The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-11-20
Montana and Her Trees.
ALI Kinds Will Flourish on ber Rroad
Reaching Plains
Ihe City Fathers Meet and Consider
Gas-Light Petition.
lhe Olde Tyne Folkes at the Olde
Tyne Concert.
Montana Forestry,

TO the new conner from the east, where
ones vision is interrupted by dense for
ests or groves whichever way he may
turn, the absence of trees in Northern
Montana is painfully noticeable. He
sees vast plateaus and almost boundless
ranges covered with luxurious growth
OF grasses, but aside from few stray
Cling cottonwoods along the banks of
larger streams and willows, box elder,
poplar and balsam which fringe the
smaller ones there is nothing to relieve
the monotony OF his view. With many
the absence of trees is an unpleasant
feature of the country, if not an absolute
ly discouraging condition.
The cause Of their non-existance upon
the great sweeps of bench land and val
leys does not lie in the poverty of their
soils, for none are more productive, nor
can it be found in rigorous winters, for
timber grows and f1ourishes in the terri
tory at elevations where frosts are more
severe and the growing season much
shorter. Other causes have worked to
prevent their growth, among which may
be mentioned fires, and the destruction
OF the young plants by millions of buffalo
that for ages have made this northern
country their winter home as we'll as
their breeding ground. But that trees
will grow upon the plains of the country
is abundantly evidenced in the vigorous
life and spreading branches of those
which have been properly planted and
cared for in localities where few years
ago none existed. What has been done
in one place may be done in another
The soil and climate are favorable. Ma
ture has done her part Man could and
should do the rest. And when he shall
have done it the coming stranger instead
OF seeing treeless stretch of country
upon every hand, will find forests, groves
and shrubbery covering the land.
And the man who wishes to beautify
his home with these gifts of nature neeG
not call in the products of other lands te
do it. A large variety of trees and shrubs
may be found upon the streams anc
mountains of Montana, many Of which
will thrive upon the plains and valleys
of its treeless regions. Yellow pine grows
on the foothills and all the mountains il
the territory. Bull or birds eye pine, ;
slender, tall, straight tree, fourishes il
the dense forests on the middle or uppel
slopes of the mountain S. 1t is beauti
full wood for furniture and inside finish
fully as handsome as birds eye maple
Hoary- -branched pine, white pine, Doug
las fir, Englemann's spruce, black spruce
white spruce, hemlock rare), suEalpine
fir, western larch, cedar, sabine juniper
and arbor vitn, the latter rare in th'
mountains are all found in the territory
Many of them will flourish upon thu
lower levels with proper care.
Balsam poplar, Balm of Gilead, marrow
leaved balsam poplar, Columbia poplar
cottonwood, American aspen, black, shin
ing mountain and diamond willow grow
on streams and wet places in the noun
tains throughout the territory Western
birch, box elder, mountain apple, noun
tain alder, and smooth alder, also grov
along mountain streams.
A country in which all these trees
shrubs and vines grow and flourish cal
successfully grow other varieties that ar
found in the same latitude east OF il
There is no question that maple, hard ant
soft, white and black oak, lombard AM