Wyoming Requires Plants 
Adapted to Our Conditions--- 
Quoted from Dr. A. C. Hildreth: 
Plants in this region require different growing methods 
than other localities. We are indebted to our regional 
Horticultural Station for information in this regard. The 
following extracts are taken from a speech by Dr. A. C. 
Hildreth at the Rocky Mountain Horticultural Conference 
held in Denver, Colorado, February $3, 1948. 
“Better horticulture means better living, more attractive 
home surroundings, parks and roadsides, a more adequate 
diet, a better balanced agriculture and a more stable pop- 
ulation. | 
These high plains and mountains were the last region 
of the United States to be settled by the white man. This 
whole area was called the “Great American Desert.” Settlers 
who tried to import plants from the East found them gen- 
erally unsuited to our climate and soil. They also found 
that many of the traditional gardening practices do not 
apply here, 
Only very recently have attempts been made to breed 
strains particularly for our own conditions. From our re- 
search we must build up our own horticultural literature. 
We must breed plants adapted to our conditions. 
Let us consider in what ways this part of the country 
differs from the East or the Middle West. First of all this 
is a land of cold winters, although with our dry atmosphere 
and bright sunshine we do not seem to feel this cold. 
Winter injury to plants, however, is determined largely by 
the minimum temperature and its duration—not by the 
wey we feel. 
This is a dry country. Our total precipitation is low and 
decreases rapidly from east to west. In the high plains all 
seasons are dry but our winters are particularly so, getting 
about a fourth as much precipitation as in spring and 
summer. Our winter precipitation falls mostly as snow and 
our Chinook winds often evaporate it without adding any 
moisture to the soil. Therefore we have to do such un- 
orthodox things as watering our lawns and our evergreens 
in winter, whereas in the East gardeners are more concemmed 
with winter drainage. 
Our western soils are generally alkaline, having a pH. 
of from slightly above pH. 7 to pH. 9 or higher. Acid soils 
are not found except in high mountains where the rainfall 
is heavy or on the plains where someone has acidified the 
soil by chemical means. This explains why so many trees 
and shrubs become chlorotic in this part of the country 
and also why we cannot move many high mountain plants 
onto the plains. The remedy of course is to select and 
breed plants particularly suited to alkaline soils.” 
GARDEN STORE 
Come in and see the fine stock of articles we have assem- 
bled to help you with your gardening. Lawn mowers, walking 
sprinklers, hose and accessories to care for your lawn. Weeding 
forks, trowels and bulb planters to help you with your spring 
planting. Sprayers and dusters for insect control, plus many 
other useful articles. 
In our garden seed department we will feature a complete 
assortment of seeds which have been recommened by the Chey- 
enne Horticultural Field Station as hardy and practical for this 
climate. Come in and see for yourself the many different vege- 
tables that can be grown here safely and with profit. We will 
have a brand of sweet corn which matures in 65 days and many 
other varieties suitable for a short growing season. We handle 
Burpee’s flower seeds in many varieties. 
