206 Tree Planting and Nursery Work at Indian Head. 



than \\ feet high and about the diameter of a lead pencil or 

 perhaps less. Several are now over 6 feet high. The growth is 

 exceptionally strong and vigorous, the young trees measuring on 

 the average at the ground about 1 finches diameter. This plant- 

 ation was set out on very rough backsetting, without the slightest 

 protection of any kind. After transplanting not 1% died and 

 there was no loss at all from winter killing. Those planted in 

 1905 were equally successful. From present indications this var- 

 iety will become of great importance for prairie planting, owing 

 to its hardiness, rapidity of growth and the many valuable uses 

 to which the wood may be put. 



It is unfortunate that up to the present we have not been 

 able to secure any seed from the native larch. The seedlings are 

 got from the natural swamps and therefore cannot be obtained 

 very generally. However, it is hoped that we may be more 

 fortunate in collecting seed in the future. The natural repro- 

 duction in places is so thick that very heavy seed years must 

 occasionally occur. 



The question of collecting seed is of considerable importance 

 where trees must be raised in sufficient numbers to meet the 

 demands of the present tree planting work. From 2^ to 3 million 

 trees will be required annually from now on. This season, owing 

 to late spring frosts, no maple or ash seed in any quantity can be 

 found in Manitoba or Saskatchewan. In order to be safe in a 

 poor seed year, we have always tried to keep at least a year's 

 supply of seed on hand, unfortunately however, last season was 

 also a very poor one for maple seed, and only enough could be 

 obtained for this year's sowing, consequently great difficulty has 

 been experienced in arranging for a supply for next spring. We 

 have been fortunate enough in obtaining a sufficient quantity in 

 North Dakota for our own use and possibly may have a little for 

 distribution. In the past a considerable number of Dakota 

 cotton woods have been sent out. These are imported from 

 North Dakota, where the seedlings are gathered on the sandbars 

 of the large rivers. The people through whom our supply is 

 obtained, state that owing to the cutting of the old seed trees 

 along the river banks, seedlings are becoming scarcer year by 

 vear, and it is quite possible that in a few years we shall be forced 

 to propagate this variety from cuttings. This, however, is a 

 very expensive method and does not produce nearly as healthy 

 stock. 



The elm bore a fairly good crop of seed this summer and 

 about 50 lbs. was collected. Three acres were sown in drills 30 

 inches apart and now show a very fair stand, which should result 

 in the neighbourhood of 300,000 seedlings next fall. This is the 

 first season since 1903 that we have been at all successful in 

 securing seed of elm. It is a very desirable variety for planting 



