FORESTRY. 139 



planter, which should never have been used for anything but tree growth* 

 The relegation of soils to proper uses, is a problem, which you should 

 help to solve and one in which forestry is involved. 



Let me end these few remarks on a large and important subject, with the 

 admonition to each one of the members of your association to imbue himself 

 with a proper conception of its importance to his own interests as well as 

 the interests of his state and to become an active missionary, not only for 

 forest extension, but for rational forest utilization. 



REPORT ON FORESTRY. 



BY J. J. SANDERS, APPLETON, MINN. 



The question of tree planting and cultivation is a very important one 

 to the prairie farmer, and one that cannot receive too much attention. 



I came to this part of the state when tree planting was yet in its in- 

 fancy, and have watched its growth with considerable interest. 



A little experience is sometimes valuable, and cheap if we are only 

 willing to take it second hand; and we may often derive profit from 

 mistakes as well as from successes. 



There are two mistakes I have noticed, which, if avoided, greatly lessen 

 the trials of the tree planter. The first is a poorly prepared soil, and the 

 second is an improper selection of varieties. 



If the soil is not well prepared and kept cultivated, the weeds and grass 

 soon become so tall and thick that it takes the little trees years to strug- 

 gle through, only to become scraggly bushes. 



In the second place, if, after years of patient care, the planter finds his 

 trees do not answer the purpose for which they were planted, he is apt to 

 feel that there is some things in this world that make a man "tired" 

 besides hard work. 



For rapid growing trees the white willow, red maple and yellow cotton- 

 wood are good. For more permanent varieties the ash and butternut do 

 well here. Some year-old black walnuts look well, but their ultimate 

 hardiness remains to be proven. The box elder is a great favorite with 

 some planters, but to me their only recommendation as a forest tree is 

 their extreme hardiness. 



THE COMPANIONSHIP OF TREES. 



BY E. H. S. DARTT, OWATONNA. 



Read before the Nortjiem Iowa Horticultural Society. 



The stars seem gathered together in clusters, minerals are usually found 

 in beds, beasts in herds, birds in flocks, and bees in swarms, and men 

 thrive best in communities. 



This all pervading law seems based upon the fact that each individual 

 is capable of affording partial protection to its neighbor; and perhaps this 

 principle is nowhere illustrated with greater force than when applied to 

 trees. 



We cannot tell why stars cluster most in the milky way or just how 

 each individual star contributes to the balancing up of the comparatively 



