NOV 2 3 1914 



Division of Forestry 

 North Dakota Agricultural ^ 



PRESS BULLETIN No. 30 



MARCH, 1909 



Notes on Tree Planting. 



The average prairie settler after becoming established 

 naturally thinks of protecting his home by a shelter of trees. 

 Later on as the shelter grows there is a desire to plant fruit 

 trees and flowering plants. It is safe to say that there is scarce- 

 ly a farm in the state that is properly supplied with trees of 

 all kinds, while most of them are but poorly supplied. The 

 reason for this is the urgent need for doing other things and the 

 lack of knowledge in the planting and care of trees. 



It is natural that the first trees planted should be of a 

 quick, sure growth. For this purpose cotton-woods have or- 

 dinarily been used. The difficulty with these is that the growth 

 is more quick than sure. In localities in which there is an 

 abundant supply of moisture that the trees can draw upon 

 after the first few years the cottonwood is a valuable tree. 

 Wherever the supply of moisture is deficient the cottonwood 

 begins dying after twelve or fifteen years. Soils having a 

 stratum of sand at a depth of twelve or fifteen feet that is 

 filled with water invariably grow good cottonwoods. What is 

 known as the white cottonwood produces timber which is of 

 little economic value aside from fuel. The yellow cottonwood, 

 on the other hand, is distinguished by timber of a very different 

 sort. It takes a good finish and has about as much value for 

 many purposes as basswood. 



In most localities white willow will be far more satis- 

 factory than the cottonwood. The most valuable groves in the 

 state at the present time are undoubtedly of this variety. They 

 can be grown much thicker upon the ground than the cotton- 

 wood, and on the average soil will grow nearly as rapidly^. 

 They do not begin dying out at an early age as does the cotton- 

 wood. The timber is well suited for fuel and makes very good 

 posts, especially when treated with creosote. The white willow 



