Omaha daily bee., 1889-11-06
PINE TREES IN NEBRASKA.
Valuable Information for Those
Interested In Their Culture.
PURE SALT FOR THE DAIRY.
Buy Only Established Brands
Science in Feeding aud Breed
ing-.Tbe Value OF Muiching-
Profits of Grape Culture.
Agricultural.

FRANKLIN, Neb., Nov. Especial to
THE BEE. Several years ago an effort
was made TO distribute Rocky mountain
evergreens over Nebraska. II was very
hard to handle SO many and do it prop
erly. Moreover, many TO whom the
trees we're sent knew no more how to
take care Of them than If they had
come from another world. The result
was that few lived. Some we're sent
east. A large pei cent died; and yet
enough lived to show to the world that
from the Rockies. 1t was found, also,
that when u tree did live, it did far
better than in its mountain home; it
became more thrifty and beautiful.
The writer, having spent years in Col
orado, and studied the subject care
fully, after long and costly experiments
can now give some OF the results OF
these efforts.
First let me give a brief description
OF the varieties.
The picea pungens or silver blue
spruce has attracted more attention
perhaps than any other tree that ever
came before the public. II has singu-
lar blending of silver and sapphire. All
are not of this color, but in some groves
half or more will have this exquisite
sheen. have seen these trees u thou
sand miles from home, in tho rich lands
of Illinois, and though have seen thou
sands of acres in the mountains, among
them all, there Is nothing of such rich
color, combined with symmetrical pro-
portions. The tree is rigid, throwing
out shelf-like branches, and each shelf
marks a year of growth. 1t is also
pyramidical in form, with such beauty
of proportion, it looks as II made exactly
to order. The rich silver tints contrast
finely with the green Of other trees.
The picea englemanii or eryleman
spruce, somewhat resembles the pun
gems, but is more flexible. This family
has many sorts and variations. Some
trees have short needles, lying closely
TO the stem; others have needles twice
as long. Some have very graceful
dropping habit. Some will be deep
green and others blue, while some have
the same blending of tints we see in
the pungens. In some locations the
eryloman grows to an enormous size.
Last summer | was in the mountains
with b. Il. Fennow, our chief of forestry
from Washington. We found some
grand specimens-some 4 feet through
and 14Ofeet high. The timber is fine
and strong. find both these
trees transplant very readily
nearly as we'll as the Norway spruces
from the nurseries. The wonder is that
more of them are not planted. Already
there is large call for them in Europe.
After years of experience, find them
almost sure to live. l have shipped 100
at time without losing one, and this
from the high altitude of 5000 feet. 1
have about eight thousand of these
trees doing nicely.
Then we have the concOler or silver
fir of the rockies. 1t does not put on
the rich silver as soon as the other trees
mentioned, but it retains it longer, even
till death. You will often see trees
half dead, yet carrying on the surviv-
ing branches the rich garments of its
youth. This is called concolor, or even
colored. The under side of the
leaves are nearly white, the upper
green. In the spring, some Of the
trees will have green blossom buds and
others purple: The cones of this tree
are enormous. About half the trees will
have purple cones and the others those
of light green. On thrifty tree the
cones will be us large as the ears of Min
nesota sweet corn. We gathered eight
bushels from one tree. Mountain seed
lings OF this variety are more difficult to
transplant than the spruces, yet have
fair success. / think for ornamental
purposes this is, OF all others the tree of
the future. 1t grows TO a large size and
makes fine lumber. The seeds are east
ly gathered and lawn would be incom-
plete without one.
Then we have the Douglas spruce.
the tree for the Misunderstanding all
the way from the eastern foothills of
the Rockies to the Pacific, and very
often grow into some of the finest forests
in the world. In Washington there
are groves OF this timber, that will cut
more to the acre than any other variety
on the globe. / find these transplant
readily. They are little tardy about
sending up the upright shoot, but when
once fully established there is no further
trouble. Some of mine made eighteen
inches last summer.
The pinno pondowsa grows finely on
our prairies. AT home it is found on al
most the dryest part of our continent.
Good sawlogs can be grown from these
pines in fifty years. After these years
of investigation | have all faith, and
show it by my works. In September
secured a little army of men and gath
cred 500 pounds OF seed, probably the
largest stock ever secured, and intend
to raise them by the million.