New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-28

! has bean very rapid. ~ ~-.-.et vn1
ssu is rioh, and An sbundan: ~ ssmnR
the grasshoppers swept the farms OF ev sszx
vestige Of vegetation. The qeoplo ~
| generally poor the consequence Wa ~.
privation and suffering rePorteo
Time" ~--,---t- -, LA.
The above also Illustrates the absoinss
necessity Of adequate measures fof eecul.SsS
the planting of trees for fuel and DINER -
mestic purposes, as these rich but treeIe1
lands must, without this improves
cease to attract emigration.
In the atmosphere Of the great pfem0
originate those terrific hurricanes ana ~
nadoes which SO often rush with dcvasse<
ing velocity over the prairies of the We
ern States. destroying crops and aasan4
houses and villages to pieces, manning soN
killing people and domestic animals. Fro
these plague breeding plains come also tne
hurricanes OF binding snow, like that Oh
| last January, which swept the whole region
OF the Western prairie frontier of Minnesote
and southwark down through Kansas, caus
ing great loss OF domestic animals, and ap
palhng suffering, with loss OF life, among
the new settlers unacquainted with the
methods practiced by the more experiences
to avoid danger. Besides these plaques
from the Western plains are the hot and
scOrching winds which sometimes sweep
north-eastward over large tracts of settled
country, leaving the forests in their track
deprived of moisture and exposed to tho
dangers OF CONGREGATIONS like that of 1877,
whichodestrOyed 80 much property and 80
many lives in the States of Wisconsin and
Michigan. From these causes the North
western States have suffered immense peO0r
mary lose, and must continue to be ex posed
to an annual recurrence Of like disasters,
until an extensive. system Of forestry shah
have checkered the plains with arbOria}
windbreaks and shelter belts. The work
may be advantageOusly commenced with
shelter bette on the eastern frontier of The
plains, on q moderate scale, requiring .
comparatively small expenditure, which
can be reimbursed by the sale of the 70
claimed lands. The North western States
will be Interested in promoting the success
OF this enterprise, and could well afford 70
undertake the expenditure as pro6tablo
investment. The work should be COM
nenced speedily ami the expense borne by
the general government, the owner of the
lands that would be thus reclaimed and
made tributary to the national wealth and
general welfare.
] The trees which should be first planted
upon the prairies and plains are the kinde !;
best adapted to the climate, which grow :
the most rapidly and will soonest supply the
wants Of the settlers There are such species
of trees which, in the brief period of i've
years, become sufficiently large for shelter
belts and wind breaks, for fuel, fencing.
and the various needs of new settlements,
among which the following are the moss
desirable as pioneers. After their establish.
nent many other kinds of trees may be sue-
cessfully grown from seeds:
The Cottonwood (populxs nsossiiftraI-
This is the most valu able of all the poplar
family for growing on plains and prairieA
1t is our most rapid growing tree, aud win
attain height OF from twenty five to thirty
feet in five years, and when full grown from
seventy to ninety feet A belt Of cotton
woods makes an excellent wind break Al
though light wood, it ia suitable for fuel.
Cuttings one, two or three years old take
root as readily as willow cuttings, and will
grow in almost any kind of soil, but are
specially adapted to our prairies. The pop
alsr name Of "corton wood" is applied 70
The tree because the seeds have q cotton
ike envelope. and when the pistilate trees
are numerous the atmosphere becomes an
10Y ingly frelghted with their cottony seeds
This is often urged az an objection to plant
ng the cottonwood. but this may be voided
~ planting cuttings from the male trees
h at do not produce seeds. The cottonwood,
ike all the varieties of the poplars and viii
Ows, are dieciOus, OF divided into male and
emale trees, staminet and pistilate.
White Willow (sakr olba) This is one Of
he most rapid growing trees 1t attains
lfty aud seventy-fve feet in height, making
'elts. 1t will grew from twenty to twenty
i've feet in five years The golden willow
9 variety of this species, and is quite or
amental in winter. This tree is regarded
y many Of our best informed foresters 40
r0bably combining more desirable quah-
les for cultivation in groves for lumber
han any other variety of the soft wood.
apid growing, detiduous trees. Lumber
rom this tree bears fine polish, and 10
aluable for wO0denware, fence posts and
ails and fire wood.
10 my next paper will submit descrip-
We catalogue Of the other and useful and
trees adapted to the climate and
of our North and Northwest