Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-03-21
From Northwestern Farmer
A1LANTHUs TREES FOR PRArntxs.

AlLANTHUS TREES FOR PRA1R1xe.
EDrroRs NoRrnwEsTERS FARMER:
/ have never been West, therefore j
have never seen the endless prairies of
the far famed western ocean of land.o
But it was my good fortune when boy.
to make several voyages by sea. This
gives one correct idea of an ocean of
land-for | look upon as about equal to
the other, and a person destitute of the
art of navigating either, will be as much
at loss on the great ocean praisiss as
the Atlantic or Pacific oceans. The ter
rible storms that sweep over the ocean Of
land, often prove as fatal to the traveller,
as the storms that destroy the frail barque
of the mariner.
We cannot SOW seed or plant trees in
the ocean to afford shelter to those that
plough tie deep, or set up guide posts so
that no man shall lose his way.
But the prairie ocean can be subdued
by the hand of man, and rapidly, too, if
we set about it. The storms of wind
that now SO often sweep the plains would
be the medium of freeing" the prai-
ries with beautiful clusters of the noble
Ailanthus.
Few people have knowledge of the
habits and value Of this tree for shade,
shelter, timber and fuel 1t can be pro-
duced from seed, or roots cut into small
bits.
There are male and female trees-the
latter producing large clusters of wing
like seeds, very light, and therefore are
carried by the wind large distance, each
tree often producing many bushels of
seed. The seed when stripped of the
wing is about the size Of grain of wheat.
Planted thinly in drills in good ground
IN the spring, they produce seedlings 9
to 3 feet high the first season. The next
spring they can be transplanted and cut
down to within 6 inches of the earth, and
when the eyes push, rub all OFF but one I;
that will grow as straight as reed to
l2 feet in season, according to space
and richness or condition of the SOIL
The third season, cut off the top or head
SO as to leave cane like body of or
feet, according to fancy-three or four of
the topmost eyes will push out and pro-
duce fine branches and form beautiful
head, afording fine SHADE for man CT
beast
They could be transplanted in double
rows to form line fences, and if cut down
for one or two years, will spread out Sc
as to form thick hedge with spurs that
would keep cattle in or out, and at the
same time afford lee or shelter for cat.
tie, and prevent the winds sweeping the
farm.
Planted in clusters or circles about the
j !, s-4-ssssa.
the cutting winds and cause the snow tc
tall level, and prevent drifting.
So rapid is the growth, that often the
Sd or 4th year, one hundred of these
trees will afford ample fuel for large
family, by cutting off all the branches
about two feet from the body; they push
out again and again, and produce an enor-
nous quantity of wood of excellent quail
lty-lt dries quick, is easy to cut, burns
quite equal to pine or maple.
Thousands of bushels of seed could
be gathered about our cities and villages,
and if once introduced on the prairies,
its value would soon be appreciated SO that
the seeds would be sought for. VIVA,
clusters of this tree could be formed in
a short time which would greatly protec,
the country from sweeping winds, and
shelter the herds from the beating storms.
The seed would be self sown on every
bare spot, or if planted in groups, they
in their turn would produce seed and
colonize again, and in few years fine
forests could be formed, affording timber,
fuel and shelter from storms and the
burning sun of summer.
From seeds gathered a few years ago
in Greenwich street, New York, there are
now hundreds of trees growing in our
village more than foot in diameter.
The male tree produces a cluster of
blossoms, (no seed and during the fall
ing OF the pollen emits a disagreeable
odor for short time. Hence, MANY of
our citizens got up the cry of down with
the Ailanthus-a more foolish and un-
just prejudice never existed. But the
noble Ailanthus will outlive its enemies
and return good for evil by shading and