River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-05-28
Tree Plsnring in Minnesota.

There is little doubt that the subject
Of tree.planting has excited general in
terest throughout almost every section Of
the State, and particularly in those re,
gions where timber. Of all the lavish gifts
Of nature, is alone wanting. Now that the
probability of the heretofore unsolvcd
problem Of tree-planting upon the bleak
prairies has been fully demonstrated by
the energy and enterprise Of the st. Pau
& Pacific Railroad Company, (Mair
Line) the people, not only along the line
Of that road, but elsewhere, have awaken
ed from their long lcthargy, and are be-
stirring themselves, to- accomplish by in,
dividual exertion, what they are aware
has been most successfully done by cor.
porate enterprise. AS a consequences, in
many sections, each and every land owner
in the treeless regions, has gone
into the business on his own hook.
ihe general interest thus excited will
certainly be productive of immense bene.
tit to the State and in a comparatively
brief period.
l.. i. Hodges, the energetic Superinten.
dent Of the Observation-Disclosures ofthe
St. Paul g. Pacific Company gentle
man who is emphatlcally the parent OF
the system in this State, and has accomp-
lished more than any other man in de-
mO"strating It's entire practicability-say
him as to the amount Of work done this
spring and elected the following facts :
The farmers, notwithstanding the unus-
sually cold spring. and other dispritng
circumstances, incident to the general de.
precision Of Buses, have taken hold Of
the matter in dead earnest, and
in the regions along the main
line Of the ST. Paul and Pacific
have set out not less than 100000 young
trees this season. Last year they hesita-
ted about planting one thousand cuttings
per man, but this spring many Of them
became ''enthused'' and set out at least
5000 young trees each. A sort of a gen.
erous rivalry sprang up amongst them
and they WED with each other as to Sho
should be declared to be the champion
planter in the neighborhood. Hart Bar
ton, son Of Hon. Ara Barton, Of North
field, Mr.. Hodges says, to his knowledge
set out on Saturday, the first inst, 9,72l
cuttings. And so with many others who
although planting a less number, were nc
less spirited aud enthusiastic in theil
work.
4 he company, on Arbor day. PLANTED
100000 young cuttings, and during
the season which closed on tht
lj;h inst not less than 100000. Mr.
Hodges further ventures the opinion
that in twenty years the now treeles.
prairies Of the State along the line Of the
ST, Paul and Pacific Road will be the besi
timbcred section Of the State. Incredu
lous as this may now appear, the predic
ton is not at all improbable when We
take into consideration the present tenn
per Of the people Of the prairies on the
subject, the remarkable success which ha.
thus far attended all experiments, the
surprising rapidity and vigor Of growth
of the young trees, aud last but not least
NE fact that the timbered section is being
daily but surely depleted to supply the
increasing demands from all parts of the
State and elsewhere. Taking all these
matters into consideration, the csnclu
sion Of Mr.. Hodges is far from improb
able.