ABOUT ALPINES 
Alpines are hardy pioneers. They do not like to be coddled, Like other plants 
however, they haye definate growth requirements which if met, insure“ “their sudcess. 
With doainess as with all plants, moisture is perhaps the most important=single 
factor. Of this, much can be lvoarned from observing the year-long conditidérg of thé 
Site where the pared eel er plant is found in nature. Fote that drainage and soil a 
composition are moisture factors to be rated equal in importance to the food elements,“ 
of the soil. Shade and exposure are perhaps:as valuaole for their influence upon F 
moisture as upon light and temperature. It you would succeed, plan your moisture, 
The majority of plants from this region, alpine as well as others, may be grouped 
roughly by sites.as follows: 
1. Bog and wet meadow type. 
Wet without much drainage, but with occasional dry portods. fuck or humus 
soil. pH-5-8 : 
ée. Rich woods and streamside type. 
Constant moisture with good drainage. Rocky, sandy or humus soil, pH-6«7 
3, Alpine type, 
Good drainage, frequent moisture, but with extremo and rapid temperature 
‘changes. pH=5-7 
h. The Spring flower areas, 
Spring and fall moisture, but usually dry summers. Open, rocky clay, gravelly 
or loam soil. pH-5-8 
5s The dry forest areca. 
opring and fall moisture and usually ary SUMNGrS.. timbered, rocky clay or 
shallow loam soil, DH-5=6 
In the garden, moisture is increased by humus, shade, slope away from sun, mulch- 
ing, depressing the site and by irricating, Drainnge is improved by adding rock, 
gravel, sand, increasing the, slope, raising the site, compacting the soil surface of 
by tileing. Large rocks may be classed as draining off excess moisture, but as in- 
proving the availability of root moisture into critical periods, 
In the garden natives grow in apparently much dryer situations than in nature 
because moisturs comes artifically when the critical stage, is reached. For this 
reason many bog, wet meadow or stream:side plants of the-wild adapt themselves to 
ordinary garden soil: with only the usual.lawn sprinkline. Shade flowers in the wild 
may grow in garden sun of the same reason, « Ordinarily, -plants. from cold or high 
regions benefit by greater shade in lower and hotter localities, Shallow rooted 
perennial plants of the dry summer areas enter a dormant period during dry weather, 
They have a crown bud that lives to put out now topvs end roots when moisture returns, 
and seem still to need this resting period even though moved to gardens with depend- 
able sprinkling systems, so with-hold moisture. 
For most true # lpinos the thing to strive fOr 2s h COOL Roos run with constantly 
available rather than abundant moisture, and plenty of air to insure that the crown 
and foliage will dry quickly after showers and with porhaps the shade of a boulder to 
shicld the more delicate specimens, A rock vile mixed with moss, duff, leaves or 
“Similar moisture holding temas moderately mixed with sand and the whole covered with 
a rich loam under a thin sandy, gravelly or barren soil will grow many plants not 
well adapted to ordinary garden conditions, If this is on a clay slope a more con« 
stant supply of root moisture will be available at its lower edge. 
A. garden need not be large to be-intcrestings I have indicated cultural direct= 
ions as I understand thom in my cataloguc, but suggest that you ordor plants in quant- 
ities of 4 to 5 or more and try out under varying conditions before you finally de~ 
cide that you cannot grow alpines. The plants herein listed are being grown by per- 
sons no smarter than you. ; 
AB hehe i Ww 
TREE AND SHRUB SEED 
I collect native seed and will appreciage your want lists, For the 19h1-2 
season, subject to prior order and crop limittations, I quote, F.O.B. Missoula: 
Juniperus scopulorum, unclassified as to type- . 60¢ 
fei “T= Flathead take type; upright dense foliage RO¢ 
‘ . from sellected blue trees 51.€0¢ 
. " from naturally columnar type trees $1.00" 
oo ss from naturally globe type trees 80¢ 
Juniperus horizontalis, 80¢; Juniperus communis 60¢ 
Cut test of 5,000 food seed per pound of berries “guaranteed on the above. 
Year old or surplus berries, when available, 45¢ & pound in 25# lots. 
Jo warranty, but sample sent upon request. 
Seedling cedar Thuja plicata, "ngelmann spruce Pig 1 Engelmannii, 
— 
and Douglas fir Pseudotsuga * reared La var eassia.| Wholesale, 
D ai yi Gee per 100; 6 = le" “87.00 mee 100, 
Frank H, ROee, NATIVE EVERGREENS, 1020 Poplar St., Mjssoula, Montana. 
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