38 MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION 



hardy at this station, the season's growth often killing back half 

 or more during the winter. 



Snow Ball : ( Virburnum Opulus, var. sterile} This plant 

 's almost hardy at this station ; the terminal growth, however, is 

 frequently killed back. As it increases in age it seems to become 

 hardier. 



CONIFERS. 



There are a number of cone bearing trees native to Montana, 

 which, with several introduced species, are very desirable for orna- 

 mental purposes and shelter belts. The conifers are rather hard to 

 transplant successfully, especially if care is not taken in the process 

 of moving the plants. A large number of evergreens have been 

 transplanted to the college campus with comparatively small loss. 

 The best results have been obtained by moving the plants in the 

 spring at the time the buds are beginning to swell. The roots 

 should not get at all dry, and it is necessary to provide shade for 

 the first year or two. This can be given by planting the trees in 

 the shade of buildings or of other trees, or by putting lath screens 

 over the young evergreens. When native evergreens are removed 

 from the mountains, the best results are obtained when the speci- 

 mens are given preparation one year in advance of transplanting 

 time, by digging a trench or sinking a spade around the tree, thus 

 cutting off all the long roots and causing new branch roots to form 

 near the main trunk. When these trees are transplanted a much 

 more compact root system will have grown and they can be moved 

 with much greater success. 



Some of the conifers are very desirable for specimens on the 

 lawn ; some for group planting, while others are valuable as shelter 

 belts and wind breaks. Several species have been tested at this 

 station. 



THE FIRS. 



Balsam Fir: (Mies balsam<ea) Young trees of this species 

 were obtained in Wisconsin and planted in the spring of 1908. 

 During the winter of 1908-9 all the plants died to the ground. 



Seeds of this tree were planted in the spring of 1907. Seedling 

 trees have gone through two winters without injury and at this 



