AMONG THE SAND HILLS OF NEBRASKA, 39 



Between the Glronde and the Pyrenees there was a tract of drift- 

 ing sands which was a menace to the fairest portions of the em- 

 pire. When the gales blew, the sands swept Inland like resist- 

 less armies, burying fields, meadows, vineyards, dwellings and 

 even villages. It was a Sahara in the heart of Sunny France, 

 widening Its area year by year. In the days of Napoleon, a man 

 named Bremontler conceived the Idea of planting the whole re- 

 gion to the Maritime Pine and thus fasten the drifting sands. 

 The beautiful adjoining country could be saved and a revenue 

 obtained from a region then worthless. The Idea was presented 

 to Napoleon who Imlmediately adopted It and the large area was 

 planted by government aid, thus showing that If that colossal 

 Intellect had been given to the arts of peace Instead of war, 

 the emperor would have been one of the greatest benefactors of 

 his age. The victory over the drifting sand dunes was far great- 

 er than If he bad won at Waterloo. 



We are happy to present a picture of this redeemed land, 

 which Is now yielding an Immense revenue of wood, lumber, re- 

 sin and turpentine. 



The Holt County Experiment. Under the direction of the 

 Chief of Forestry, B. E. Femow, a piece of land belonging to 

 the Bruner Brothers was planted In 1891 to Jack, Austrian, 

 Scotch, Norway and Ponderosa Pines. 



While all other varieties did well, the Jack Pines took the 

 lead and made a tremendous growth, overshadowing all others. 

 In thirteen years many of them were twenty feet tall. They 

 had commenced seeding and little trees were springing up all 

 around themi Probably in the long run the other Pines will 

 catch up with and perhaps overshadow the Jack Pines but for 

 quick results the latter will be preferred, 



I wish to add that the energetic efforts of the Government 

 In planting so large a tract of trees awakened the Interest 

 of private owners, cattle men and others, who need shelter for 

 their stock and see gold In the sands which the trees can mine 

 for them. 



The economy manifested by the Government experts is 

 having a fine effect. When these lands can be planted at from 

 J3.00 to $5.00 per acre it is a matter of encouragement to all 

 interested. From experiments conducted by the writer, reaching 

 through a series of years, he has demonstrated that the Pon- 

 derosa Pine can be raised by the planter himself at a cost of 

 $1.00 per 1,000, and if he does his own work the expense of 

 planting forty acres with 1000 to the acre will be light. 



Several neighbors can band together and secure seeds at 

 the lowest cost, and they can send some one to the Jack Pine 

 forests to collect their own seedlings as the Government have. 

 They set them down on their plantation at from $2.00 to $3.00 

 per 1000. Kimberly, Minnesota, sends out a good many of these 

 trees and millions of fine seedlings are grown there and there 

 Is access to millions of wild ones well rooted. One year the 



