Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1899-05-11
Some Hints From the Expert
enCe of Stutsman County
Land Owner
In the Growing of Trees For
Shelter Belts and Orna-
ment.
Trees Can be Successfully
Grown if Properly Planted
and Cared For.


exercises and proclsmations. Nothing
IS more important IN making farm life
pleasant and comfortable on the North
Dakota prairie than clump OF trees
Lear the house, and every new settler
will find it so. The great success with
which trees can be grown IN this county
is shown on the Chss. B. CLARK farm
near Eldrldge. The farm is seen from a
great distance IN travelling on the
prairie and is known for it's luxurisnt
growth of trees. At the last meeting OF
the Minnesota State Horticultural Soci-
ety Mr.. Clark gave some hints from his
experience in growing shelter belts OF
trees. His experience is valuable for all,
both new comers and older settlers. He
said:
My experience in growing shelter belts
has been mostly by proxy, though l
have done come planting myself. was
raised on farm in Wsukesha county,
Wisconsin, but for the past twenty-four
years have been q commercial traveller.
As such, however, have many q time
driven over the westean prsiries during
q snow storm and have frequently faced
heavy winds, so that know how to ap-
preciste fully the blessings to be derived
from good shelter belts, and this &C.
counts for the interest take in growing
them.
have farm at Eldridge, in Suits
man county, North Dakota, where 1
have grown twenty acres Of trees, and l
have also planted and cared for three
tree CLAIMS OF ten acres each, in addition.
near my farm. have made success
Of oil of these plsts Of trees 60 that the
trees are now from twenty to forty feet
high, and title was obtained from the
government upon oil OF these olaims
Gncludine my own) by having the re-
quired number Of trees OF the proper
size at the time of final proof.
Shelter belts can be grown il either
Minnesota or Dakota east of the Mic.
souri rlver if you subdue the land
thoroughly before plunting, if you plow
deep and if you plant your trees thickly.
These are the three essential points. but
the deep plowlng ls the most essential.
OF course, the trees must be taken care
Of after planting. They must be cult.
waited, and the grass subdued until the
trees shade the ground completely.
On my tree. claim, l planted "trip
nearly four rods wide all around the out
side, and on my homestead, which joins
my tree claim on the west, planted a
strip on the north and west sides, abou,
the same width, and one row Of trees on
the south side, besides some strips for
shelter on the north and west of my
buildings.
In planting shelter belts I want to
recommend one thing for the prairies OF
Dakota and western: Minnesota, which l
have never heard any one else suggest.
Plant the trees around your buildings IN
such shape that the snow will not break
them down, and at the came time they
will gather and stop the snow so that
but little will lie in drifts near your
buildings. Farmers should 90 to the
cuts Oh railroads for instruction and ex-
amples, and study the wey that the Sec
tion men place the snow-fences to pro-
tect these outs from being filled with
snow. I suggest that your building
plat be nearly square, and that the
buildings should be placed q little to
the southeast of the center. Plant two
rows of white willowe, eight feet apart,
all around the outside, and the trees two
feet apart in the row. -Four rods inside
of this, all around, if you wish, but sure i
y on the north and west, plann two rows
more in the same way. Three rods 10
eide of the last two rows on the north
and west, plant third strip of two rows
in the same way. BY following this
plan, I think that you will ind that after
several storms IN winter the most Of the
snow will lie in hugh drlfts in the wide
spaces between the rows of willows; and
that, except in extremely severe winters
when the SNOW ls very deep, little will
gather around the buildings. do not
recommend planting vide strips as
have done, because the trees break nown
60 much worse. The strips should never
be more than two rods wide, and one +, d
is much better.
In growing Willows, haze found that
the most successful way is 70 plow fur
row and lay the trees or llmtsi in that