New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-02
TREE CULTURE ON THE PLAINS.
NURSERIES ON TIE LINE OF THE KANSAS PA
CIFIC RAILROAD-A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT
WHAT TREES THRIVE BEST.

points on the line OF the extension of their road between
Lincoln NeDask and Fort kearaey With ca ye% 10
the great plains In pursuance of this object, Mr H. W.
OF OF tbe eISermenai nurseries started last
year the line OF the Kansas Pacific Railroad under the
Ss report to the superintendent OF the Burlington and
The nurseries already under cultivation along the line
OF the Kansas Pacific Railroad are three In number; the
first at Wilson, $50 miles west OF Kansas City the second
which is nearly in longitude Io2o and but short dis
east Of the western line OF Kansas the two hrst
named stations Wilson and Ellis nearly In the same
meridian as the western terminus OF your line in Ne
hrHska and the third Waace 1873 miles west OF wilson,
very much more arid and forbdding in its appearance
than any portion Of the extension OF your line from LIN
con Neb 10 Fort Kearney. As the experiments at this
point interesting than the Others, In proportion
az the obstacles TO be encountered are greater VIII
suffice to give account OF what has here been actually
accomplished. Mr. Eiotrs object has been TO prove,
not that trees may be made to grow by means OF lga
ton and careful culture such as they would receive IN
commercial nursery but to discover what varieties VIII
thrive and take Of themselves with the careless
planting management they are liable to experience
from the farmer The means at bis disposal nave
been inadequate 10 me accomPsnne1t % eaie a
sisted of abOrers experienced in nursery culture,
with the Necessary teams ana ana be ee nye
tons at which he operating whose extreme aus
lance apart is 1873 miles He mas ten acres fenced ana
broken up last September TO the depth OF SIX or
eight inches ana lightly poWe eTd ag gantdd SRg ma
ther preparations and with little subsequent care ana
dry prairie covered with the usual short buffalo grass,
almost turned TO hay The trees were two years od
doubtless have done better had they been shortened in
two buds when planted. and am entirely con-
dent that all would have been greatly benefited ny
thorough muchng of the ground the material for which
could have been procured by moving the burushes and
vines OF the prairies but the experiments all the
valuable and interesting from the fact that no such
experienced treeplanter would acknowledge that the
is beyond what might reasonably have been ex
hot. lttf
would have hoped and the result is such encourage
the utmost confidence for the future Eighteen varieties
Of decduous and of eyergreens were planted
of which made my notes as follows, after careful III
speetiOn;
which alive and looking healthy with young
shoots ioC long with one or two eT9eP9dp ILLS
variety, most Of the others comprising several hun
dred Of each kind Alantus had been largely planted
health Its growth such as would have done credit
TO any Sea and was serwat6 tod az Denyef oat
irrigation, the elevation being 300 feet II Is rapid
e @ to promise to be OF great value for
prairie planting. White ash had also been largely
foot Is inches In length and seemed in all respects
healthy, though it had suffered somewhat from the
Rearsd black beetle GGgt 20 nss and dRab dl U
catch the foliage Of all the 9bove-named and
threatens to be disagreeable enemy. Ca
tapa has proved one, OF the most promis-
fell that its broad leaves would render II peculiarly sus
ceptbe 10 injury from the prairie winds IhIs also Il
rapid growing and its timber very durable III the
ground. Box Elder Negund for ash-leayed mapel per
Elm healthy with shoots foot long Willow, healthy
b badly injured by prairie dogs whch had ehaWed on
ties also thus injured but The willow worse than
any. SOFT maple grows we'll but the foliage Is badly IN
in itself more valuable tree. European sycamore
makes poor show may do better another year Tulip
trec,%yrospects not encouraging Linden tree, do.
ct SheS Wilson Ga a osss ts's failure snS%E9
larch n. her q
been planted Of which hardly one in twenty was olive
These which are s 2 6a fS e oe S
Guilty IL in starting them properly The trees In question
were not shortened in at all and we're hrriedy planted
during the prevalence Of high dry wind. To any one
familiar with tie larch and its requirements the result
viii not be surprising Those which lived have made
healthy shoots from three to six inches IN length OF
White pines which had made shoots Of four inches
in length. The Austrian pine and Norway spruce seem
doubtful and the e0ESiean PING aud Lews2As cypress
All the trees abovedescrbed were brought here from
a.her nurseries Beside these the experiment has been
tried OF sowing seeds of several different varieties and
this as2 was IgGGy a92s n G Wh bsiie seS
farmer might hc aSSSd preEed out into carefully pre-
pared ground the seed OF aantus, Osage, en-, noiey
locust and Were s aNd spy
H. take care Of itself Here asap tne
took the lead and IN fact tcy u p the ground
than woad9e required gr bhs ge5 ff y they had
nog 70 hn5bT color OF foliage The othef Seeds had
terminated occasionally here and there put by no means
BILE they may terminate next year inc results nam
described 20 very far TO establish the iact tat eg
grow with9ut irrigation the great plains, ana tney
furnish also very valuable testimony as to the compare
tive value OF different varieties II any ran for
proyed this, the question OF tnclI caIacly III
cultivation is answered. FOR the introduction OF screens
bets and forests is all that is required TO enable more
deeate varieties to flourish under their protection and
with their gradual increase VIII come the nuy II
climate which is all that is wanted to develop the agr
cultu resO
1t seems incredible that the Kansas racine hailIoa.
Co. after having proved by these experiments what the
nave i'm their power do should fail To make prc-
tical application for their own benent OF tne ko"eukc
thus acquired but far az have been abe 10 aSeeI
tain they have no present intention Of so doing Your
task is very much easier and simpler than theirs Wou
be- The work should be begun by the lmheulate es.o
li,hment OF primary nursery at convenient point on
the ne for the propagation OF trees hns sr ~, be
work and placed under the charge OF an experienced
nurserymaI with sufficient force OF men ana teams 70
cultivate large tract large quantity OF young Trees
OF the most desirable varieties, might be procufea
from other nurseries for fret planning aHd tine bS%a
also be begun as soon as possible, with a view ~
furnishing ena ,%Ee "n n%rserie Which nom time
To- time should be established along the me-
and from which the plantations Of forest should DC an
nuay extended The sales OF young trees nom THESE
nurseries, and after FIVE or six years. the sales OF
furnished from the necessary trimmings Of the panta-
tons, would more than detray all expenses Oh en h
nucleus OF setementthe opportunity OF providing
Themselves the spot with trees 4elng IN itset q
years. your road might begin TO supply itself annually
with Ties from plantations, the whole coat OF
trees planted expressly to furnish timber, II would be
easy and expedent TO fruit trees for sale aud
would especially urge the experimental planning OF
many varieties OF native shrubs and small sized trees,
snch as sumac elder, barbery, hazel cornel dogwood
| utelia hornbeaIn. &c, &c.-or even andT0medas ana
observation-disclosures OF which may very probably be
found to spring up freely from seed, ana Io ~
| able trees IL the ground can first be shaded
with bushes perfectly confident also that thorough
| NJ le
value ms irrigation means of preserving moisture
and an even temperature OF soil about the roots 90
NOT mean simply muching about each tree nut covering
the whole ground where they are planted with refuse
vegetable matter sufficient depth to keep down weeds