64 
In 1889 ten plats of one-half acre each were planted at this station. 
In 1890 twelve one-half acre plats were added, and in 1891 eight plats 
were planted, making a total of 15 acres. The Forestry Division 
planted six plats in 1896, and seven in 1897, making a total acreage in 
the grove of 214 acres. (Plate IV.) 
LOCATION AND SOIL. 
The plats occupy almost level ground, with a slight rise to the west 
and south. Just beyond the limits of the plantation, to the west, the 
land rises to a low ridge, on which the college buildings are located. 
There was a small Cottonwood ‘timber claim” one-half mile south of 
the plantation when the first trees were set, this being the nearest 
grove of any kind. The site is in the open prairie, the nearest natural 
woodland being the fringe of trees along the Sioux River,5 miles to the 
westward. 
The soil is the usual black loam of the prairies, very rich, the surface 
soil being 18 to 30 inches deep, and separated from the stiff yellow clay 
subsoil by a thin stratum of coarse gravel mixed with clay. The clay 
subsoil is of unknown depth. 
RAINFALL. 
The mean annual rainfall from May, 1888, to December, 1894, was ~ 
16.06 inches, as observed at the college. The following record for the 
erowing season of 1892, a year of unusually plentiful rain, and 1894, a 
season of exceptional drought, fairly presents the extremes of precipi- 
tation. The precipitation for the growing season of 1896 and 1897 is 
also given. 
s | | Sep- |; 
Year. April. | May. June. | July. | August. | tarber: Total. 
j | | | 
| | | 
| Inches. | Inches. | Inches. | Inches. | Inches. | Inches. | Inches. 
| | 
1802 Serj eee eee eons (ea raere 7.25 3.52 | 8.69.) * 8:03) \5 ¢ eden emoe gees 
G04 i. sip ee we wares ee er 3.04 | $30) ey plage 09 73 > A 68s deve 
1906 825 eee ane Pe 915,55) | 346, 33845 )eme sare 44 i ee Arr, 
TROT Sete oe tee Ln ae eee 2,45 | .83 3.86 | . 4.41 | \3.59)\9 | ooerueeeeyem 
| : | 
THE PLANTING OF 1889. 
A few plats of this planting are given as illustrating the action of 
well-known species of trees when planted in mixture. 
The season of 1889 was very favorable for trees, and a good stand 
was secured in all the plats. Subsequent years of severe drought have 
served to test the adaptability of the several species to the locality, and 
hence this planting is treated in considerable detail. 
In plats 1, 2, 6, 7, and 9 several species of Russian Poplar were set 
and made a vigorous growth the first season, but in the drought years 
that followed they were almost entirely killed, none of them equaling 
the common Cottonwood as a drought-resisting plant. In plat 4 White 
