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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 1113 
j^*SJ_ 
Washington, D. C. 
January 13, 1923 
DEVELOPMENT OF COOPERATIVE SHELTER- 
BELT DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE NORTHERN 
GREAT PLAINS. 
By Robert Wilson and F. E. Cobb, Assistants in Dry-Land Arboriculture, Office 
of Dry-Land Agriculture Investigations, Bureau of Plant Industry. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 1 
The plan of cooperation 1 
Area covered by shelter-belt demon- 
strations 3 
Topography 3 
Soils 5 
Climate 5 
Notes on tree species 6 
Page. 
Trees in relation to soil types 14 
Shelter-belt planting plans 15 
Demonstration plantings 17 
Growth study of cooperative shelter 
belts planted in 1916 24 
Experimental plantings 25 
Summary and conclusions 26 
INTRODUCTION. 
To show the possibility of planting trees for shelter belts and to 
demonstrate the proper methods of starting and caring for these 
plantings the Northern Great Plains Field Station near Mandan. 
N. Dak., in the development of one line of its work, has undertaken 
a cooperation with a number of farmers in the northern Great Plains 
area. The main objects of the cooperation are to stimulate interest 
in the improvement of farm homes by planting belts of trees around 
the farm buildings and to determine by actual trial the species of 
trees best adapted to the different sections of the region. 
THE PLAN OF COOPERATION. 
The United States Department of Agriculture undertakes under 
certain outlined conditions to furnish without charge to farmer- 
living in the territory the trees necessary to plant a suitable shelter 
belt for the farm buildings. The farmer on his part agrees to plant 
and care for the trees in accordance with plans and instructions 
furnished by the department. 
The working details of these cooperative shelter-belt demonstra- 
tions are issued in a series of five circulars which outline the methods 
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