Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1892-05-19
FORESTRY.
Old Cultivated Land Needed
for Successful Tree
Culture.
What Experience Teaches in
the Success or Failure
of Trees.

problem, or IN other WORDS IL can De
viewed with profit from many stand
points. Let us touch upon few of the
same, that light may be elected thereby
Can tn, raising of trees be made prac.
tical in North Dakota.
I answer in the affirmative. But if we
take the testimony Of old pioneers, many
will say the early experience seemed to
settle the question in the negative. for
probably nine tenths Of the first plant
lngs failed to live. And this leads to the
inquiry as regards the causes Of the fail.
ures and how to obviate the same in the
future.
A proper mechanical and chemical con-
dlt,on of the soil is necessary?
The failure Of the past has awakened
the conviction that in order to success
fully raise forest and fruit trees on the
prairles of the West, proper mechanical
and chemical conditions of the surface
land are Indispensable. The many nat
ural causes operating through the ages
nave made the soil of our open plains
compact, hard and solid, and it was early
discovered that the trees planted therein
would not flourish. Then the consider
ate farmer concluded he must so manip-
ulate the soil as to put it in fine me-
chanical condition, and yet the trees,
though thriving for few years, grad
ually died out.
Since that time the cultivator, like
those of the older western states, became
convinced Of this fact, to-wit: That a
mechanical agitation Of the hard con-
densed soil is but a step in the forestry
problem. That such work is needful to
reduce the ingredients to state of fine
ness as means whereby the same may
be fitted to undergo necessary chemical
changes.
BY agitation of the soil, deep plowing,
narrowing, turning it over, separating
and readjusting and moulding it's various
parts, its different atoms become subject
to great chemical changes. This is
effected by the light, heat and vivlfying
influence OF the sun. the dlsiointing and
re-arranging OF the matter, superinduced
by the frost and cold and the transfer
anoe and milling of forces and agents
from the air and wind. To these are
added the softenlug, disentegrating and
ccmmingling effects OF rain. dew and
moisture in all forms, which together
with all the electrical and chemical
operations resultant from the union and
blending Of the many elements OF the
earth and sky, with the escape OF noxious
and unfavorable vapors and gases, cause
a complete transformation OF the whole
mass OF soil from crude, unhealthy and
unproductive state to condition of re-.
fined, generous and vital action. p.epar-
ing it after 5 to 10 years ofsuch intelligent
cultivation for plant life. Such land
wisely manipulated, light, sweet, moist
and prolific, with good subsoil is where
tree seeds, cuttings and seedlings, If
carefully nurtured, will, as rule, be sure
to grow, thrive and endure in the various
changes of our western climate.
Thus We have learned many lessons.
The discreet tiller, defeated at first, dis
covers the secrets of natures labratory-
and thought, culture and time have pre-.
pared the way for successful develop.
ment of tree culture in North Dakota.
But there are many other features Of
forestry which must be studied to insure
success. The land must not only have
long years Of tillage, but the seeds and
all the stock must needs be sound and
hardy, and procured from northern lati
tudes. These should be judiclously
planted at the proper time in the spring
or fall. The paintings should be kept
free from weeds and we'll titled until neal
the middle Of July, when the weeds al
lowed to grow will shield the plants and
hold the SHOWS Of winter. The treet
should also be carefully protected from
fires and the animals.
PLANT THE TREES ON THE BEST SOIL.
Nor is this all. II. the farmer and for
ester would carry out his purposes, he
should study we'll whore to plant hi
trees. According to the knowledge nov
prevalent upon the subject, 1t would b'
lnjud,cious to plant them upon the hill'
or at places where the subsoil is bed o.
unproductive sand or collection o
rocks, but the deep alluvial soil, usual!
found IN the lower levels Of the land
with perchsnce an underlying strata Q
clay, will prove to be the proper place to
trees. And it should be remembered tina
trees are the most profitable crop for on
state, and here 1t would indicate wise dis
cretion to appropriate its best parts Z
their cultivation.
ure and this year 10 most pro missing TO