Dt FORESTRY OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 
have time to ripen their wood and be in good condition for the winter; pall or hoe 
‘ out all the weeds that may come in late in the season. In plowing among trees a 
short whiftletree should be used to avoid injuring the trees, All trees planted in the 
spring should be ridged the following November by turning a furrow agains; them 
on each side with a light plow; the ridges may easily be leveled in the spring with 
the cultivator. After three or four years, or as soon as the trees shade the ground, 
they will need no more cultivation, and wiil thereafter need but little care. Be care- 
ful to keep stock from running among the trees, as they are very injurious, even after 
the trees attain a large size. 
Pruning.—This is a subject that has been much discussed, and in regard to which 
there are various opinions, some even contending that trees should nut be pruned at 
all. J shall consider it rere only in relation to forest culture. When there are more 
than two leading shoots they should be cut out to one, leaving the largest. Any side 
branches which detract in size and vigor from the leading shoot should be shortened 
or cut off entirely. This is all the pruning we find necessary in a ciosely ese 
forest ; nature will do all other pruning. 
Thin ning.—Here is where we get ourearly returns. Several of our rapidly growing 
trees, if they have been properly planted and taken care of, may, in four or five years, 
be thinned out to advantage, care being taken to leave the straightest and most vigor- 
ous trees; then thinning gradually as the trees grow larger. 
In a convention of nurserymen and tree-growers it 1s quite probable 
that there would be found gentlemen to take exception to these rules. 
It is also true that these directions were given originally for the benefit 
of Kansas tree-growers; yet Mr. Longstreth’s views as to varieties, close 
planting, and cultivation have been indorsed by tree-growers and men 
of experience all over the country, west of the Missouri, writing without 
consultation with each other. 
THE BEST TREE. 
Something has been learned, too, of the relative value of trees. Lim- 
ited as the list seems, few persons will care to plant them all, and a 
choice must be made. In making the selection we should advise as the 
first choice the black walnut. It seems for the first three or four years 
a slow grower, but after that period it grows rapidly; and admitting 
that the soft-bodied trees grow faster at the start, they are of little 
value when grown, while the black walnut has an actual money value 
greater than that of any other American forest tree. It should be the 
Western forester’s main reliance; but between the walnuts experience 
has shown that other trees Stone be planted which put forth their 
leaves earlier, though they may not be worth so much for their wood, 
such as soft maples, box elders, or cottonwood. The latter have the 
farther advantage of compelling the black walnut tree to run up straight 
and high, and they serve to shelter and protect it from the hot sun and 
drying winds. 
INFLUENCE OF DISCUSSION. 
The varieties best for planting and their mode of cultivation having 
been definitely settled, the next great step is to ascertain and employ 
the best means to fone and encourage the work of tree-planting. In 
this direction much has been done. Societies, notably the Forestry 
