44 



HACKBERRY. 



The hackberry is one of the hardiest native trees, and deserves 

 more extensive planting than has yet been given. Naturally it is 

 often stunted and slow growing, but it does well under cultivation, 

 grows with fair rapidity, and develops into good form. It resembles 

 the elm in general habits, but is smaller and hardier. It is not very 

 particular as to soil, and is not seriously injured by insects. 



Hackberry is best adapted to street and yard planting by its ap- 

 pearance, good shade, and medium size. The merits of hackberry 

 are known by many who have not the patience to wait for its slow 

 growth, but the time has come for permanent planting, and it should 

 have attention. Since few trees were found, no tabulated measure- 

 ments are given. A fair average diameter increase is about one-third 

 inch yearly for the valleys and one-fourth inch for the uplands. 

 Columbus, Nebr., is one of the few towns that has given much atten- 

 tion to hackberry. There it is the principal street tree, with excellent 

 effect. 



COTTON WOOD. 



Cottonwood is the most extensively planted tree in the Middle 

 West. It attains its best development in the wide, sandy valleys of 

 the Platte and the Arkansas, where never-failing water is within 

 5 to 20 feet of the surface, and the soil is easily penetrated by the 

 thirsty roots. The cottonwood is closely related to the willows, and, 

 like them, does not succeed well without abundant moisture. Had 

 the early tree planters better realized its habits, they would not have 

 planted the thousands they did upon the high uplands. The trees 

 frequently grew well for a few years, and then succumbed to a sum- 

 mer drought, leaving unsightly dead branches and crowns in testi- 

 mony of the unequal struggle. Cottonwood can not be recommended 

 for the uplands of western Kansas and Nebraska, except in favored 

 localities that catch some run-off, but it will thrive to the extreme 

 limits of both States in sandhills or valleys which contain living 

 streams during at least a portion of the year. It is often the only 

 tree found growing naturally along sandy streams. 



Cottonwood is to be regarded generally as a temporary tree. It 

 is not long-lived, and attains large size in a short time. It grows the 

 most rapidly of any tree adapted to this region, and is therefore often 

 selected for planting by those who do not have the patience to wait 

 for the slower development of more valuable species. An inch in 

 diameter and 5 feet in height is not an uncommon average for the 

 first ten or more years after setting, in favorable situations, and this 

 suggests its best use. Cottonwood furnishes fuel and shelter quickly, 



[Cir. 161.] 



