2IO 



PRACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 



of 99 deg. west longitude, is com- 

 posed of decomposed rocks which 

 formed the great mountain ranges, 

 and is almost entirely sand. 



In this arid belt the tree growth is 

 very slight except along the margin 

 of water courses, and is confined to 

 the families of trees which possess 

 vigorous roots capable of penetrat- 

 ing deeply into the sub-soil of the 

 plains, or rock crevices of the moun- 

 tains. 



Under irrigation this sand pro- 

 duces excellent tree growth, mois- 

 ture being the only requisite to in 

 sure this result. 



Now the sandy soils of Florida 

 and other Gulf States are just as cap- 

 able of producing wood growth as 

 are the sands of the plains of the 

 west. But the same requisite of vig- 

 orous, deeply penetrating tap root 

 system exists, in order that a proper 

 hold upon the soil may be secured 

 and an ample nutrition as is pos- 

 sessed by the Piniis pondcrosa ot 

 the plains. 



The pecan has a strong, penetrat 

 ing tap root, and it thrives in Floi 

 ida sand. The standard pear has 

 a similar strong root system which 

 finds moisture in the deeper sub- 

 soil no matter how dry the surface 

 sand may seem to be. 



The Catalpa spcciosa has a combi- 

 nation or deep, vigorous, fleshy roots 

 and other surface feeding roots, but 

 upon the deeper tap roots are tho 

 main dependence. 



A sand may, from absence of hu- 

 mus or vegetable mould, be unable 

 to produce profitable grasses or farm 

 crops, or, from prolonged droughts in 

 summer these crops may be total or partial failures, but deep below tin- 

 strata so affected there is ample moisture and nourishment for deep feed- 

 ing trees. 



A t'ATAU'A TRKK EXHIBITED 

 WORLD'S FAIR: IlK.ir.IIT, 100 

 1, I'd INCHES 



