Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-09-23
SHADY PASTURES.
rho Host Desirable Trees for Planting -
GRASSLAND to Produce Shade.

Nearly every A"IMCt OA sAsO se
prairies" expects a: some time to have
trees in his pastures to afford shade for
his cattle, sheep, horses and hogs dc
knows that they arc essential to the
comfort of his stock, and that comfort,
as well as food. water and salt, are
necessary for the formation of milk,
wool and flesh. Still. they are likely
to delay the planting of them till they
have erected convenient buildings,
l-have broken most OF the ground that
they will require for cultivated crops,
and have set out trees for producing
fruit. Had they spent two or three
days in procuring and setting out trees
on their pastures when they first moved
on their places they might have had
sufficient shade for their stock by the
time they had completed their other
improvements. Some. who delay plant
ing trees in pastures till after they have
occupied their places several years, set
| out varieties that make a very slow
growth, plant them in PAGES not favor
able to them, afford them no protec-
| ton, neglect to prune them properly,
and thus delay the time that their ami
mails will have the advantage OF shade.
The best trees that can be planted
for alfording shade in pastures are
those that are hardy stately, that have
wide-spreading branches, and which
cast 4 dense shade during the hottest
portions OF the summer. Those which
grow quickly and can be propagated
by means of sprouts and cuttings are
to be preferred. Every one has OBJ
served that soft-wood trees grow much
more rapidly than those that produce
hard wood, and that nearly ali of them
succeed best on land that is somewhat
low and moist One of the best trees
for moderately moist land is the Amer
| lean linn, or common. Eastwood. The
tree is beautiful in all stages of its
growth 1t is very hardy and attains
large size. Insects are not likely to
injure its roots, trunk or leaves. Its
leaves are of remarkable size, thick
and of an agreeable, green color. 1t
| casts a very dense shade, which is
agreeable during the hot days of mid
summer. 1t is very clean tree and
highly ornamental. If the trees are
isolated and stand in suitable locations
they ordinarily have very wide spread
ing branches. Sometimes several
trunks will grow close together and
present very beautiful appearance.
The sycamore, buttonwOOd or ''but-
ten-boll tree is another excellent
tree for land that is somewhat
moist. 1t is one of the largest
trees found on this side of the
Rocky mountains. Along the banks
of the Mississippi river and its
tributaries it often attains the height
of eighty feet and has a trunk from
six to ten feet in diameter. The tree
is possessed of great vitality. If the
trunk becomes hollow a living she'll re-
mains around the cavity which pro-
tracts the life of the branches. These
hollow trunks were utilized by the
early settlers of many of the Western
States for grain bins, smoke-houses
| and shelter for fowls and pigs. Ho!-
low sycamore trunks have afforded
shelter to many families of Western
pioneers. The trees can be easily
propagatcd by seed or ripe wood cut
tings of either one or two-year-old
wood cut late in the spring or early in
the fail. The wood is very hard to
split, quickly decays and is of very lit
tie value for timber or fuel. Sections
of large trunks make good blocks for
cutting meat. The tree, however, it
of very little value except for orna-
ment and shade, bat for these pur-
poses it is very desirable.
For higher land the silver leaf poplar
has many advantages. 1t is readily
propagated to cuttings, grows rapidly
and attains a large size, while its
branches extend over 4 large space,
and afford a good shade. The tree is
healthy, not liable to be injured by in
sects, and attains a large size. A few
Of these trees on farm serve a useful
purpose by way of ornament. The
wood makes excellent fuel. The tree,
however, is very Objectionable in one
respect. If its roots are broken or dis
turbed they throw up a large
number of suckers that are very
hard to kill or keep in subiec-
tion. In planting in a permanent
pasture, however, this proneness to
throw up sprouts from the roots is
not likely TO prove a serious objection.
II the sod over the roots remains I'M
broken the suckers will not appear as
they do on land that is plowed every
year. The silver poplar is an import
ed tree, and we are just finding out
what it is good for. When first IN
troduced it was planted in lawns,
gardens and on the sides of streets in
large towns. The numerous suckers
thrown up in land that was cultivated
condemned it for these places. 1t is,
however, an excellent tree for produc-
ing shade in pastures and for aifordinc
fuel
The common cottonwood or white.
wood possesses most of the advan.
tages of the Eastwood and sycamore,
but in an inferior degree. 1t is not as
beautiful, and does not produce sc
dense shade. When the trees stand
at some distance from each other and
are kept properly pruned they are
quite attractive, and serve as orna.
4 49, o., III l.