2G8 TREES OF MINNESOTA. 



service in first plantings, but our people had better plant longer- 

 lived and more desirable trees mixed in with it to replace it 

 when it fails. Occasionally, however, .the Cottonwood can be used 

 to advantage where a quick tree effect is wanted, for where it has 

 plenty of water it will make a great stately tree in a very short 

 time. If one wishes to plant Cottonwood and avoid the "cot- 

 ton," which is so objectionable, cuttings from the staminate tree 

 only should be used, as this form produces no cotton. The 

 wood of the Cottonwood is used for cheap packing cases, trays 

 and bowls, for paper pulp, excelsior and for fuel. For fuel and 

 lumber the wood should be dried under cover, as it decays very 

 quickly when exposed to moisture. Some figures collected at 

 the Minnesota Experiment Station show that on good land Cot- 

 tonwood may yield as much as seven cords per acre per year 

 increase. 



Yellow Cottonwood. In some sections along the Missis- 

 sippi and Missouri rivers is found what is known as Yellow 

 Cottonwood, which it is difficult or quite impossible to distin- 

 guish from the common or White Cottonwood by any of its 

 external characters, but there is. a very distinct difference in the 

 wood. Some good authorities have thought this difference 

 associated with the sex of the trees, but this is improbable, as 

 the form seems localized. 



What is known as Yellow Cottonwood lumber is highly 

 esteemed for turnery and various purposes for which Tulip 

 Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) is used, and is manufactured in 

 large quantities. It has also been used for the siding of houses 

 with good results. The characters of the wood of each are 

 quite clearly given in a letter recently received from the "Three 

 States Lumber Co." of Cairo, 111., from which the following is 

 taken: 



"The Cottonwood belt extends along the Mississippi river 

 below Cairo, and there is also considerable along the Missouri 

 river. The Cottonwood in the Mississippi Valley consists 

 mostly of Yellow Cottonwood. This generally grows on low 

 moist land, and any Cottonwood that is found growing on land 

 that is subject to overflow is generally the soft yellow variety, 

 known as Yellow Cottonwood. There is some White Cotton- 

 wood growing in the southern part of Illinois, on high, dry 



