504 FOREST CULTURE IN ILLINOIS. 



The following native trees prove hardy in Central Illinois : American 

 aspen, box-elder (adapted to a great variety of soils, ornamental as a 

 shade tree, and thrifty almost everywhere); black and white ash (of 

 varied capacity as to soil, but not so rapid in growth) ; mulberry (tim- 

 ber durable for posts); sugar-maple; black walnut, (must be planted 

 where grown, as it does not bear transplanting); butter-nut; cottonwood 

 (objectionable from too much seeding); white flowering dogwood (not 

 sufficiently appreciated) ; hackberry (valuable, adapts itself to a great 

 variety of soils); Judas tree; June-berry; Kentucky coflee-tree (rapid in 

 growth, free from insects, wood durable, and valuable for shade); pecan ; 

 persimmon (adapted to many varieties of soil and location); red elm; 

 soft maple, (planted more than it deserves, as it is short-lived and wood 

 of poor quality), and elm. 



Of trees not native the following observations hare been made : 

 Austrian pine, (has a rank growth, but has recently suffered from an in- 

 sect); balsam fir, (needs low moist soil, liable to suffer from drought); 

 catalpa, (capacity limited); chestnut, (must be planted where it is to 

 grow); deciduous cypress, (merits more attention) ; European larch, (is 

 the tree for cultivation, growing on a great variety of soils, must be 

 transplanted when small); European linden; purple fringe-tree; horse- 

 chestnut; Lorabardy poplar, (rapid grower, but wood perishable); Osage 

 orange, (for hedges without a rival) ; Scotch pine (perfectly hardy, a free 

 grower, and not injured by insects, is especially valuable as a wind- 

 break) ; and American barberry, (deserves more attention as a hedge- 

 plant). 



The following kinds are failures: Abele, ailanthus, arbor vitse, mount- 

 ain ash, Chinese arbor vitse, junipers, box, hemlock, Kilmarnock willow, 

 mountain laurel, Norway spruce (short-lived),, white pine, and holly. 

 The beech has not been sufficiently tested. 



A prominent cause of failure in evergeeu i)lanting is the exposure of 

 the roots to the sun and air. " We have seen hay-racks loaded with ever- 

 greens going from the nursery to the packing house that were dead 

 before shipping, proving worse than a total loss of money to the pur- 

 chasers," The pear grafted on quince stock has also led to great disap- 

 I)ointment. 



The importance of tree-culture is not fully appreciated in the prai- 

 rie regions of Illinois, and its effect upon the rain fall is not enough 

 understood. In this country, for several years past, the crops on lauds 

 near our rivers and wood-bounded streams have suffered seriously from 

 excc^ssive rain-fall, while more open and extended plains have had 

 less than an average. As an observer from the Signal-Servi<;e of the 



II.— Peculiar to Northekn Ii-lixois. 



Prunns Pennsylvania ( Wild Bed Chei-ry). \ Betula papyracea {Paper or Canoe Birch). 

 Uluins racemosa {Corkt/ WJdte Elm). j Pinus Banksiana (Scrub Pine). 



Bctnla lenta (Cherry Birch). I Larix Americana (Tamarack). 



III.— Peculiar to Southern Illinois. 



Magnolia acuminata (Cncumher-free). ! Catalpa bignonoidea ( Wild Catalpa). 



Robiiiia pseudacacia ( Wild Black Locusi). Ulmus alata ( Winged Elm). 



Gleditscbia monosperma (Swamp or Water Celtis Mississippieusis (Alisaissippi Hack- 



Locust). 

 Pyrns angustifolia (Xarroiv-leaved Crah- 



\4pple). 

 Liqnidambar etyracflna (Sweet Gum). 

 Vilinruum pvunifolium (Black JIaic). 

 Bumelia lycioides (Buckthorn). 



lanuginosa (Southern Bucklhorn). 



herrif). 



Quercus fab'.ita (S2)anish Oak). 

 Populus beteropbylla (iSiram/; Cottonwood). 

 Taxodium disticbum (Southern Cypress). 

 Quercus lyrata (Southern Overcup Oak). 

 Nyssa unillora (Large Tupelo). 

 Cratjegus arborescens (Tree-like Thorn). 



