St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-25
Timber Culture i'm Dako,,


To the Editor of the Globe:
1T is the common belief that tree cnltrra
Will not prove success In Dakota Fynari
ence convinces me that if we are ONLY srh
serVlent TO the laws of Dame Nature and
properly plant, protect and cultivate those
acclimated trees which grow along the rivers
in Dakota, our tree culture efforts will be snc-
cessful. The trees which succeed best in
this territory are the box-elder which is the
hardest and best tree for our prairies. tree
that will adapt itself TO any locality; the vel
low cottonwood, which thrives best on low
land;the balm of gilead, white willows, ash and
elm which will grow anywhere; the cedar,
white and burr oaks, found on bluffy grounds
found these trees growing here in 1869 and
L see them flourish also. to-day. Some try to
improve on natures handiwork by introduce
ing foreign and unacclimated trees at great
expense to themselves and detriment to the
loresCry interests. To me it seems mnch bet
ter to
Let foreign trees alone
And cultivate the native grown
Ihefe are other causes detrimental to our
timber interests: ~ WI
rirst-bao trees made SO by improper care
a ln aua during pulling. trees healthy
CROWN is IN proportion to the care il receives
While out Of the ground.
oecond-Ihe neglect of the railroad COM
paries III not shipping promptly
Iniiro-Improper planting and cultivation.
sinai trees should be planted in land
pIoweo ten or Twelve inches deep, so that the
roots Will receive ample moisture to sustain
them during the hot weather Cnltiva+ion
should De done early and often during tbe
spring, using great care, and discontinued
after and before harvest. 1t NAV be too
much or TOO little, Or done at the wrong time.
rourth-Specuiators who hold and control
"noie townships by proxy under the timber
culture laws. A man having q prolific fam
lily OF eleven can now hold a tree claim for a
generation; beginning with the eldest bow or
girl VINO can hold it for three years, then re-
lnqu1Sh in favor of the next who can hold it
Iof tnfee years more, and so on to the last
one. AT the end of thirty-three years the
famliy may retain the ownership, having the
Old man and woman's right as a reserve ia
case OF need. The investigating steps which
the present administration is taking will nm
earth these frauds, and restore for settlement
the people land. If the Missouri oleomar-
garlne law was applied in the interests Of
forests In Dakota, and compelled bad trees
to be labeled as such, one step would be made
towards the much-needed reform. Under the
present system OF planting trees and sowing
seed and cuitivating, there is more money
spent without any return than any other
speculation made by the farmer A man
holding acclaim this way will squauder money
for seed, then neglect to cultivate the first
year; the next spring finds his trees winter
Killed. Not being able to sell his right he
makes another effort with the same success.
Inc next year he is determined not to give uu
the ship after the expenditure of so much
Tune and money. and makes a rally.
he plants again and for the third time
theorists may differ with my view in the
matter when state that trees are as sure to
grow in this territory as wheat or other
cereals. In backing up this statement find
that must get out my own trees, method
which l have already adopted What one can
do so can another, if this precept is observed:
Whatever is worth doing at all is worth do
ing Wen. mat timber culture can succeed
in Dakota there can be no question. The
best and largest artificial grove in Dakota was
planted at Steele in 1882, under the superyi-
sion OF L. B. Hodges. Section foremen state
that some OF the other groves planted on the
cuts on the Northern Pacific railroad SUPER
sede the snow fences. Kansas and Nebraska
nave made forest culture success So can
Dakota, too, if she goes to work earnestly in
the matter and passes more liberal exemp-
ton laws. Some of the New England states
legislated with the view of replenishing their
forests. In 1877 Connecticut passed laws ex-
empting from all taxation for ten years land
worth Sl5 per acre planted with trees Massa-
chusetts and Rhode Island passed similar
laws. The latter allows land worth S25 Der
acre to become exempt. Dakota, with her
rich wheat fields and her ], 200 miles of rail-
roads and other marks of growing prosper
1ty, should do something toward ENCOURAGING
settlement on her vast and treeless prairies
westward the star of empire takes its
way" 1t looks as if these prophetic lines of
blshop Berkley are about to be reversed
when we see the exodus going east to escape
the bl1zzardS of Dakota. If there is not
something done to improve the present
aspect our young territory will offer indisput-
able claims to become the Sahara of Amer
lea. JAMES FANpu
Tower City, Oak, Nov. 20.