ISO 



Garden and Forest. 



[May g. 



between 7,000 and 8,000 feet, here forming at least ninety 

 per cent, of the forest. It is not generally over two feet 

 in diameter, with a height of 60 to 100 feet, and is found 

 from the lowest altitudes up to 9, 500 feet ; over the lower 

 and drier areas with the Douglas Fir (Pseiidolsuffa Doug- 

 /as/i), and in higher and more moist situations — with more 

 or less Spruce and Fir. The young forests of Black Pine are 

 composed of slender, extremely straight trees, growing so 

 close together as to be almost impenetrable, and are 

 known as Lodge Pole Pines, having been so used by 

 the Indians. Probably sixty-five per cent, of the forest area 

 is composed of the Black Pine. 



The Rocky Mountain White Pine (Pt'mis Jlexilis) is a 

 common tree over the dry gravelly ridges, from 7,500 feet 

 upward, especially above 8,000 feet, although occurring 

 fre(]uently at much lovi^er elevations. 



Piiius dibicau/is, another White Pine, is found associated 

 wilh P. flux His, but ranges higher, being found scattered 

 or in bunches on rocky exposed ridges and summits at the 

 upper limit of tree growth, but has been observed as low 

 as 7,500 feet. The region of the Park is probably the most 

 eastern and southern habitat of this species. It is abundant 

 on the higher mountains of Park, Gallatin and jMadison 

 Counties, Montana, immediately north and north-west of the 

 Park. To an ordinary observer it closely resembles 

 P. flexilis in general habit and has here been confounded 

 with it. The whiteness of the bark, which is a character- 

 istic farther north and north-west, is hardly noticeable here, 

 but the brown-purple young cones which fall to pieces 

 at -maturity, at once distinguish it from P. flexilis, the young 

 cones of which are green and have persistent scales. 

 These two species form about to per cent, of the forest 

 area. The Yellow Pine {Pinus ponderosa) might be ex- 

 pected on some of the lower, drier areas, as it occurs 

 in the Black Hills on the east, and on the west in Idaho 

 and Montana, but it has not been observed. 



The Douglas or Red Fir is found up to 9,000 feet, gen- 

 erally scattered over the drier grass ridges and slopes. 

 It here does not compare in size with the magnificent 

 specimens of the Pacific coast, although some trees 

 observed had a diameter of five feet, but generally were 

 stunted and unsound. 



The Balsam {Abies subai/niia) ranks next to the Black 

 Pme in numbers and distribution. It is found throughout 

 the Park in cool, moist situations, at low elevations on the 

 northern slopes, and especially common on wet sub- 

 alpine slopes and plateaus about the timber line, forming 

 groves in the Park-like openings. On moist plateaus, above 

 8,000 feet, and the slopes and bottoms of deep cations, 

 are forests of this species and of Engelmann's Spruce, 

 these two trees forming at least twenty-five per cent, of 

 the forest area of the Park. 



The Engelmann's Spruce is generally associated with 

 the Balsam Fir. It is the fmest tree of the Park, although 

 not comparing in size with the specimens found in the 

 extensive forests of this species, which occur further south 

 in the central Rocky Mountain region. Still farther north it 

 becomes rare and of small size. The White Spruce, which 

 occurs in the Black Hills of Dakota and in Northern Mon- 

 tana, reaching its greatest development in the Flathead 

 Region, probably does not occur within the Park. Some 

 of the cones of Picea Engelmanni show a transition into 

 those of P. alba. This fact is suggestive, occurring, as it 

 does, in a region between that of that greatest develop- 

 ment of P. Eiigchnanni on the south and P. alba on the 

 north; although in north-west Montana, where both spe- 

 cies occur, Professor Sargent has observed the same fact, 

 but they are found " at different elevations, in different 

 soils and never mingle." 



The Red Cedar is occasionally seen along the lower, 

 drier valleys. Juiiiperus coiniiuuiis, var. alpiiia, occurs 

 on rocky slopes and more frequently about the hot spring 

 areas. On moist slopes and along streams of the lower 

 grass areas are often found groves of the Aspen 

 (Populus Uemuloidei). Occasionally a Cottonwood {Popu- 



lus anguslifolia') will be met with in the same situations. 



The bog and stream thickets are composed of some of 

 the following shrubs : Belula glandulosa, Salix desertorwn, 

 var. Wolfii ; Salix glauca, Alnus incana, var. virescens. 



Of other species may be mentioned : Salix longifolia, 

 Belula occidentalis, Alnus viridis, Prunus ileinissa, Pxrus 

 sainburifolia, Ainclancliieralnifolia, Ceanolhus velulinus,Rha)n- 

 iius alni/olia, Acer glabrum. 



There are some areas of considerable extent through- 

 out the Park which are not forest covered, and at lower 

 elevations covered with a luxuriant growth of grass and 

 more or less of Sage Brush. These comprise, perhaps, 

 220 of the 3,350 square miles of the Park. Add to this 

 about 80 square miles for all minor areas, small parks, 

 meadows, and regions above timber line, and 180 for 

 lakes and ponds, we have a total of 480 square miles, or 

 about fourteen per cent, of the area of the Park. We 

 can, therefore, safely say that about eighty-six per cent, 

 of it is forest covered. Frank Tweedy. 



United States Geological Society. 



Correspondence. 



" Which is the Better Way?" 



To the Editor of Garden and Forest: 



Sir. — hi a recent contribution to your columns vinder the above 

 heading the opinion is expressed that in a work of landscape 

 gardening the best results will be secured when no trees are 

 planted but such as it is essential to its design sliould attain 

 mature cliaracter. The large parks of New York and Brooklyn 

 present the strongest possible argument for this position, and 

 no man can realize better than I do the danger of proceeding 

 otherwise tlian as thus recommended. 



Yet it may be questioned whether a passage may not here 

 and there be found in these grounds, in which a moderate 

 amount of thinning of densely planted groups has from time to 

 time been secured, in whicli more refresh mentis offered to tow n- 

 Avorn men than could luiA-e been otherwise provided. And 

 perhaps a few words of caution to young landscape gardeners 

 not to follow the precept too literally may serve a good 

 purpose. 



If a client asks me how the very best results are to be 

 olitained with liberal outlay on a given piece of ground, I iTia\ 

 say nothing to him of nurse trees, such as are to be removed 

 as a matter of course when their purpose has been served. I 

 may begin my answer by reminding him that though we com- 

 monly speak as if trees of the same name were of identically 

 the same nature, they do, in fact, vary one from another as they 

 grow up, in form, color, habit, character, constitution and in the 

 possession of \-ital foi'ce, cjuite as much as human beings of the 

 same surname. There is a natural proclivity with some to a 

 quiet, regular life, with others to comparative eccentricity; 

 with some to robust, with others to delicate habits ; with some 

 to yield to enemies, with others to fight hard with then.i ; with 

 some to early decay, with others to long and vig'orous lives. 

 Hence, aside from the cultural advantages for young trees of 

 close planting, " the very best results" are likely to be attained 

 by planting two, three or four times as many trees of those of 

 a common name, that are to have part in a group, as it is 

 thought will ultimately be desirable to remain in it. In this 

 case thinning is to be made afterwards hy selecting from time 

 to time that one of the number to be taken out that appears 

 likely to contribute least to the value of the group (regarding 

 the group, of course, as an element of a designed more 

 comprehensive composition). Growing in this way the single 

 tree that may be left after many ye;irs will not beassymmetrical a 

 " specimen " as nn'ght have resulted from the planting of one 

 tree only of the name, but the cliancesare tluititwill be a much 

 more desirable tree for the place in which it stands. It will be 

 larger, stronger, more truly representative. It will have a 

 shape more like that of a tree that has triumphed in a contest 

 of natural selection, and a shape better expressive of its in- 

 corporation with other trees similarly grown in the group in 

 which it was originally designed that the individuality of all its 

 trees should at last be merged. 



And the young landscape gardener should not overlook the 

 fact that if there is a liability to the miscarriage of a design in 

 such cases through neglect of thinning, it cannot be reckoned 

 with certainty that a miscarriage will always be avoided by 

 planting no tree of any kind except where a ti'ee of that kind 

 can witli advantage stand permanently. 



