PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS* CLUB. 83 



pnpor rpmoMstratos aj^iiiiist allowint^ sIkuIc trees to <^io\v near a roadside. 

 But llie olijt'ctioii is generally raised from a one-sided standpoint. Settlers 

 in a timber region know very well how long they have to combat against 

 niiry roads. Hut in a forest, below a bed of leaves, lies generally a light, 

 louse soil, and a narrow track, absence {»f wind and sun and recurring 

 swamps give to trees in general a bail reputation as adjuncts to good road.s. 

 iMit there is a reverse to this picture. To look at the Missouri river at its 

 lowest stage, passing by the arid plains of Dakota and Nebraska, [\ would 

 Hccni as though the river would be lost before reaching the Mi.ssissippi, yet 

 the snow mountains and far ofl' timl)er regions of the Rocky Mountains 

 periodically send forth tiieir floods and allow steamboats to wind their way 

 to the Upper Missouri. Look across the immense plains, and where can 

 you point out a solitary tree. The " King of the plains" allows only of 

 bufl'.ilo grass, that crisps like wire springs under your feet. In the numer- 

 ous ravines y(Ui may find ponds bordered by wild fruit trees, but the forest 

 trees must hide their diminished heads when reaching the level of the plains. 

 If we wish the storm wind to dry up our rivulets and springs, and render 

 the growth of forest trees more and more a matter of difficulty, we have 

 culy to grow prejudiced against trees, and allow the woodman's axe full 

 swing; only keep on in this way, and tlio settled States may in due time 

 boast of plains dry and barren as those of the buffalo regions, and ])erhaps 

 settled by Arabs on a par with our Siou.v and Buttcs as to civilization. 

 Adjourned. Joii.v W. Chambers, Secretary. 



July 5, 1864. 

 Mr. Nathan C. Ely in the Chair. 



How TO Subdue and Seed Woodland. 



The Chairman inquired how he should subdue the growth of weeds, ferns, 

 small bushes, &c., in a piece rf woodland of about five acres, which he 

 wishes to get into grass, without injury to ai.'y of the large trees. 



The old [)lan would be to cut the weeds and burn them on the ground. 

 What if I mow when the growth is largest, and when very dry, say in 

 August set it on (ire? Then how shall I seed the land, and will the fire 

 injure the trees ? 



Mr. Win. S. Carpenter — I would advise that you mow it now, and again 

 in August and September. He said that he had a piece to subdue, and that 

 was the course that he should pursue. If he had cattle enough to crop the 

 lot very close, that wonUl be the easiest way of subduing it, as white clover 

 naturally follows such pasturing. 



A very slight fire running through a young orchard when the sap is in 

 full (low wi'l materially injure it, and may kill some trees. I had some 

 trees injured in this way. 



Mr. Sohm Robinson — I do not think that it would injure large forest 

 trees to burn the ground over as the Chairman suggests ; and as he does 

 not wish to preserve the smaller growth it would be the easiest w;iy to pre- 

 pare it for seed, except by close-jtenning cattle over the whcjle lot by means 

 of a moveable fence. The Kentucky blue-grass pastures arc prepared by 



