SOILS, ETC. 137 



the slender poles are cut from the dense growth that often 

 springs np along the streams, trimmed of their branches, and 

 then notched with the ax at intervals of a few feet along their 

 entire length, then placed end to end in furrows at proper inter- 

 vals, and covered with soil by the plow. Sprouts quickly start 

 from the sides of the notches and rapidly become thrifty trees. 



The most congenial habitat of the white maple is also 

 upon the low-lands, but it thrives well upon the prairies. 

 For rapidity of growth it ranks next to the cottonwood and 

 makes better and more durable fuel. It succeeds well upon 

 all varities of soil and may be readily propagated from 

 the seed, or by transplanting the young trees from the places 

 of their natural growth. 



The black walnut has been proven to succeed well upon the 

 prairies by artificial propagation. It is propagated from the 

 seed with certainty and little labor. 



These three kinds of trees are those now most commonly 

 used for the production of artificial groves and woodlands 

 by the people of the State, since the failure of the black 

 locust, in consequence of its destruction by the borers. It 

 is well known that all the other indigenous trees may be 

 artificially cultivated, but these seem to have been wisely 

 chosen for the rapidity of their growth and the small amount 

 of labor required in their propagation and cultivation. 

 These tests which the people have made extensively through- 

 out the State, prove beyond the possibility of doubt that a 

 sufficient amount of fuel and fencing material may be 

 produced from the soil alone in any part of Iowa. 



People have hitherto been in the habit of regarding the 

 great proportion of prairie surface in our State as a calamity; 

 but with a knowledge of the facts just stated it is evident 

 that views directly opposite should be taken, because the 

 labor and expense of procuring all necessary fuel by the 

 means just explained, is but a tithe of what would be 

 necessary to prepare the land for cultivation if it had 

 originally been covered with forests, such as formerly pre- 

 vailed over a large part of the States of Ohio and Indiana. 

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