TREES AND SHRUBS FOR THE NORTHERN PLAINS 19 



PRESENTATION OF DATA 



A total of 373 tree and shrub plantings, composed of 215 species, 

 were tested. Of this total, 146 plantings survived for 10 years or more. 

 Eight additional plantings, which were alive in 1950, had not been 

 growing for a period as long as 10 years. Of these 8 plantings, 3 were 

 duplicates of species that had been tested for 10 or more years, and 5 

 of them were of species that had not been tested previously. The 219 

 plantings that did not survive for 10 years are identified by footnotes 

 in table 3. These footnotes show: (1) Plantings that failed to become 

 established — which includes failure of seed to germinate; (2) those 

 which became established for the first season but did not survive the 

 following winter; and (3) those which lived 1 year or more but did not 

 survive for 10 years. 



Those species that survived for 10 years or more are listed in table 

 4. The table also includes survival data at the first, fifth, and tenth 

 years and in 1950, and height at the tenth year and in 1950. The 

 ability of the respective species to survive under the prevailing climatic 

 and other conditions can be judged by comparing the survival in 1950 

 with that at 5 years of age. Losses that occurred during the first 2 or 

 3 years may more accurately be attributed to difficulty of establish- 

 ment than to inability of the species to survive the prevailing con- 

 ditions. The survival data at 10 years of age give an indication of 

 when the losses, if any, took place. 



Additional data that follow on these species include also that from 

 other plantings at the Mandan station and from plantings on cooper- 

 ative farms and elsewhere in the area. 



Based on results of tests by the Mandan station, a listing of tree and 

 shrub species recommended for planting on the northern Great Plains 

 is presented in table 5. An index showing suitability of the respective 

 species for windbreak, wildlife-cover, and ornamental purposes is also 

 given, as well as an index showing the response to dry-land conditions 

 and irrigation. 



TREE AND SHRUB SPECIES NOTES 



Abies holophylla. — Testing of this species was confined to the 

 Mandan station. The absence of any appreciable amount of winter 

 injury indicates that the species may have some promise for use 

 in the area. 



Acer ginnala. — The four test plantings of this species at the station 

 suffered heavy winter injury following the 1936 drought. Winter 

 injury was not severe in any other year. Test plantings were made 

 on cooperating farms in 1917 and later years. A high percentage of 

 these plantings lived for only a few years and killed back repeatedly 

 during the period they were alive. Several shrubs planted as orna- 

 mentals on the station grounds in 1916 received a limited amount of 

 irrigation. These gave a much better showing in growth and survival. 

 The foliage of this tall shrub is highly colored in the fall, which makes 

 it an attractive ornamental. It is not recommended for dry-land 

 planting but is suitable under irrigation for either windbreak or 

 ornamental purposes. 



