The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-01-27
NUMBER1s


Trees for the Prairies.
A correspondent of the Dubuque Northeastern Far.
writing on the above subject, expresses the same
views in regard to using the Ailanthus tree on our praires
that We published in the JOURNAL Last summer. Who
ever has seen this beautiful. tree growing in our eastern
cities and towns, would at once recognize its appropriate
ness for the treeless expanse Of the West. The most
serious objection raised against it at the East is the
extraordinary manner it ~multiplies itself,-the very
quality to make it valuable on the prairie. One planted
on the city sidewalk will have shoots that work them
selves along the ground, sometimes fifty or an hundred
feet, to find an aperture through the hags, or into a
neighboring yard, where q host Of new shoots deranges
the orderly arrangement Of flowers or shrubs, or dark.
ems a window, and in many other ways ~interferes With
tue premises, in its proclivity to spread ITSELF The
next objection to it in such places, gives it an additional
recommendation out here-it is next to impossible to
extirpate it after taking root. The tree may be cut
down or even dug up, and yet from some small piece Of
root left in the ground, suckers shooting up soon
become large beautiful trees. We have seen where one
of these trees was planted by the road side, q nice grove
appear in a few years, some of the trees several hum
dred feet from the parent stock; some had sprung up
across the street, from the roots that worked under the
hard.beaten road others had outlived the ~trampling they
had undergone, and were encroachers on the highway
itself.
With such qualities as the above, and those referred
in the following article, it seems reasonable to conclude
that the most serious detriment to settling on the prsiries
might soon be obvisted, by eultivating the Ailanthus
and other similar trees.
l am not a scotsman, but I admire the beautiful
Ailanthus, and have a thorough knowledge of its hsbit,,
its hardness, tenacity Of life, very rapid growth, the
quality Of tho wood, and quantity that it will produce
for fuel, by trimming it annually, and then, too, the
quantity Of seeds, which are so light that the winds
would spread them far and wide, and thus be the means
of self-treeing the prairies very rapidly.
My conviction Of the utility of this tree to the
8 Prairie Home of the ~emigrant, who has settled on the
6 treeless prairies,' is still undated, and | look upon the
subject of freeing the prairies, as one of the very gre t.
est Importance to the Far West and Northwest and
in this idea, l seem to have been seconded by . host of
your readers seeking seeds and information on the sub.
ject. To many l was able to send a few seeds, but it
was so late in the season, it was difficult to get them.
| hope that those who received them will communicate
their success, for the columns Of your paper, and thus
encourage others. Seeing the inquiry was so great,
and the subject being entered into with so much earnest.
ness by your readers, l had resolved to supply myself
with a quantity Of Elm and Rock Maple seed, for dis.
tribution, but our season was SO unfavorable, being only
a series Of rains and storms, that it was impossible to
gather them. This cannot be the case with seed of the
Ailanthus and Catalpa. Their seed can be gathered on
the tree, long after they are ripe, which is not the
ply this autumn, of suck seeds and nuts as can be
gathered and distributed to your readers through the
winter, and be planted early in the spring.
I PROPOSE to take this subject up in earnest, and give
a brief description of the most valuable trees to grow,
and the best mode of cultivating them, and to show how
tiers Of trees, on the plains of the 6 far West; and in
this connection, I think I shall be able to convince,
most conclusively, all who have doubts on the subject,
that the only way to moderate the winters on the prairies
il to tree them.
The proof is conclusive to my mind, that, as we strip
the land Of the forests, and give the north wind = clear
sweep over US, the intensity of the cold is increased. It
is q settled fact, that, as our forests have disappeared in
this section, the GOODNESS of our winters have increased.
Hook Table.
We call attention to the advertisement Of LEONARD
commencing the publications which they are the instru.
ments of introducing to the American public il . cheap
and permanent form. For ten dollsrs these publishers
furnish the four leading English Reviews, representing
every shade Of political opinion in England, and in ad-
dition Blackwood's Magazine. The original cost of
these publications in England is ~thirty.one dollars, and
the American reprint is in all respects a fac sixsile Of
the original
The London Quarterly Reviee Was originally start.
ed as the antagonist of the Edinburgh, to counterfeit its
liberal tendencies anil to hold in check the bold doctrines
of JEFFREY, BRouoHAM, SIDNEY SMIrn. &c. Its found
ers have passed away, aud the great names that once
it arc no more, yet it still continues attached
to tho conservative school, although mere politics forms
but an occasional place IN its pages. Indeed, politics in
the American sense seldom enters into the English re-
views, but history and literature are often tineed with
political opinions, and in this sense politics pervsde many
Of English productions which in America would not
upon debatable grounds. In this view the his
tories of Macintosh and Macaulay are liberal or Wing,
and Hume 10 conservative or Tory. Every historical
question and almost every historical character is differ
emily and adversely viewed by the different parties The
simple question whether Charles the First should be re-
vered as the blessed martyr or detested IS . faithless
Eyrant would show how wide apart the Reviews are con-
'erning a great historical parsonage; and warfare like
this is of constant recurrence ossIG1
The Wesensinsser Reyiep, 10 tho representative Of the
liberal or radical party in. England.
The North Br;tisA Revie,o was established BY Chal-
as the representative of the free church Of SCOT
land, when this branch Of the great Presbyterian com
munity Of Scotland seeded from the establDhment TO-
escape the grievances of church presentation. Its abil-
ty at once gave it = prominent place among the British
Reviews.
Bdckvoedrs Aegaz;.e-Although this magazine !
be called the embodied geniu Of Tosyian, Jet ito,
r-.sav.s