70 report of the forestry committee 



The Northern Prairie Region 



On the Uplands in the Northern Prairie Region there should be a shelter belt 

 along the northern border of every 160-acre farm, another along the 

 western border and two extending from north to south at intervals of 

 60 rods from the west side. The species recommended for the best soils are 

 European larch, cottonwood, white willow, Scotch pine and western yellow pine. 

 On poor soils or in very exposed situations, western yellow pine, Scotch pine, 

 white spruce, green ash, white elm, hackberry, and box elder are the most 

 desirable. Under-planting with Black Hill spruce or Colorado blue spruce 15 

 years after the shelter belt is established will be profitable, principally because it 

 increases the efficiency of the wind-break. Mixed planting is recommended, 

 although it must be done with caution; for pure planting, the use of conifers is 

 advised. A spacing of 4 x 4 or 3 x 6 feet for conifers, 5x5 or 4x6 for the 

 slower growing deciduous trees, and 6x6 feet for cottonwood is recommended. 

 Thorough cultivation is necessary until the ground is entirely shaded. Every 

 four or five years after the sixth or seventh year, the smaller and less promising 

 trees should be cut out, but such thinnings should be very light, to prevent the 

 growth of grass and weeds. The trees in the shelter belts will not seriously 

 encroach on the adjoining cultivated land until they are 35 to 40 years old. At 

 this time they will yield a large amount of material suitable for box boards, 

 rough construction lumber, telephone poles, fence posts (for creosoting) and 

 fuel. If the value of the land is not charged against the plantation, the annual 

 return per acre will range from $5 to $15 per acre per year. 



The Lowlands of the Northern Prairie Region offer excellent opportunities 

 for forest planting for the production of fuel on account of the severe climate 

 and the high price of fuels transported into the region. The deep porous soils of 

 the Lowlands are well adapted to all of the species recommended for the Uplands. 

 [The best species for commercial planting in the Lowlands of the Northern Prairie 

 Region are : cottonwood, European larch, Scotch pine, silver maple, white willow, 

 Austrian pine and white pine. Cottonwood, on account of its rapid growth, high 

 yield and great variety of uses is undoubtedly the tree best adapted to bottom 

 lands, particularly overflow lands. On a rotation of 35 years cottpnwood should 

 yield at least 85,000 feet, board measure, per acre and, in addition, a considerable 

 quantity of cordwood. A good quality. of overflow land can be purchased at from 

 $5 to $10 per acre; at this figure, the returns from planting cottonwood should 

 be from 5 to 7 per cent, according to conditions. White willow and silver maple 

 are also adapted to planting on overflow lands and will yield good returns if 

 managed on 15 to 20 year rotation for fuel and fence posts. The average annual 

 net return from eight groves of white willow for fence posts and fuel was 

 $24 per acre, no interest on the investment being calculated. On the same basis, 

 European larch and Scotch pine produce, respectively, a net annual return per 

 acre of $11.93 and $13.35. For the production of fuel and fence posts for 

 creosoting, a spacing of 4x4 to 5x5 feet is best. For cottonwood a spacing 

 of 6 X 6 feet is recommended. Cultivation must be given until the ground is 

 well shaded, except in particularly favorable locations on overflow lands when 



