Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-08-12
Trees By the Water-Side.

Anyone who has been at all opserving
a. ns,s failed to notice that the largest
,r9.s. thrifty and Iuxuriant trees are 10 "
sn,,nd On the hanks Of lakes, rivers ana
s,r Altar streams of water In the prairie
-sgioo a the West, where trees are ordi.
,,ayiIv srarre. We rarely find q stream thai
4 not lined BY them on bo1h siaes- ~
NAV generally trace wa.er-co1fse 80, losls
distances by the lines OF trees. lianu,
has very little timber except along iht
hanks III her rivers and streams, ana on
the broken ridges In the southern part q
the State. where springs and slreaIniels
abound. The same i true OF all the States
In the prairie region j..
There i scarcely any tree. whether de
sired for ornament Or profit that does mo-
grow ~ the best advantage when planted on
,he bank ri ! stream, while there are sew
ersI varieties OF trees. shrubs and vines
thai do verv poorly in other locations
Nos only do fruit-srees grow better on tne
l,anks az streams but they are almost al
sTavs more productive. Again, the fruit u
Iilely 10 be fairer and free from blemishes
In akort the banks of streams seem To Dt
the nlaees best adapted By nature 10 the
Growth of trees, and we should look te
these places 10 find not only the finest trees
but the finest fruit.
The reasons why trees flourish best on
the banks Of streams and lakes are chiehl
three in number There is no danger o.
their being injured by drought Inc roo,s
of trees In the vicinity Of water viii seer
| Il out and appropriate IT, In tune o.
protracted dryness trees at distance rom
water will stop growing or die outright
while those in the vicinity OF water VII
continue 90 grow. The evaporation which
| Il constantly taking place on the surface
Of water keeps the leaves OF trees nois
and in The best condition to grow. Again
the banks Of streams afford the best posi-
bic natural drainage, so that there Will N
no stagnant water.
| The soil on the banks Of streams isnear
| Iy always rich in both organic and inor
| ganic matter. Both are brought down bj
| The streams, and are taken up by the roof'
| az the trees. So, too, the land for con
siderable distance slopes toward the stream
| and affords the means Of carrying dow
| fertiIjzine material. The two causes men
TONED above combine to make the soil Oh
| the banks of streams rich even in districts
where the land is generally very poor
| This may be seen In all billy and mount
ainous countries where good crops arr
raised on the margins ofstTeams, but none
a. distance from them.
| There Is great economy In raising tree'
ON or near the banks Of streams and lakes
because the land there is Of little value fol
any other purpose. Ii cannot ordinarily
be plowed for the reason that 1t would
wash away. Were itnot for this objection
| ii would be difficult 10 pillow il because thu
banks are not straight. Raising trees on
these situations then Is in the interest o.
economizing land, for the trees and theii
products are clear gains. The trees are
ornaments TO the ground, and are of value
to the streams by diminishing evaporation
In short, the trees act TO help the streams
as the streams act to help the trees.
The only objection that can be raised t.
planting fruit-trees by the side OF lake.
and streams is that the fruit is likely Y
| fall in the water and be lost. This objec
ton, however. only applies to certain
varieties Of fruit, as early apples, peaches
and plums. Late apples and pears, a.
well as cherries, may be grown TO goot
advantage, as they are not likely to fal
from the trees. -Chtcago Times.