Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-03-15

parts OF Dakota asking my opinion as to
the best variety of forest timber for all
purposes | will first pass my opinion
upon our native varieties. The kinds
principally used are the cottonwood,
soft maple, box e. der and ash. Either
is success. Their natural place OF
growth is on low bottom lands along
rivers or small streams where their roots
| can reach water
| NATIVE TREES.
The box elder and soft maple hardly
ever become real forest trees. They are
low growing, sprangiy, stunted shrub,
! especially when transferred from the wet
bottoms to high lands. Their wood is
soft and spongy, liable to rot very rapid
ly and for fuel is the poorest grade.
| The ash is of very slow growth, and
when transferred from its natural locality
| the river bottoms, ii seems to be entirely
out of its element, particularly when
planted in high prairie soil. Consequently
is very discoaraging experiment
when made leading timber.
The cottonwood is quite universally
planted throughout southeastern Dako-
to and the old settlers have an extensive
experience in its cultivation, and they
will agree with me in saying that when
planted on deep, wet, bottom lands, il
grows quite rapidly, and if planted from
Il
twelve to twenty feet apart will make
quite forest in twenty years. Bul
planted on high prairie the result il
quite different. One of the greatest
errors VIC have fallen into is setting these
trees too near to each other, as is showI
by the appearance of the older grove
along the Missouri. While the out
side rows, or isolated trees, seem tc
grow moderately we'll, the inner portior
seems to be standing still or dying out
Irapidly. Iu dry seasons, and wher
they are stunted for room and want o
moisture, the cottonwood borer attack
in great numbers and will almost destro,
grove III one or two years. Thes
]
they are about six inches in diameter
have grove of cottonwood trees tina
was planted about sixteen years ago ol
second bench prairie land. The outsid,
rows of trees will measure from lively
to fourteen inches in diameter aud som
i'll more favorable localities and litti
isolated will make aboua cord of wood
while the trees in the center of th
grove are not much larger than the
should be at four or five years OF age
If We would have good thrifty grcv
of these trees we must plant them a
least twenty feet apart both ways, o.
deep, rich soil and in th
, most favorable localities for moisture
!, For the first ten years a grove of this tim
Der will grow moderately we'll and max
a wind brake around buildings ant
orchards and add very much to tn
beauty and value of farm. But afte
that time, if planted too close. they RAP
idly impoverish the soil, and for th
want of moisture they soon deterIorat
. and their ultimate destruction can b
. prevented only by cutting out at leas
: two-thirds of their number.
THE YELLOW LocUsTs
Now il I should stop right here th
!, outlook would seem little dIscourae
, ing, but l arrived at the foregoing cor
II clusions some years ago and have bee
, seeking something of more value en
. better adapted to our wants than I'll
soft, native wood of Dakota, and that
the yellow locust found growing wild
the mountains and hilly lands of Penl
! sylvania. Don't confound this variet
. | with the white, honey and black locul
!, of this latitude The yellow locu
: grows to be large forest tree and is tx
most rapid grower that l have ar
knowledge of. The matured timber
!, thought to be imperishshle from ro
! Fence posts of yellow loccsts that wei
- eighty years ago in Pennsylvania q
=. yet sound. This timber is hardy as ii
. oak, growing in its native state, {
mountains and hill sides, in gorees, d
ravines, old, worn out fields, seeming
adapting itself to any locality.
1T About four years ago Hon. j. Bosler.s
q Pennsylvania, was visiting here al
Of recommended this variety as very va
" liable timber and seemed confident thi
NJ owing to its habit, it wonld be sui.at
is TO our climate. On his arrival home
- sent friend here a pickage of the seet
is who turned them over to me for tri
of The first year set out about five hu
rs dred, and in adjoining rows on the sal
: day set out cotton woods which we
twice the width of the locusts, / cul
waited them at the same tins for t,
" seasons, did not prune. but let the
ia grow ss they saw fit. Now there
n. rs much growth in one locust on an {
er erage as in six cottonwoods. Some
es the locust trees are about four inches
y, diameter, in the three years grow
~ have one thousand two year o
planted on rather poor land that hs
nd made equally as good growth. I'll
by seem to stand this climate well and
NV not require so much moisture as {
60 natiYe trees. AS wind break kn
We nothing that equals them. For *
,ht trees, parks and lawns they are beal
. ..a " r -. { Z