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broken and softened, will be in much better condition to hold moisture 
and will require less irrigation than otherwise. 
Choose those trees that are hardy, rapid, and vigorous in their growth, 
The following have been found to thrive well here when planted under 
the proper conditions: Soft or Silver Maple, Box-Elder or Ash-Leaved 
Maple, White Elm, Red Elm, White Ash, Black Walnut, Butternut, 
American Chestnut, Black or Yellow Locust, Honey Locust, American 
Linden or Bass-wood, Black Cherry, Black Birch, Red Oak, Pin Oak, 
Black Alder, Russian Mulberry, Mountain Ash, and the many varieties 
of Poplars and Willows. 
Foreign conifers have not succeeded well as yet. From the nature 
of their foliage they seem to be less able to endure the hot sun and dry 
atmosphere than deciduous trees. Even the native conifers from the 
mountains are difficult to transplant to the plains on account of the 
increased dryness and exposure, and only succeed with the greatest 
care. 
Plant in the spring, as early as possible, but so as to escape the hard 
frosts. If possible select trees which have grown in a nursery in this 
climate at least one year, in preference to trees brought from lower ele- 
vations and different conditions. In general it is better to buy small 
trees than attempt to raise from seed, which requires peculiar and care- 
ful treatment. 
Dig large holes, much larger than are needed for the roots of the 
tree, cover the bottom of the hole with 6 inches of good top soil, mixed 
if possible with a little manure. Just before planting fill the hole with 
water. Plant the tree a little deeper than it was before and spread 
out the rootlets, sifting the dirt well around them and stamping it down 
solid. A mulching around the tree, if nothing more than of small 
stones, will be of much benefit to prevent the rapid drying of the ground. 
The irrigation ditch should run 2 or 3 feet from the tree, and a small 
branch ditch carried around a foot from the trunk, in which the water 
may stand and soak into the ground. In dry weather irrigate once a 
week, and during the rainy season only when the tree seems to need 
it. Irrigate in the autumn at such time as to freeze the soil around 
the tree, and two or three times in the latter part of winter when con- 
tinued warm dry weather occurs. Remember that a tree may have too 
much water even in this dry climate. Snow heaped around the tree is 
beneficial. During the winter matting should be wrapped around the 
trunk to protect it from sun and wind. 
With such treatment trees may be made to succeed well in this hard 
climate, and, though never so rapid and luxuriant in their growth as in 
lower elevations, they will amply repay the planter. 
Nowhere are trees more needed than in this State, and nowhere should 
more efforts be made to obtain them. They should be planted on the 
plains, for shelter, and to hold the little moisture that falls. They should 
be planted on the mountains, to store up the rain-fall and keep the 



