Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-08-14
MDNTANA'S TREES. SHRUBS AND
VINES.
written for the TRIBUNE.

we Know OF mounting Ill udsuAd
scenery more gratifying to the human
eye than a variety Of trees. They ado
such grace to the landscape, and teno
ITO produce a certain refreshing feel.
Eng to the mind. Montana has been
accused of a lack of variety, as well as
of an equalized distribution OF her
arbcrical plants. Those persons only,
xwho do not know, would make so I'M
swarrantable a charge. Montana a.
bounds in trees, shrubs and vines, and
:taeseEery growths make the peculiar
;attraetiyeness common to the western
landscape.
This article is written with the
aope that somebody with money and
@ommon sense will set the example
in c~ultivating our own arborescent
growths.
The Coniferae, or cone bearing
xslants undoubtedly rank as the most
Smortant trees in the territory; because,
were it not for our pines, spruces and
airs we-should have to ship in all our
aumber from other states, and, besides,
they have furnished nearly all the
material for fuel and fencing until
xaulte recently. The Yellow pine is
Che most magnificent Of the family,
geaching the height Of 200 to 300 feet,
aud becoming from 12to Is feet thick.
The wood is solid and heavy. There
IS also Pinus contorta and a variety OF
1t that are much used in the manufac-
sure oflumber. Mountain White pine
Is d species and is similar, in wood, to
the we'll known White pine Of the
states, The Douglas tr is quite COM
mo and very graceful. The branches
grow out straight from all sides,
gradually becoming shorter towards
the top, forming q pyramidal tree Of
much beauty. The wood Of this fir
IS strong aud durable. We have read
that the trunk of each tree of this
species grows oblique for seven Or
eight feet and then becomes erect.
We have not found such to be an in
variable rule. however. Then we
5aaye Black and White spruce. and
two kinds Of Juniper as well as the
common Red cedar.
The next Orders we shall look at
are the Poplars and Willows. Bal
sam poplaris a common tree here, and
IN the spring makes the air heavy
with the aromatic perfume from lis
r%esinous buds. The Balm cf Gilead
so we'll known in the east IS also found
here. The Columbia poplar is said to
grow in the western portion Of the
territory; the common Cottonwood is
plentiful in some localities, but is not
found everywhere, and the Aspen
poDlaris abundant in the mountains.
The last named is a pretty tree hay
ang small leaves which tremble with
every breeze that blows, Lence, its
ccmmoner name of Trembling aspen.
Nearly every one knows that these all
make good shade and ornamental
trees. -Four OF five species OF willow
grow here, but we are not familiar
with them, barely knowing their COM
mon names. Among them we re-
member, in particular, the Black will
low and the Diamond willow. The
latter is noted for the diamond-shap-
ed depressions in the stem, and is
much sought after for conversion in
to walklng-sticks. There should be
found two kinds of birch in Montana.
One we know, the Black birch, a
small but pretty tree, common along
lhe mountains. Alder is found il the
territory. We collected two species
during our vacation in July. One
kind is a low shrub with large resin
GUS leaves; the other is q f~air-sized
tree with whitish bark, and large,
thin leaves, which strongly remind
one Of the leaves Of the common oak.
Everybody knows that Box-elder
grows here. Mountain maple, the
only western kind we know, is plenti-
full IN the mountains and vicinity. It
is a small tree, attaining q height Of