Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-01-08
Plant Trees.

The most apparent and greatest need of
the prairies, is timber.
The greatest need we have for timber is
not as some have supposed, to cut down
for use but for shelter-protection from
the bleak winds of winter-we need a
general tree planting, all over prairiedom,
to prevent the tornadoes of summer !;
causing a more regular supply of rain,
avoiding alike the parching drouths and
floods of water, to which we are some
times subject
Isaac a. Norris, of this place, an extern
sive and successful feeder of cattle, says
that a good grove is far preferable to any
sheds for shelter to stock. I have con-
versed with several others in the same
business, on the subject; all of whom.
concur with Aim.
Arthur Bryant, Sen, one of our most
intelligent orchardists, observes that or
chards protected by timber, are more uni
formly productive than those exposed.
All of our experienced fruit growers
agree with him; and it is evident to any
one, that fruit in protected orchards is
much less liable to be blown off prema-
turely, by which large part of the crop,
is, oftertimes, rendered nearly worthless.
Prof. J. B. Turner, of Jacksonville, over
thirty years since, commenced planting
pear trees, which after few years failed,
until he underdrained and protected them |;
is now successful
Ten or fifteen years since few screens
OF evergreens were planted around build
ings in this vicinity; some of the trees are
now over thirty feet in height.
During the terrible Western "wind
storms" of winter, which drive all animals
to shelter, or chill them to death, men
work under the lee of these belts of ever
grees as comfortably as if protected by a
stone wall.
Some years ago, in speaking of his
screen to one of my neighbors, told him
that he would not take FIVE hundred dol
lars for it. His reply was, ct would not
take thousand" My opinion is, if one
had offered him twice the latter sum at
any time the last two days of storm, it
would have been refused-it certainly
would have been for ours.
They are yearly becoming more valu-
able, and by their silent teachings, are in
ducing many others to do likewise.
Plant trees-if you don't feel able to
buy, plant. White Maple seeds, nuts,
acorns and cuttings of Willow, Cotton
wood and Poplar.
The day is not far distant, when all the
timber in the prairie region will be needed
at very high figures.
For screens, evergreens are the best
they can be had of nurserymen at all
prices, from two or three dollars per hun
dred and upwards.
1t is safe to say that twenty dollars Judi
ciously invested in them, will, with proper
care for ten years, add two hundred dol
lars to the selling value of any prairie
farm, and more than twice that amount
to its comfort and beauty as home.
At the present rate of devastation, in
twenty years more the native groves in
this vicinity will be gone.
Plant trees-the birds in crowds will
come to aid you, by destroying multitudes
OF insect enemies and cheer you with the
sweetest and cheapest music.
Plant them for yourselves and your
friends, to enjoy whilst you live, and as
lasting blessing to your children.-lSamueZ
Edsoarcs, in Prairie Farmer.