has to take a thiid or forth 

 rate position. Its roots are surface spreading; when it has grown ten to 

 sixteen feet high, it often shows signs of giving up the ghost, besides no 

 tree with us is so easily blighted in the hot winds just after a rain, and 

 then an ocean of bacteria eats up its leaves. These common expe- 

 riences have led us to the conclusion that the best trees indigenous to the 

 climate for our northern prairies are the tap rooted. The box elder may 

 be considered semi-tap rooted, and passes as a success; but all things con- 

 sidered the ash is our tree, the white and the green ash; the white more 

 valuable for size and timber. It has a tap root that goes down, down, 

 down even into the crevices of the clays below the soil, and is sure to steal 

 the moisture if any is there. For a few years it grows slow, but all this 

 while it understands its business out of sight. After it has got well seated, 

 in the third and fourth year, it towers up solid and beautiful. In the 

 sixth or seventh year it competes with the box elder, in the eighth year, 

 it beats the box elder; outlines the cottonwood, and is master of the situ- 

 ation. The ash is growing popular and is most sought now by forest 

 planters in our part of the northwest. For a timber claim I advise that 

 the majority of the trees be ash, planted properly in deep well pulverized 

 soil, and interspersed promiscuously with box elders and willows, with 

 some soft maples if you like. With right care in culture and protection 

 against fires, in ten years you have a young natural forest— a blessing to 

 yourself, your neighbors and your country. 



Nor should we forget the evergreens for wind-breaks, health and beauty. 

 No trees are more to be desired. Put them in belts of ten or more rows. 

 Use the scotch and white pines, the norway and native white spruces. 

 Set them among apple trees, around the barn, in front and around the 

 dwelling house; and they will be "a thing of beauty and a joy forever." 



