11 



showing the effects of their dense cover; those in more open 

 places making a much better growth, (plat 10.) The Birch 

 makes a somewhat slow growth, is more low and branching than 

 the Box Elder, consequently the latter makes a poor nurse tree 

 for it. The dense shade of the Box Elder, is in plat 4, all the 

 more deleterious, as the Birches are effected with a fungus 

 growth which seems to flourish best in shade. This fungus, 

 while it has not yet seriously injured the Birches, has, during 

 the past season, somewhat scrolled up their leaves, and con- 

 torted twig growth. As a nurse tree for the taller varieties of 

 hard wood, like Elm and Ash, or for any shade enduring sorts, 

 the Box Elder surpasses any other tree in the forest plats. 

 This is illustrated in plats 5 and 7, where the hard woods are 

 making excellent growth. The Ash and Elm keep well up with 

 the Box Elder in height growth, and so hold their ground. 



THE POPLARS. 



Cottonwood, (Populus monilifera,) Populus certinensis, and 

 Populus nolesteri: Much may be said of these trees in com- 

 mon. They have much 'the same appearance, and are similar, 

 though not identical, in habit of growth, hardiness, and value 

 as nurse trees, so far as tried at this Station. 



The Cottonwood makes the most rapid height growth, one, 17 

 ft. high, and 3| in. in diameter being the tallest tree in the planta- 

 tion. This variety predominates in plat 2. Here many of the 

 largest specimens have already began to die, branch after branch 

 dropping its leaves, and drying out, until on some trees 

 very few branches retained their vigor throughout the past 

 season. This seems to be a very common fault with the 

 cottonwood in many localities throughout the Dakotas. It 

 seems to endure thin planting better than dense, succeed- 

 ing best, where it is planted in a row, at long distances, along 

 streets and drives. The trees in the plantation have suffered 

 some from the cottonwood leaf beetle ( Lina Scripta ) but not 

 so badly as have the P. certinensis. Cottonwoods that have 

 become established along the streets and drives, in this county, 

 have, in many cases attained a very large size, and are still 

 thrifty. So far as I can learn, these large trees are not molested 

 by the leaf beetle. P. certinensis is a better nurse tree than 



