378 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



ducing trees so that a return may be had from nut crop. Black Wal- 

 nut, Shagbark Hickory, and Chestnut would be the most valuable in 

 this case. The Chestnut would grow on the lighter soils, while the 

 Black Walnut should be planted in good, rich soil. If evergreens 

 are desired, Norway Spruce, White Spruce, Larch, and Arborvitae 

 will give best results. The Arborvitse should be placed in moist soil, 

 while Larch will stand dry, poor locations. In placing wire on trees, 

 care should be taken not to injure the tree more than necessary. 

 W r here the strip of wood is used in which to place staples, the tree 

 gradually forces the strip over the head of the nail and in time it 

 may be necessary to put in new nails. As a rule, large bolts or heavy 

 spikes are used to fasten this strip to the tree. The use of such large 

 fastenings is unnecessary and usually a much smaller nail will hold 

 just as well. For an inch and a half strip two and a half inch nails 

 are sufficiently large. (Ont. A. C. B. 155.) 



FOREST TREE PLANTING ON THE PRAIRIES. 



On the unsettled prairies there were no barriers to obstruct the 

 constant winds. Tree planting was early recognized as the best means 

 of accomplishing this. In order to encourage tree planting gener- 

 ally, Congress passed the timber culture act of March 3, 1873. Un- 

 der this law and its later modifications a good deal of planting was 

 done, both to meet the requirements of the act and to secure the 

 benefit of protection. 



In the matter of growing trees some had better success than 

 others. Europeans often used to good advantage the experiences 

 they had got abroad. A number of species were introduced ; but gen- 

 erally the native trees furnished the most readily available planting 

 material. Cottonwood, boxelder, silver maple, green ash, and white 

 elm are the species that have been most generally tried. Partial suc- 

 cesses are rather more common than complete successes. Failures 

 may be attributed in some cases to insufficient preparation of the soil, 

 to wide spacing of the trees, infrequent cultivation, to insects, fire, 

 animals, etc., but mostly to the occasional droughts already referred 

 to. Failures of conifers result from the planting in too small quan- 

 tity, from the use of too large plants, and from the drying of the 

 roots before planting. Yet, notwithstanding failures, there are many 

 good groves. 



In the native trees the discussions of the merits of the species 

 are based upon the general conditions of the region and upon actual 

 measurements of a number of typical planted groves. In the case of 

 introduced trees the data are derived from measurements of groves 

 and from literature on the requirements of these trees. Adaptability 

 and economic usefulness have been the leading considerations in 

 recommending a species for future planting. 



DOES IT PAY TO PLANT TREES? 



Up to the present time groves have seldom been established for 

 direct profit. Owners, however, estimate the value of their groves, on 

 an average, at $1,000 an acre, on the basis that their property would 

 be enhanced to that extent if placed on the market. In the purchase 

 and sale of land the grove is really one of the foremost considera- 



