30 BULLETIN 153, U.-S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
NORWAY SPRUCE (Picea excelsa Link). 
Norway spruce has not been planted very extensively anywhere in 
the eastern United States. Because of its compact crown, especially 
when young, and the tenacity of its lower branches, this species has 
found favor in the Middle West for windbreaks of one to three or 
four rows. It will probably increase in favor. The tree prefers a 
fresh, well-drained, loamy soil, but in New England has succeeded 
fairly well on a sandy one. A young plantation on very sandy land 
in central Michigan, however, while still alive, is making a height 
growth of only 2 or 3 inches a year, while Scotch pine on a similar 
site is growing at the rate of from 6 inches to 2 feet a year. 
Norway spruce is decidedly tolerant, and to obtain timber of the 
best form it should be spaced as closely as 5 by 5 feet to 6 by 6 feet. 
For windbreak purposes, however, the spacing should be not less 
than 12 by 12 feet, in order to insure that the lower branches will 
remain alive and bear folhage. Timber from such trees, while not 
clear, is of fair quality, and has been used in the Middle West for 
farm buildings. Norway spruce is also suitable for underplanting 
old groves of trees with naturally open crown covers, such as black 
walnut or cottonwood, and stands becoming open through deteriora- 
tion. The species grows nearly as fast as white pine, and on loamy 
sous would probably be a good tree to plant in mixture with the latter. 
It appears to be hardy as far west as central lowa, but west of that 
it is ragged and scrubby when mature, at the age of about 40 years. 
Some nurserymen attribute this to the severe winds in that region; 
though the extremely high summer temperatures and low humidi- 
ties may have something to do with it, since spruce is naturally a 
tree of relatively cool regions with high humidities. Where exposed 
to severe winds, as on the New England coast, the tree is likely to be 
broken off or its top bent. 
For the Middle West, Norway spruce has been assigned a stumpage 
value of $9 for lumber and $2.50 for cordwood, and for the northeast 
region $5 for lumber and $1 for cordwood. 
BLACK WALNUT (Juglans nigra Linn.). 
Black walnut does well throughout the central hardwood region, 
and as far west as the Missouri River. It is a hardy tree, and though . 
seldom planted in the Eastern States there is no reason why it should 
not succeed there. For its best development, however, the tree 
requires deep clay or sandy loam soils, which, of course, are also 
excellent for agriculture. For this reason alone it is not likely to be 
planted to any great extent. 
Black walnut is easily propagated by planting the nuts in the fall 
on the permanent site. The tree is decidedly intolerant, and sheds 
its lower branches readily even with a relatively wide spacing. One 
