FIFTH NATIONAL CONSERVATION CONGRESS 73 



the land and the cost of planting must be kept within reasonable bounds, de- 

 pending somewhat on the advantages which the site possesses in relation to 

 transportation and market conditions. 



The Southern Plains. 



In the southern portion of the Prairie Region, the annual precipitation is so 

 unevenly distributed, and wide areas suffer so frequently from prolonged drouth, 

 that commercial forest planting is limited to favorable sites in the Lowlands. 

 Great care must be exercised in the selection of planting sites and in the choice 

 of species. Protective plantings are even more desirable than in the Northern 

 regions, and will prove highly profitable from the protective standpoint alone. 

 In this region there is practically no native timber to draw upon, and successful 

 plantations for fuel and fence posts have proved to be highly profitable, although 

 the returns varied greatly according to the conditions. Successful forest planting 

 in this region where rainfall is light and irregular and evaporation great, depends 

 very largely upon the proper tillage of the soil. 



The Uplands. The southern and western sides of each quarter section should 

 be protected by shelter belts from the dry southwest winds, with belts running 

 east and west at intervals of from thirty to forty rods. Where very low wind- 

 breaks are used the distance between the hedges should be reduced. 



In the more humid eastern portion of the region cottonwood, green ash, 

 Russian mulberry, Osage orange and white elm will thrive. In certain sections 

 the black locust is practically free from the destructive borers and makes an 

 excellent growth on uplands, and is highly profitable for fence posts. It must 

 be planted with caution, however. 



In the very dry western portion of the region there are no species that can 

 be depended upon to survive the occasional prolonged drouths, although dry 

 farming methods of cultivation will do much to assure success. Osage orange 

 appears to be a desirable species for this region, although it should be planted 

 with caution until its adaptation to the particular planting site is determined. 

 Trees of less commercial value which may be planted with a reasonable prospect 

 of successful growth are green ash, red cedar, white elm, black locust, honey 

 locust, Russian mulberry and western yellow pine. 



The Lowlands. Better conditions of soil moisture are more favorable to 

 commercial planting in the lowlands, except where the soil is extremely alkaline 

 through seepage. Throughout the region, thorough cultivation for a long period 

 is absolutely essestial to profitable growth, and the products from commercial 

 plantations are apparently limited to fence posts and fuel, since lumber can be 

 transported into the region more cheaply than it can be grown. 



The most valuable species for plantations in the Lowlands of this region 

 are hardy catalpa, Osage orange, black locust (in certain regions) and Russian 

 mulberry. The prices of fence posts of these durable woods are such that net 

 profits of from $20 to $35 per acre per year (not reckoning interest on invest- 

 ment) may be expected where the proper sites are chosen. However, with the 

 success of creosoting assured there is a possibility that more rapid growing 



