1858. 
THE CULTIVATOR, 
271 
Groves and Shade Trees in Iowa. 
Messrs. Editors —A few weeks ago, I saw in the 
Country Gentleman, inquiries by some one who has 
land in our State, as to the growth of forest-trees on 
the prairies, and the sugar maple in particular. 
I have often seen the small sugar maple trees that 
had been transplanted from the forest, which seemed 
to grow equally well as at the east. This tree is quite 
a slow grower in any clime or soil where I have seen it, 
yet it is a very handsome shade-tree. It is found in 
many of our prairie groves, where the seed can be pro¬ 
cured. 
I have had some experience with tree-planting in 
Iowa. There are many varieties I would recommend 
before the sugar maple; yet I would recommend a few 
of these in the front yard, but be sure and plow up and 
cultivate a few years in flower or vegetable garden, 
that the trees may make twice or four times the growth 
they would in the grass-sod. 
The most rapid growing tree we have, is the cotton¬ 
wood. Its leaf, and appearance of tree, and quality of 
wood, is very similar to the poplar of the American 
forests. It is found in all parts of the west along the 
streams, and in many of the prairie groves—is easily 
transplanted—will grow from pieces of root, and I be¬ 
lieve it will grow from the cutting of the limb—its seed 
is ripe the first of June—is small as grass-seed—is 
carried on its cotton wings great distances into the 
prairies, and from these seeds trees are seen scattered 
occasionally over the fields of poor farmers, or along 
the fences occasionally of good farmers. 
The first trees I would recommend to plant, are soft 
or white maple, elms, butternut, chestnut and black 
locust, (which I believe is identical with the yellow and 
white locust—is it not the same ?) The white maple 
and elm are most beautiful shade trees, of rapid growth, 
and easily raised from the seed, which are easily ga¬ 
thered the latter part of May, and planted immediately. 
We have tried it this year at our nursery—the flower, 
the seed, and the young plant, all the same season— 
and in this way our young maples are some of them 
now twelve inches high. The elms are respectable lit¬ 
tle plants. 
The butternut—I planted the nuts four years ago 
last spring—they are now eight to twelve inches in cir¬ 
cumference, and as many feet high, with broad spread¬ 
ing tops. Several of them bloomed this year, but I 
have not seen any nuts growing upon them. Small trees 
which I took from the forest commenced bearing a few 
nuts in two years, and are now nearly as full as apple 
trees of their size. 
The chestnut is of slower growth. I planted the nuts 
three years ago last spring ; they are now from two to 
four inches in circumference at the bottom, and six 
feet high. Some of them bloomed this year—but no 
nuts. The land is bluff, yellow oak land. My neigh¬ 
bor, Dr. Weed, has a large patch of chestnut trees in 
black prairie land, which I think are twice the age of 
mine, and have made four times the growth, and are 
bearing nuts. The chestnut is not found native in all 
the prairie region. 
The locust is a very rapid grower, and a valuable 
timber for strength and durability. I have seen them 
winter killed by the road-side, but not in the grove 
The ailanthus, which the Tribune has recommended so 
highly, will winter kill as easy as a peach tree. 
The whitewood of New-York, which is the same as 
the yellow poplar of Ohio, etc, is a most beautiful 
shade tree. The hickory and the oak should not be 
omitted, though I have never planted the seed. The 
black walnut also should be planted. 
Preserving Seed and Planting. —Locust seed may 
be gathered any time in winter or early spring—keep 
in a dry state and sprout them with hot water—and 
plant at corn planting time. Nearly all tree seeds, if 
kept in a dry state through the winter, will be worth¬ 
less to plant. They may be planted in fall—but what 
I would recommend is to put them in clean, wet sand, 
in a box or keg, and bury them in the surface of the 
ground where they will freeze. A few for transplant¬ 
ing to the front yard or road-side, should be planted in 
drills and cultivated as corn. For a grove, in hills 
four feet apart, and rows eight feet, with a row of corn 
or potatoes between for two jrnars. 
This subject of tree-planting in the prairies I deem 
of such vast importance, that I hope you will pardon 
me for saying a few words more. I believe there is no 
field crop which will pay one-half the profit that a 
grove of timber, planted, cultivated, and cared for as 
a crop of grain. Besides the beauty, the utility, and 
the public benefit of a grove of timber—it is a shelter to 
man and beast from the scorching sun and the piercing 
winds of winter—a protection from the violent winds 
to the field crops, to the fences, to the orchard, and to 
the buildings. 
Evergreens are becoming fashionable in many places 
in this prairie country. They are of comparatively 
slow growth, but they will in a few years grow up to 
good sized trees. Then they are a great defence against 
the wind. What beauty—what grand and exquisite 
beauty, we might here display upon the prairies with 
these evergreens—these trees and hedges—these fruits 
and flowers. 
They who see no beauty in nature’s living green— 
in each tree and plant, and flower and fruit,—are fit 
only to view the dingy walls and dead works of man. 
Suel Foster. Muscatine , Iowa. 
-•—Q—0- 
The Hog Cholera. 
Messrs. Tucker & Son— The hog cholera has in¬ 
fested the neighborhood of Cumberland river, between 
Bnrksville, Ky., and Gainsboro, Tenn., for a year or 
two—at places killing whole stocks—at others only a 
few stragglers. 
Thinking you might be glad to know how this dis¬ 
ease acts upon them at this time, I send you a case I 
examined at Celina, Jackson Co, this state, on Tues¬ 
day last. Subject, a small sow about 18 months old. 
Was informed she had been drooping a,bout for two or 
three days. When I first noticed her she was stand¬ 
ing on the edge of the river so deep in the water that 
she could drink without stooping her head, and re¬ 
mained in that position perhaps an hour, drinking 
more than I supposed the largest hog could hold. 
With a sudden start she ran to the beach, jumped 
up with her fore feet, at times, standing almost 
straight on her hind legs ; then she would stand with 
her nose to the ground, and almost gasp for breath, 
then jump again. Blood oozed from various parts of 
her body and extremities, constantly passing bloody 
urine—falls upon her side when she attempts to jump 
—struggled and got up—appears to have no disposition 
