The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-10-10
As 10 TREE PA STING.


Ed. TRIBUNE: I wish 70 record INV
unqualified protest against the opinion
contained in one of your editorials q
week or ten days ago relating to Ire.
planting. You advise our people not To
plant cottonwood trees, because they are
short lived and are not clean.
| have for many years taken great in.
tcrcst in tree planting, and have acquired
some knowledge on that subject.
Ia the first place let me state that thc
cottonwood is not the short-liycd tree
that your informant represents. Thrift
four years ago | came to Minneapolis %
reside. At that time many %cottonwoojs
had been planted on the east side Of
what was then st, Anthony. To-day they
are stately. thrifty trees and show g
signs of decay. Judging from some Ian.
trees which were within the city limit.
Of Minneapolis when it was founded anil
which now show no evidence Of decay
am inclined To think they will c|ontiuuc
to grow and flourish during the next luH
years. AS to the objection that cotton
woods are not clean. | can only state
that the person who can't tolerate the
seeds and cotton that fall from Ties,
trees only a few days each year must hr
altogether too rastldIous to enjoy any de-
cjduous trees. as they all annually east
oil their foliage upon lawns and ave.
nucs. Were ! living at Minneapolis or
in any other city in the Mississippi valley
/ would not plant cottonwood trees in
parks and upon venues. | would plant
American white elns, as no other trees
can compare with them, but here In
Montana, and think in all places where
Chinook winds prevail, elms will NOT
grow except IN the most favored spot,
| experimental with them unsuCccss.
fully in Fort Benton and for five years
past have been trying them in Great
Falls with very doubtful results. | know
the Montana broad leaf cottonwood. if
well watered, will flourish splendidly IN
our soil, and will become b~road-sprcau-
ing, shapely tree. At the foot of tie
river park among the native cottonwoods
is n which at the ground is nearly
seven feet in diameter. 1t is a grand
tree and would be highly priced in any
park in the land. Can any one
satisfy me that many Of the
three and four thousand cottonwood
trees that we have planted in Great
Falls will not sometime rival this great
tree?
We have several varieties of cotton
wood trees, but the n known as the
Broad is far superior to the Others.
1t is also a much better tree than the
Minnesota cottonwood. Its wood is
tougher and its top, which spreads out
wider, casts a much thicker shade.
There are other good trees that viii
thrive in Montana, but | know of no
other that can attain the size of Broad
leaf cottonwood and that will look as
well in all its stages Of growth. l hope
our people will plant them and take care
of them, always watering them often and
thoroughly. / would be glad to see the
h~ouse-holders of Great Falls take more
interest in tree planting. Is there n
investment in our city that will pay as
well? Great Falls is situated in an
open, t~reeless plain, but the broad Mis-
souri, almost encirles it, and we have
abundant power at the falls to pump
water. Why should we not begin now
to beautify our city and thus make it a
constant attraction for home-seekers and
visitors? AS there will be practically no
fund for planting trees e year, | hope
there will be a Opposition on the part of
individual owners not only to take care
of trees already planted but to plant
many more. PARIS GIBSON.
You had better see our stock at the