10 



PAPERS BEAD BEFORE THE ASSOCIATION. 



stem and the large branches; these, when 

 they fall off, become dangerous to animals 

 and persons frequenting the ground. Be- 

 cause of these thorns it is specially adapted 

 for hedges and live fences, but in forest cul- 

 ture it is better to use the thornless 

 variety (Gleditschia croscanthos mernus) 

 which, however, cannot be grown from seed 

 with certainty; valuable for ornament on 

 account of its elegant foliage and long ra- 

 cemes of white and very fragrant flowers. 



Robinia psendacacia (Yellow or Black 

 Locust) Height 60 to 80 feet, with trunk 2 

 to 3 feet in diameter; growth rapid; wood 

 white or greenish yellow, very hard and 

 close-grained, very durable, especially when 

 raised on rather poor land; no other wood 

 will bear a greater strain; especially valua- 

 ble for fence posts, resisting decay better 

 than any other wood except cedar and catal- 

 pa; much sought after for tree-nails for 

 ships, and for floors of vessels. Owing to its 

 peculiar foliage, grass will grow under its 

 shade more freely than any other tree, and 

 cattle may be pastured in locust woods. . It 

 stands the drouth, and will succeed under 

 careless management better than perhaps 

 any other tree. In some localities it cannot 

 be grown on account of the borers which in- 

 fest it, but in this climate no fear of insects 

 may be entertained. Very ornamental with 

 its soft, graceful foliage and abundant ra- 

 cemes of white, fragrant pea-blossom flowers. 



Morus alba tartarica (Eussian Mulberry) 

 Height 50 to 60 feet, with trunk 3 to 5 feet 

 in diameter. Growth rather slow in 

 light, sandy soil, but very rapid 

 in heavy, low, wet places; in Ne- 

 braska it makes a better growth than 

 cotton wood. Wood hard, elastic, close- 

 grained and susceptible of a fine polish, used 

 largely in the arts and in cabinet! work, mu- 

 sical instruments, farming implements, 

 building, etc. As a fence-post it is almost 

 equal to catalpa and red cedar. It can be 

 grown from cuttings, is easily transplanted, 

 and has proved very valuable for fuel, wind- 

 breaks and hedges. Its fruit is large and 

 very abundant, appearing on very young 

 trees. The leaves are also valuable for silk- 

 worms. Ornamental with its handsome foli- 

 age and spreading top. The original species, 

 morug alba or white mulberry, is 

 also very valuable for timber and ex- 

 tensively slanted; also the red mulberry 

 (morns rulva) of which the wood is yellow, 

 very heavy and durable, and much used for 

 tools. 



Acer dasycarpum (White or Silver maple.) 

 Height eighty to 100 feet with trunk three 

 to four feet in diameter. Growth very rapid 

 in almost any soil. Wood white, fine grained, 

 rather light and soft, but takes a fair polish, 



and is used much for purposes where a very 

 iiard surface is not required; occasionally a 

 ;ree yields the accidental form known as 

 urled or birds-eye maple. The sap is sweet 

 and sugar can be made from it. It makes 

 good fuel, and forms a good windbreak with 

 its abundant flexible branches. Very orna- 

 mental with large spreading top and silvery 

 foliage. 



Juniperus Virginiana (Red Cedar) Height 

 thirty to fifty feet. Growth medium. Out- 

 side wood white and heart wood of reddish 

 color and very durable. Largely employed 

 for cabinet work, pencils, fence posts, etc. Its 

 dense growth renders it valuable for wind- 

 breaks. This coniferous tree is found in 

 almost every State in the Union and is one 

 of the most valuable of all forest trees for 

 timber, windbreak or ornament. It is 

 abundant on the foot-hills of this State. Its 

 tapering and symmetrical form and bright 

 rich evergreen foliage make it very orna- 

 mental. The White Cedar (Jo Communis 

 Alpina) is a smaller tree, native 

 of our mountains, especially on 

 the western part and makes a very valuable 

 wood, but not so desirable as red cedar, being 

 less durable. 



Salix Alba (White or Gray Willow) Height, 

 sixty to eighty feet with trunk three to five 

 feet in diameter under favorable conditions. 

 Growth very rapid. Wood light, tough and 

 elastic and does not split easily; it is much 

 used for house and ship floors and for car- 

 riage and cart bodies; also for bowls, trays 

 and other vessels and for turned goods of 

 various sorts; it has a great durability under 

 vvater and when much exposed to its action, 

 and is therefore very valuable for the floats 

 of paddle-wheels and the buckets of 

 mill wheels. It is very useful 

 for fuel and can be specially recommended 

 for windbreaks. All willows have very large 

 masses of fine fibrous roots that penetrate the 

 soil to a great depth, and will push to a great 

 distance in search of moisture. The yellow- 

 twigged willow (salix alba vitillina) is very 

 valuable for baskets, and also very orna- 

 mental with its yellow twigs. The diamond 

 willow (salix cerdata vestita) is a variety 

 lately found on the Missouri River north of 

 the Yellowstone, and is said to be as desira- 

 ble for posts as red cedar. 



PROCESSES OF PLANTING. 



And now a few final words about planting. 

 The processes of planting here are not differ- 

 ent from those required in any other part of 

 the world. It should be done in the spring, 

 and if possible only those trees should be 

 planted which have grown a year or two 

 here and have become acclimated. They are 

 much more sure to succeed than those brought 

 a long distance from a totally different cli- 



