D. M. Ferry & Go's Descriptive Catalogue. 



47 



fork and rake handles and many other agricultural im- 

 plements, besides being largely employed in carriage 

 building, cooperage, and ornamental carpenter work. 

 Succeeds best from seeds, which should be planted where 

 the trees are to stand, like com, but not over an inch in 

 depth. When grown singly it is very ornamental, form- 

 ing a large, round head. 



European Ash {Fraxinus excelsior). — Succeeds 

 best in rather a warm climate ; thrives upon the plains 

 in deep soils, but does poorly on stiff clay or light sandy 

 soils. Its timber is valuable in carriage making and 

 manufactures. 



Barberry {Berberis vulgaris). — A shrub of medium 

 size, and one of the best hedge plants we possess. It is 

 ven,- hardy, and forms a dense shrub from four to eight 

 feet high, with many upright, slender branches covered 

 with sharp, stout prickles. Requires but little pruning 

 to make an almost impenetrable hedge. Seed should 

 be sown in wide drills, and transplanted into hedge rows 

 when one or two years old. 



White Birch {Betula rt/(5«).— Valuable for orna- 

 mental planting, and a favorite wood for shoe pegs, 

 spools, bobbins and similar small articles. The birch 

 prefers a cool, humid climate, and is readily propagated 

 from seed. Seeds thrive best on new ground. They 

 scarcely admit of any covering but if simply pressed 

 into the ground with the feet they will grow. When 

 one year old transplant into nursery rows. When two 

 or three feet high, set out the young trees where they 

 are to remain. 



Hardy Catalpa {Catalpa s/ecfosa). — Quite distinct 

 from and much hardier than, the common catalpa. 

 Scarcely a tree on our list can be so strongly recom- 

 mended as this for planting on the vast treeless prairies 

 of. our western States. It is of very quick growth, has 

 proven itself hardy as far north as Dakota, and is one of 

 the most durable timbers known, lasting in many well 

 authenticated instances nearly or quite a century. 



Catalpa seeds can be sown dry on a still day but the bet 

 ter way is to wet the seeds for a few hours before planting, 

 and mix them, with a little sifted soil to prevent their 

 sticking together. They will germinate more promptly 

 for the soaking they have received, and will not be so 

 likely to be blown away while being sown. Sow in 

 April oi May. in well prepared loamy soil, in rows four 

 feet apart, sowing seedpthickly in the rows, covering 

 half an inch deep and lirmin>c the soil well over the 

 seeds. Thick sowing is desirable as a doz;n little plants 

 together can force their way through the surface easier 

 than singly, and if they are too thick they can be 

 thinned and tran.^planted on a damp day as easily as cab- 

 bage plants. Cultivate well during the summei , keeping 

 them free from weeds. In the fall or following spring, 

 the seedlings can be transplanted where they are to re- 

 main. Four feet apart each way is the proper distance, 

 and they should be cultivated about like corn for two sea- 

 sons. There are from i6,ooo to 20,000 seeds to the pound. 



.\s an ornamental tree, the catalpa appears to the best 

 advantage planted in small groves. 



Hawthorn {dnf/zegusoxj-acaiii/ia). — Seldom grows 

 o.-er twenty feet high and makes an excellent hedge. 

 -Seed should usually be sown in the fall, or frozen before 

 planting, as recommended above. Sometimes they re- 

 main in the ground two years before they germinate. 



European Larch {Larix Eiiropcpo). — Grows to a 

 large size, and makes excellent timber. Planted on 

 land.s of very little value for ordinary farming, it im- 

 proves instead of impoverishing them, as the an- 

 nual crop of leaves deposits more nutriment than the 

 tree takes up ; besides the yield of timber in a series of 

 years would prove a very profitable investment. Seeds 

 should be sown in a half-shady situation. 



European Linden {Tiiia Europcea), — A great fa- 

 vorite for ornamental planting in Europe. Its wood is 

 very white, light, not liable to crack, and much prized 

 for cabinet work and the panels of carriages. It should 

 be planted by all bee keepers, as no flower of its size 

 yields better honey or in greater abundance. 



Honey Locust {Gleditschia tria'anthos).—Ow. ac- 

 count of its rapidity of growth and durability of the tim- 

 ber, we regard this as one of the .most valuable of our 

 native trees. It is not so lia )le to injury by the borer 

 as the common locust, and does not sprout from the root 

 to a greater extent than do most of our forest trees. 

 Without the preparation recommended above, the seeds 

 may lie from one to three years in the ground without 

 sprouting. Take up and heel in or cover the plants in 

 the fall, and set out the next spring. After the first 

 season, they are perfectly hardy. One pound contains 

 about 2,300 seeds. 



Yellow V.oc\x%\.{^Robi?iia pseudo-acacia) — .This tree 

 grows so rapidh- that railroad ties may be cut ten years 

 from the planting of the seed, while the durability of its 

 timber is well known, fence posts of it having stood for 

 sixty years. Culture same as the above. One ounce 

 contains about 1.300 seeds. 



Sugar Maple {Acer saccharimnn). — This tree, also 

 commonly known as Rock, or Hard Maple, is altogether 

 the most valuable of the maples. It thrives best in a 

 moderately cool climate, and in a loamy, calcareous soil 

 rather than a sandy one. The gorgeous splendor of the 

 northern forests in autumn is largely due to the colors 

 assumed by the foliage of this tree at that season. The 

 sugar maple, when planted alone, assumes a rounded, 

 symmetrical form of great beauty, sixty to eighty feet 

 high, with a trunk two feet or over in diameter. In 

 woodlands, it takes on a regular form, not so rounded 

 but taller and more majestic than when grown singly. 

 Verj' profitable when grown for its sap. which, by evap- 

 oration, makes maple syrup and sugar. An annual tap- 

 ping for sap after they are ten or twelve inches in diam- 

 eter, does not injure the growth nor beauty of the trees. 

 The wood is hard and firm, highly valued as fuel, and 

 much used in fine cabinet work. Sometimes a tree is 

 found m which the grain has a wavy, undulating ap- 

 pearance ; this is the curly, or bird's-eye maple so highly 

 prized for veneers and ornamental wood work. 



White Mulberry {morus alba). — Desirable for 

 feeding silk worms. Grows readily and rapidly from 

 seeds, which should not be covered too deep, as they 

 are quite small. It delights in" a warm, dry soil, and 

 will succeed in almost any place that will produce a 

 good corn crop. 



Russian Mulberry. — Introduced into this country 

 ! by the Mennonites, and by them extensively planted for 

 silk worm culture. Of rapid growth, resembling :he 

 I apple tree in habit, .with a greyish bark and drooping 

 I branches. It is very easily cultivated, and kept in 

 dwarf form makes a fine hedge and wind break. It 

 bears ver\' young, and it is said every year. The fruit 

 is similar to the blackberry, varying in fla*-or from sub- 

 acid to sweet. In cold regions especially, this should 

 prove a verj- valuable variety for its timber, shade and 

 fruit. It is said to reproduce itself exactly from seed, 

 and as our seed is direct from the Mennonite colony, it 

 can be depended on as true and reliable. 



Osage Orange {Madura aurantiaca). — How to 



Pl.\NT, ClLTIV.ATE .AND jM.JiKE .A HeDGE. — The OsilgC 



Orange is a native of Texas, but can be grown and cul- 

 tivated advantageously in most parts of the United 

 States. The ground should be thoroughly pulverized 

 by either plowing or spading, b.;fore the seed is planted. 

 The surest way is to sprout the seed before planting, as 

 it is very slow to germinate when put into the ground 



