AND U. S. EXPERIMENT STATION. 5 



It will be noted that only 1.18 inches of rain fell during the au- 

 tumn months, and of this amount .872 fell in two days, Sept. 20, and 

 Oct. 11. Many farmers in this vicinity plowed as late as December 20, 

 showing that no severe freezing had occurred up to that date. As is 

 well known, evaporation is greater before the ground freezes than af- 

 terward; hence, it is safe to conclude that there was comparatively lit- 

 tle moisture in the soil when cold weather came. During the 

 month of February, the coldest month of the season, the thermometer 

 fell below zero on 14 days ; the lowest point reached being 30 Fah- 

 renheit. 



Compared with the preceding winter, the weather was warmer, but 

 there was much less snow, thus affording less protection to plants. In 

 March the precipitation was very slight (not quite one-sixth of an inch.) 



During April a very little more than one inch of rain fell on 11 

 days, the greatest amount in one day being only about one-fourth of 

 an inch. In May there was almost two inches of rain, but the weather 

 was not at all favorable for growth ; after vegetation had started nicely 

 and gardeners' early crops were well above ground, a night with the 

 thermometer 12 degrees below the freezing point entirely checked 

 growth, killing the early vegetables. 



The subjoined tables of growth for the several months of the season, 

 in addition to what has been said of the weather of the preceding fall 

 and winter, will aid the reader in getting a fair idea of the atmospheric 

 and soil conditions during the year. In considering the action of any 

 variety of tree on our grounds, the above facts should be kept in mind. 

 Our weather is not more severe than is met with in all the northern 

 half, possibly the northern two-thirds of the State. If then, knowing 

 the conditions of growth, a variety is found to succeed with us, it is 

 fair to suppose it worthy of trial over the greater part of the state. 

 Results in all experiments in forestry and horticulture, require time 

 for their full determination, and thus far we can announce but few 

 things proven. Our experiments are rich in suggestions and indica- 

 tions, and all things considered, they point to ultimate success in for- 

 estry, and give great promise of successful fruit-growing. 



THE FORESTRY PLANTATION. 



The seedling trees that were planted in nursery in the spring of '88, 

 and a record of whose growth will he found in Bulletin No. 12, were 

 planted in permanent forest plats in April, 1889. The location chosen 

 is almost level ground at the bottom of a long, gentle slope, with a very 

 slight slant to the north. It is an open prairie with no trees or other 

 protection. The ground had been cropped the four years previous in 



