132 FOREST PLANTING. 



companies. The Kansas Pacific led off by the appoint- 

 ment of Mr. Elliot as Industrial Agent, and the estab- 

 lishment of experimental nurseries ; but after proving 

 the possibility of growing trees as far west as Pond 

 Creek, 400 miles west of Kansas City, they have left it 

 to others to profit, if they will, by their labors, but have 

 failed to turn the knowledge thus acquired to their own 

 benefit. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad 

 has made an important move in the right direction by a 

 liberal arrangement with Mr. S. T. Kelsey, one of the 

 most experienced and reliable tree planters of the West, 

 who is to plant a certain portion of each of twenty-eight 

 sections of land, situated ten miles apart on the line of 

 the road. The trees are to receive what attention they 

 require till they attain such age and size as to need no 

 further care the object being to demonstrate the possi- 

 bility and the profits of forest culture, as an encourage- 

 ment to settlers. The Burlington & Missouri River 

 Railroad has had a good deal of discussion of fhe 

 subject of forest planting on the line of the extension of 

 the road from Plattsmouth to Fort Kearney, along the 

 whole of which route, tree culture, I am confident, would 

 be perfectly easy ; but no definite results have followed. 

 If the Union Pacific has taken any steps in the matter I 

 have heard nothing of it, and the Northern Pacific, I am 

 informed, " has not done much in the way of planting 

 trees, except commencing the work along the line for 

 wind-screens and snow-breaks." 



The work is of a novel character, involving very con- 

 siderable outlay, and promising no immediate return. It 



