The Globe-republican., 1894-05-04
DODGE CITY, KANSAS.
Forestry.


By Mic Niayratb, Of Dodge City.
l have been growing forest trees 10
southwestern Kansas during the last IA
years successfully. 1t has paid me well
in money, as well as in the advantages of
groves and shelter belts on my farm,
which now covers about 81 acres.
Ihave % varieties. Some of these are
worthless. especially when planted on
upland. Others are fairly to very good.
On bottom land, the Lornbardy poplar
and cottonwood make fine growth for
the first ) to 10 years. Then a borer
kills the cottonwood, and = woolly cat
erpillar denudes the poplar of its leaves,
and consequently kills the trees. My
experience teaches me that, in order to
have trees to grow well in western Kan
sas, the ground should ne plOwed very
deep-the deeper the better-and well
pulverized. [ believe our lawmakers
were wrong in compelling owners of tree
claims to plant trees the third year after
sod ground in good cultivation in two
years.
For timber claims, would plant eight
by eight feet each way, using Seeding
trees. Plant, as sure growing, the follow
ing, in order named: Black locust, honey
locust, Usage orange, ailantus, white ash.
black walnut, catalpa, box elder, soft
maple, elm, sycamore.
For wind-breaks or shelter belts. l
plant four feet by eight and thin out 40
needed. Here is where the Russian
mulberry will come in good play, As this
is one of the best trees we have for wind
breaks. Usage orange comes next. Any
Of the trees recommended for timber claims
will do for shelter belts. A row or two of
lombardy poplars or cottonwOods will.
by their tall and rapid growth, help to
make the more slower growing sorts take
. straight, upward shoot.
For groves, If the desire is IL have
different varieties. the best plan is to
have the tall-growing sorts at the north
end, and follow this up with smaller
sorts, until the south end of the grove is
reached.
As to cultivation after planting, in
order TO get thrifty growth and to get
straight trees. it is Of the utmost i'm
portance that trees should be given fully
- \ I
and particularly more so in western Kan
sas, as the rainfall is not so large as in
other parts Of the state.
Farmers generally. do not cultivate
their young trees enough, as long as other
field workldemands their attention. and
when done too late, it does more harm
than good, as it prevents trees from
ripening their wood. and they are liable
to wiDterkill. never cultivate trees sitter
July Is. There is some to opposition to
the russian mulberry on account of its
low growing habit, but find that there
are five to six different sorts IF these
trees; and that some of these trees will
= u
others VIII grow up straight, and with
very little trimming. Thes- last also
have the largest and hes, fruit. made
quite good looking trees ont of Russian
mulberry by cutting them off even with
the ground when two years old. and
allowing only one sprout to grow up.
Tor anna caors I hal pfol .,,,ee:.,r.
taken from trees that bore good fruit anil
also made nice straight trees of them.
From 20 to 80 per cent, Of the cuttings
will grow if made during winter and
buried In sand aud planted in the spring.
This way l get Russian muIberries that
are desirable for their fruit AS we'll rs
forest and shade trees. The catalpa, al
90, will grow low and scrubby for year
or two in western Kansas. 1t also can
be made to grew upright by cutting the
tree off near the ground when two years
old or even older, and allowing only one
sprout to grow. In planting Seeding for
est trees. mark off the land one way
with any kind Of a marker, then, with
pillow and team, run furrOw the other
way. turn around and follow the same
furrow back again. This gives a deep
furrOw with plenty of fresh dirt to plant
in on both sides of the furrow. A man
with spade and boy with the trees,
should plant 5000 trees day. and plant
them well. would not advise to open
up furrOws faster than needed by the
planter, or the soil will dry cut before
planted
For early firewOod on the western
plaius, there is no tree better adopted
than the ailantus, sometimes called Tree
of Heaven or paradise Tree This
tree is as easily raised from seed as cab
bage. 1t can be raised from pieces of
roots, like horse-radish is propagated.
Iwonld advise every farmer on our Tree
less Plains TO plant from three 20 five
.cros lxS fpaf. cultiva fp we'll until .,.,, or