FOREST NURSERY STATION, INDIAN HEAD, SASKATCHEWAN. 7 I 



the usual agreement form. If he declines to do so, he receives 

 no trees, and his name is struck off the list. 



The approximate proportion of trees living in existing 

 plantations is about 90 per cent, of those planted, which is very- 

 satisfactory considering the conditions under which they are 

 grown. Many or most of the settlers are quite ignorant of tree 

 culture, and numbers of them never tried farming till they came 

 to Canada ; but perhaps they do better on that account, since, 

 as a rule, they faithfully follow the instructions given to them. 

 As has been said above, trees are grown here under very trying 

 climatic conditions, and that the plantations show such excellent 

 results, speaks volumes for the system followed by the 

 Government ; too much credit cannot be extended to the 

 gentlemen who started this good work, and are carrying it 

 through so successfully. It is proved that, with thorough 

 preparation and cultivation of the soil before and after planting, 

 good substantial plantations can be grown in a short time 

 irrespective of climate and at a moderate cost. 



Many species of exotic conifers are now being raised in the 

 nursery, and, later on, it will be interesting to note how they 

 stand our climate. Three larches, namely, the European, the 

 Siberian, and the American, are all growing. The Tamarack 

 does well in the nursery ; it is absolutely hardy, and grows in any 

 kind of soil (except alkali). It makes a long annual growth, 

 and is not killed back by frost. The European larch also does 

 well, but, with our late spring, it comes too early into leaf; and 

 rabbits have a partiality for it. It will be interesting to note 

 how the Siberian larch will do here; at home it generally did 

 well the first year, but in the second year it came so early into 

 growth that the late spring frosts killed it out. Scots pine, 

 Jack pine, Norway spruce, White spruce. Blue spruce. Mountain 

 pine, and many others, if covered with snow for the first few 

 years during the winter and spring months, make good growth, 

 and give promise of being welcome additions to the species 

 ordinarily sent out to the farms. They will be better adapted 

 for the purpose of wind-break than the deciduous broad-leafed 

 species, owing to their retaining their foliage during the winter 

 months. The greenness of their foliage during winter is also 

 a pleasing feature. A limited number of conifers will be 

 distributed this spring, for the first time, to men who have had 

 some experience of planting, and have some ready-made shelter 



