NOTES ON FOREST AND ORNAMENTAL TREES ON THE 

 GROUNDS OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND MECHAN- 

 ICAL COLLEGE OF TEXAS. 



H. NESS. 



SOIL AND CIJ.MATK. 



Tin* soil of College Station is fairly typical of the uplands of quite 

 a large area including the greater part of Brazos, Robertson, Madison 

 and Leon with more or less of other adjacent counties. It consists of 

 a sin-face layer of black, rather stiff, but fairly rich loam varying in 

 depth from six to twelve inches. It becomes deeper, where the surface 

 rises into small, sandy knolls. This loam is underlaid by a subsoil of 

 an exceedingly stiff, impervious gray or yellowish clay which cracks 

 badly du ring drouths. The whole area is characterized by a dense 

 growth of small, scrubby Post oak and Blackjack, interposed with prai- 

 ries, which in the summer become covered by wooly-headed Croton 

 and yellow-flowered broom weeds (Amphiachyris and Gutierrezia) . 

 Along the numerous water-courses, which traverse this area, the forests 

 assume a different and quite luxuriant character. 



The annual rainfall at College varies between 36 and 40 inches, or 

 about the same as that of the western half of the great forest belt of 

 East Texas. The temperature has varied during the time that our 

 trees have been under observation from slightly below 7 zero to about 

 100 F. 



In the annual report of the Horticultural Department, dated Janu- 

 ary 1, 1890, is a list given of trees and shrubs planted in the Arboretum 

 and on the campus by the writer, and under the direction of T. L. 

 Brunk. Horticulturist, at that time. 



The following are the principal genera represented: Ash, Birch, 

 teach, Boxelder, Catalpa, Chestnut, China tree, Elm, Hackberry, Japan 

 varnish tree, Locust, Linden, Magnolia, Maple, Mulberry, Poplar, 

 Sycamore, Sweet gum, Willow, Walnut, Arbor Vitae, Red cedar, Cypress, 

 Pine, Gingo. 



Ash. In the above mentioned list, two species are included, namely, 

 White Ash (Fraxiuns Anicn'c/uKi. L., and F. lanceolata, Barkh.). Both 

 of these have made hut a slow growth and, with the exception of 

 specimens in favored spots, have shown strong signs of distress during 

 the hot summers, although White Ash is growing to the luxuriant 

 height of 100 feet in the Xavasota bottom, only twelve miles from this 

 place. 



Birch. Of the several species of birch, including Paper birch, Polar- 

 leaved birch. European White birch, and Black birch, which is native 

 of our creek bottoms, all failed after a few years, though all made a 

 fair beginning. 



Beach and Chestnut. Made early failures. Horse chestnut lived in 

 a crippled condition for about eight years. 



