Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1890-10-16
FORESTRY IN DAKOTA.
Why Trees Will Grow ana How TO
Grow Them.

Why Trees Will Grow and How TO
Grow Them.
The following extracts are taken from
a paper written for the American For
estry Congress, by j. G. Dutfey: Within
the borders of the Dakotas are 100000
acres OF native forests. These consist of
pine, black and white spruce, burr oak,
white elm, white birch, ash, mulberry,
lronwood, juniper and many other species
of less value. A large part Of this tim
ber is the Black Hills and Turtle noun l.
tain regions, yet by no means all of it..
There are strips OF wood lands fringing
many OF our streams and bordering near
ly all our takes. Alon,, the streams are
found elm, ash, box elder, wild plum,
wild thorn apple, willow, hack berry, be-
sides many shrubs. Many seem to think
that since trees do not grow naturally on
the pralries, they cannot be made to grow
there. With as much logic we might
argue that since potatoes did not grow
ma uraily in Ireland, that potatoes can
not he made to grow there. and yet pota-
toes grow nowhere better,-unless it be
in Dakota. We often hear it said that
Dakota climate IS too dry for tree cul-
ture, but any one who will for moment
consider tho many vegetables grown here
will readily see that this objection fails
Corn potatoes, wheat, flax cabbage celery
and many other vegetables grow here
iuxuriantly. Who're there is sufficient
moisture for these plants to grow, there
is certainly enough for the moisture CT
forest trees.
Are the winters of Dakota SO severe as
0 kill trees? The Thermometer does not
| fall so low in Dakota, as 1t does in many
| places where there are dense forests. 1t
is true that many species Of trees will
not survive our winters. 1t is equally
true that many species o. both forest and
| fruit trees are perfectly hardy here.
Trials Of from eight to fifteen Years have
proven that cottonwood, several OF the
pOplars. box elder, ash, elm, black wild
/ cherry, pine, spruce, wild plum, crab,
and several varieties OF the Russian apple
are perfectly hardy here, aud,, no doubt.
many trees that are considered unsnited
to our climate will be found to thrive
here when their peculiar conditions OF
growth are better understood.
That many attempts at tree culture
| have failed cannot be denied, but most,
If not all the failures, are due TO lgnor-
ance Or neglect. In the forests the
ground is mellow, loose. porous and
moist. AS we walk among the trees the
soil yields beneath our feet like a
cushion. The seed as it drops to the
earth finds a most cOngenial bed. There
Is moisture, warmth and protection from
the sun. AS the root begins to develop
1t finds but little resistance to its down,
ward progress, and it goes deep down
into the soil beyond the reach Of frost
and drought. On the, pralries of Dakota
all these conditions are reversed, the soil,
! though deep and rich. is hard and dry,
very much resembling a road bed on
compactable soil. When the praires are
| broken, the pillow is run very shallow, not
deeper than three inches.and the average
/ Dakota farmer seldom plows much deeper
than the original breaking. The young
| tree whether from seed, from cuttings
or from the nursery finds the downward
progress of it's roots soon stopped by the
| hard compact soil. The roots spread out
! beneath the surface, exposed to the heat
! from the sun, to drought and to the frost
of winter. Trees planted in the soil thus
| poorly prepared die or make a feeble
growth. It they survive the first sum-
ner and winter they are often left entire
ly to themselves the next season; quack
q ass takes possession Of the soil, COM
pleting their destruction; and the igno-
rant or lazy farmer says trees will not
grow in Dakota. On his way to market
he may drive past half dozen groves
of thrifty trees. but does not trouble
himself to learn the secret of his neigh
bor's success.
To secure the best results from timber
titled for several Years before trees are
deeper until the soil is thoroughly pull
verlzed to the depth of twelve inches.
would not convey the idea that a settler
worked his ground two or three years.
Plant a few trees as soon as possible. \
hoed crop should precede tree planting
leaving the ground free from weeds.
Great care should be taken that no quack
grasses (Agropyrum repens) be in the
soil. Fail plowing is much better than
spring plowing for trees, becauseit leaves
the surface uneven 20 catch the drifting
snow. and the ground il the best posi-
ble condition to absorb the water from
melting snow and spring rains. Oar sub
soil is of such a nature that it holds
water almost like reservoir. On ground
that has been plowed deep in fall, and
there be sufficient snow in winter and
was we'll cultivated the following summer,
provided there is little danger. of drought,
spring to thoroughly saturate tie sub
soil.
GOrtOn'S MinStrclS.