1 82 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 165. 



parts of New England, which really should by this time 

 be amply shaded, if a proper attention had been paid to 

 the young trees when set out. 



A radical change should be made in the time of planting 

 these commemorative trees and vines. Instead of setting 

 them out at the close of its career every class should, on 

 entering the school or university, erect its growing monu- 

 ment and devote its best energies during the four years of 

 school or college life to having its vine or its tree beat the 

 record in growth and vigor. In this way, if one specimen 

 died another could be planted, that the class might be sure 

 of a memorial, while yearly a committee should be ap- 

 pointed to attend to the plant and a small subscription be 

 levied on each member of the class for proper fertilizers 

 and cultivation. 



If the personal attention of the boys could be given to 

 the subject, if they would themselves dig about and enrich 

 and prune what they had planted and would take pride in 

 it, the effect would be good in awakening in their minds 

 an interest in the growth of plants and trees ; and some 

 slight knowledge might be acquired of climatic and soil 

 conditions and a hint might be given to them of one of the 

 best and purest pleasures which is within the grasp of man. 



In this way could be instilled into the rising generation 

 an interest in forestry that might in time bear fruit in 

 greater care for this property of the nation. Among the 

 books of reference in schools some should be supplied 

 which treat of the proper management of growing things, 

 so that the youths and maidens could study the subject for 

 themselves. If, at the end of each year or four years, 

 some slight reward, such as a simple medal or even an 

 honorable mention, could be awarded to that plant or tree 

 which had made any surprising growth, it might still fur- 

 ther stimulate an interest among the young people in this 

 most beautiful and useful work. Masters of schools and 

 professors of colleges should use their influence to bring 

 about this change as speedily as possible, for it could not 

 fail to do good to the youths themselves, and would replace, 

 with vigorous trees and vines, the usually melancholy 

 specimens which many classes now leave behind them as 

 their monument. 



Notes on the Distribution of Some Kansas Trees. — 

 II. The Cottonwood (Populus monilifera). 



THE Cottonwood is rivaled only by the Elm in the extent of 

 its distribution in the state. While most abundant on the 

 low ground bordering the main streams, where giant trees 

 overhang the water mile after mile, it is also found scattered 

 along most of the smaller tributaries, but always where 

 its roots can reach permanent moisture. Westward it ex- 

 tends as far as trees of any description are found, which is 

 to the west line of the state in several valleys, scattering groves 

 or single trees only occurring- in the western tier of counties, 

 and these on the immediate banks of the water-courses. Sur- 

 prisingly large trees have grown, though now cut down, at 

 points west of what many suppose to be the timber limit of the 

 state. On Walnut Creek, a large tributary of the Arkansas, 

 was the old military post of Fort Zarah, in the western part of 

 Rush County, about two hundred and seventy miles from the 

 eastern line of the state. The post was constructed of heavy 

 Cottonwood logs, many of which were in good preservation ten 

 years ago. This points to a considerable growth of the original 

 timber along this stream, and scattering groves of fair-sized 

 trees may be found to-day through the next county, and single 

 trees to the head of the stream. A huge tree was cut near the 

 Saline River, in Ellis County, a few years ago, which fur- 

 nished ninety-six loads of wood ; the stump measured eight 

 feet across. 



The Cottonwood is justly entitled to rank as the historical 

 tree of Kansas. It entered largely into the construction of most 

 of the early buildings, from the frontier stockade, which pro- 

 tected its group of earth-roofed log-cabins, to the wind-swept 

 shanty of the prairie homesteader and the pretentious store- 

 house and hotel of the growing young town. Men who have 

 helped to make history, both in state and national affairs, will 

 tell of the hardships and adventures of a new country when 

 the cottonwood shanty was the home, office and business block 

 in one. 



Park-like groves of these tall trees were abundant along the 

 larger streams, where the first settlements were established, 

 and their shapely trunks afforded the most available supply of 

 logs for the saw-mills which followed the advance-guard of 

 settlement. With Pine lumber only to be had by hauling from 

 points on the Missouri River, we can readily see why the Cot- 

 tonwood played so important a part in the development of the 

 country. 



After the building of the Union Pacific Railroad, which 

 brought Pine lumber within much easier reach of the settlers 

 of the Kansas valley, the greater cheapness of the native lum- 

 ber caused it to be used largely for the frames of buildings, 

 while Pine was used for covering and finish. This lumber 

 varied greatly in quality, much of it being of a loose, spongy 

 character, warping and twisting into the most fantastic shapes 

 when exposed to the sun and wind. A house built en- 

 tirely of it, after a few months, afforded but scanty protection 

 against the winter winds. Certain trees furnished lumber of a 

 firm, straight grain which made excellent frames, and even 

 very acceptable floors and inside finish. When once firmly 

 nailed to its place, if clapboarded and shingled with Pine lum- 

 ber to exclude the weather, Cottonwood made a strong and 

 durable building. I have examined houses that have stood 

 for thirty years where the Cottonwood joists and sheathing 

 boards were as straight and sound as when placed in posi- 

 tion. 



One of the institutions of the new country, which has disap- 

 peared with the steam saw-mill, was the shingle-mill, where 

 the shingles, instead of being sawed or rived, were cut. The 

 shingle blocks, after having soaked in a tank of hot water, 

 were placed upon the machine at a suitable angle, when the 

 descent of a broad, thin knife, operated by horse power, pared 

 off the shingle much as the thin stuff for fruit packages is now 

 cut. These shingles were of poor quality, and needed fre- 

 quent renewal. A much better article was secured by the 

 primitive process of riving and shaving them on the "horse," 

 so common on the New England farm. These I have seen 

 which had lasted for twenty years in fairly good condition. 



A variety known as the Yellow Cottonwood was recognized 

 by choppers and mill-men, and much prized for the superior 

 quality of its lumber, which was unusually firm and heavy, 

 straight-grained and of a peculiar color recognizable when the 

 tree was cut. As seen standing, the tree was supposed to have 

 a straighter trunk and deeper-furrowed, darker bark than the 

 common form. Whether any well-marked, constant type can 

 be made out is questionable, though the extra quality of lum- 

 ber from certain trees cannot be doubted. Whether these 

 characteristics can be transmitted by propagating from such 

 specimens by cuttings is a question only to be settled by ex- 

 periment. 



In searching for the finest specimens of Cottonwood in this 

 part of the state, one is constantly reminded that the trees 

 with the finest trunks have been cut and sawed years ago. A 

 tree upon the north bank of the Kansas (see page 187), a short 

 distance below Manhattan, measures twenty-four feet in girth 

 at two feet above the ground, and forks into three branches at 

 ten feet. The spread of its top is over eighty feet. This is the 

 type of a large number of trees which line the banks of our 

 Kansas rivers. Their immense spreading tops have a grandeur 

 not equaled by any other tree in the state. On the Blue River 

 three trees, only a short distance apart, were measured which 

 were twenty feet in circumference, with trunks of from twelve 

 to thirty feet to the first limb. One of these has a top of 104 

 feet spread, and it is as many feet high. Several others of 

 from sixteen to twenty feet in circumference were measured 

 in the same locality. 



The Cottonwood has been more extensively planted on tim- 

 ber claims and for shelter-belts than any other tree. This is 

 due in part to its rapid growth while young, and quite as much to 

 the ease with which a large proportion of trees can be procured 

 from cuttings. That a large number of these have failed is 

 not a matter of surprise, when we remember the moisture- 

 loving nature of the tree. After a few years of rapid growth, 

 trees on the upland begin to fail, and a dry season thins out 

 a large portion of them. Where a plantation includes a little 

 draw which obtains additional moisture the greater size and 

 vigor of the trees are very noticeable. On bottom-lands the 

 growth obtained from a plantation of Cottonwoods in twenty 

 years is astonishing. There are, along many streams, acres 

 of low, sandy land, where farm crops cannot be profitably 

 grown, but which will develop the Cottonwood to perfection. 

 Plantations in such places would yield in fuel enough to pay 

 for all outlay, and the growth of body-timber in twenty or 

 thirty years would be of great value for the many purposes to 

 which cheap lumber is applied, such as crates, baskets and all 



