GROWING TREES AND FRUITS IN DRY AREAS 379 



For areas south from the parallel 43, the black 

 locust and some of the hardy catalpas will probably best 

 supply the need when posts are to be home grown. In 

 moist areas they are planted about 4 feet each way, 

 but in dry areas it would seem safer to leave them more 

 distant, say in squares 5 feet each way. Both are rela- 

 tively quick-growing trees, and both will grow up again 

 when cut. The posts from both are durable. 



The Caragana and Russian wild olive hedges may 

 be made by sowing the seeds or by planting young trees 

 obtained from the nursery. These may be planted 2 

 to 3 feet apart, and may be made to grow close and 

 stocky by severe pruning. Ornamental hedges may be 

 grown from almost any of the willows when properly 

 pruned. 



The surface cultivation given to all of these trees 

 for whatsoever purpose given should be enough to keep 

 a clean dust mulch continuously on the soil until the 

 trees are large enough to mulch the ground with their 

 leaves. This will entail cultivation for several years, 

 according to the kind of trees and the growth made by 

 them. It is vain to expect trees to grow in dry areas if 

 neglected after they are planted. The growth of grass 

 in their midst will rob them of the moisture that they 

 need. . 



Planting and caring for fruits. When planting large 

 fruits in dry areas they should be given ample room. 

 The necessity for this does not arise so much from 

 the large size of the tree as from the need for ample root 

 space in which to gather moisture. The fruit trees in 

 semi-arid regions, like the grains, are more or less dwarf- 

 ish in their habit of growth. But in addition to the root 

 space required, there must be room to drive between 

 the rows when cultivating and gathering the fruit. The 

 apple trees in the orchard of E. R. Parsons, at Parkers, 

 Col., are 40 feet apart, which is a greater distance than 



