The Columbus journal., 1879-05-21
Forest Tree Custurc.
Written for the Longlook Club. /

What know about this subject
may be told on few pages. What
j don't know about il would fill
many volumes.
The people of this young state are
fast awakening 10 the importance of
this great interest. "A vast amount
is annually set out, and while full
success rarely attends the efforts of
our people i'm this great industry,
yet We are gradually gaining in tim
Der acrcage-gradually gaining in
our experience OF the different kinds
of timber aud the proper cultivation
OF the same. AS au illustration of
the development of this experience
i may state that many of us now
know that il we plant a dead tree it
wont grow. We have also found
out that it is waste of time to plant
trees and have them as scratching
posts for cattle--it may be very
pleasant for the cattle, but is death
TO the trees. We have learned by
bitter experience that good sized
trees should not be planted with
pudding sticks-if you are deter
mined to plant your tree in a hole
three inches square / suggest that
you cut the branches all of, sharpen
the stem or trunk of your tree and
drive il down with a beetle-roots
upwards-it will grow just as well
ss if the roots were cramped into a
three inch hole, and is much handler.
To be successful in the raising Of
forest trees we must observe the
same primary rules that govern in
the successful raising of any other
vegetable growth. We should have
good, sound, living trees to plant;
good soil TO plant them in, and they
should receive proper care when
planted.
From my experience and observa-
ton l consider cottonwood, box
elder, ash, and walnut among the
best kinds for planting The cot
tonwood is of the quickest growth
and consequently furnishes shade,
shelter and fuel sooner than any
other variety OF tree. Our expe-
rience with the cultivated cotton
wood satisfies US that it is more sub
ject TO decay than when it grows in
Its natural state. We must concede
that the Almighty is more success
ful than man in this regard. Guilt
vated cottonwood timber, after
seven years growth, generally COM
mences TO fail, principally on ac-
count of the borers, hence it would
he well for the farmer who is wise
IN his generation 10 mix the cotton
woods with ash or walnut, say al
ternatcly, SO that when the cotton
woods die out or are cut down, the
more sturdy ash or walnut would
remain as lasting memorials of the |
foresight and wisdom of the said |
farmer. And now a word in regard
TO the kind OF ground TO plant trees
in. All the ground i'm Platte county
is good enough for trees, excepting
the alkali beds. All kinds of forest
trees seem 10 flourish equally well
our valleys and our table-lands.
'erhaps the cottonwood grows more
apidly in our lower valleys where
tsinks down its myriad of roots and
Jumps up the water for its trunk
nd branches, for the cottonwood,
you know, is an inveteratc topper.
The sol! should be in good condi-
lion to insure proper growth. Trees
will not prosper in raw or young
soil, because the particles are too
coarse. The soil should be culti-
waited at least three years before the
trees are planted. Of course, many
trees may grow in soil if planted the |
second year after it is broke, but
nothing is gained by planting so
soon, and much is lost. A tree can
not derive as much sustenance from
coarse, uncultivated soil as from q |
fine and cultivated soil. The fibrous
roots are the great foragers of the |
tree, they supply it with flesh and |
blood, as ii were, and these fibrous
roots find no home in a coarse soil. |
BESIDES, the coarser the soil, the |
more readily is it dried out and the |
more injurious is the action of the |
frost on the roots. If trees must be |
put in young or coarse soil, place
abundance of mulching around the
tree, this will keep the earth moist
and cool in summer, and modify the
action of the winters frost.
How should tree be planted? !?
Well, have not come to that part
of the business yet. Before planting
your tree it has TO be dug up and
brought to the place of planting. 1t
is as necessary for you to be present
at this business yourself as it would
be for yon 10 be present at your own
wedding-neither can be properly
done without you. In digging the
tree out of its original site be care
ful aud leave it plenty of roots; do
not cut half the roots aud then pull
the tree out. Dig thoroughly around
the roots, cut every one and COM
pletely sever the connection. If