The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-01
TREE DREAM BROKEN
Uncle Sam Will Furnish No
Trees to Oklahoma Farmers
WILLgPR0VIDE AN EXPERT
Who Will Tell the Farmer
How 10 Plant Them.
WILLsPROVIDE AN EXPERT

abetted more or less in the idea that the
government was planning to give trees
away TO farmers. In some counties. no
tably Garfield, an organization had been
formed to receive the trees from a mag
unanimous government.
But a dark blue cloud has shifted over
this beautiful dream. 1t now turns out
that the government does not intend to
give trees away. All it bargains to do is
to send a man out from washington TO
show the farmers how the trees they
have bought themselves should foe plant
ed. This is kind. It is also cute Under
the plan as originally misconceived a
farmer would drive to the depot and
get couple of wagon loads of trees of
Various and beautiful kinds and take 'em
home, thanking the government in his
heart at every bob of the horses ears.
Under the new, corrected and actual
plan all the farmer is expected to do is
10 buy his own trees, drive into town
and, having made the engagement, meet
the tree expert from Washington and
take him out ia the farm. The. farmer
having first wadded the tree expert fun
of yellow-legged chickens and hot Okla
aoma biscuits, he and the tree expert
will repair to a corner of the farm. with
the hired man following carrying rock
2ng chair. The tree expert will then feel
the soil and smell of it and advise the
farmer to put a white ash in there"
Then while the tree expert sits in the
cooking chair smoking a perfecto and
drinking in the landscape the farmer is
expected to shed his coat and dig a hole
The expert under the new ruling of the
department, may suggest to the farmer,
after he has sweat eighteen quarts and
gill, to make the hole a little deeper.
There is nothing specific in the organic
act to prohibit the farmer at this point
from taking the spade and Draining the
expert. But it might be dangerous TO
do this. Having completed the hole. the
expert will rise from the rocking chair
and hold the tree upright while the far
mer Is scooDing in the rich, red loan
weighing ten ton to the spadefu The
expert will then suggest to the farm
that about four buckets Of good water
on the tree would be the right thing.
and the farmer will make two trips
across forty acres and dump the water
in the hole while the expert lights an
other perfecto and signs. The farmer
can then lamp the tree in with his boots.
After few trees are set out in this
manner, the expert can be taken to the
house and loaded with beefsteak, fried
eggs or anything palatalble.
But the government Will donate no
trees. The sorrowful disillusion in the
tree matter is due to the Enid Sun
Eagle, which knowing the government of
old and having just cause for the sus-
picion that the government doesn't let
go Of anything very valuable unless it is
designated as salary" made INQUIRIES
and found out the dreadful truth That
paper, which thus tears the rose-colored
mantle Of the tree-dream in two. saws:
"a few weeks ago most of the newspa-
pers of Oklahoma contained articles in
forming the public that Uncle Samuel
through the pure generosity of his dear
old soul, was offering each and every
farmer who would plant and care for
them. enough nice, juicy, well-selected
young trees to plant a five-acre forest
The Sun-Eagle, in common with the rest.
announced the deal in barn door letters,
but as the information appeared after
ward to be somewhat vague, and none
of the other boys seemed to have time
enough TO investigate il, the Sun-EagIe
asked the division CT forestry al Wash
ington for full information. Here is the
answT:
United States Department Of Agri-
culture. Division of Forestry.
Washington. D. c.. Mch &C. 1900.
p" Manager W. I. Drummond, Eagle Pub |
fishing company. Enid. O. T.
Dear Sir: Your communication of
March sd, with enclosed clipping, is re-
ceived. The information that you re-
ceived is somewhat misleading. The div
ision of forestry is not prepared to fur
nish trees or seeds for general planting
in the west. The division is prepared.
however TO render personal and practical
assistance to tree Planters. as outlined in
circular No y, a copy of which is here
with enclosed. Everygreens are the only
trees that the division has distributed.
ana this distribution has only been to
those who are cooperating with US in
the establishment of forest plantations.
As vet evergreens have been but little
tried in the ives. ard these are planted |
as matter or experiment.
livery truly yours,
~. w. Tourney,
'Supt Of Tree Planting
THE circular referred to in Mr.. Tou- |
mey's letter states. in part:
. The division of forestry is prepared. |
as far as its very limited appropriation |
will permit, 10 render practical ana per-
sonal assistance to farmers and others /
by cooperating with them 10 establish |
forest plantations. woodlots, shelter5eIts |
and windbreaks. A section Of the divis !
ion has recently been organized and |
placed in charge Of an expert tree plan
ter. assisted by number of coIlabora- |
tors and assistants residing in the dif- |
ferent states. who are thoroughly fami- /
liar with their local conditions. This
section viii devote itsef entirely TO in 1
vesugations IN tree planting and TO the
assistance Of those who may avail them /
selves OF the. cooperative plan outlined
in this circular. Applications for such 1
assistance will be considered in the o.
der Of their receipt. but the division re-
serves the right 10 give preference TO |
those likely 70 furnish the most useful
OBJECT lessons. After an application has
been made and accepted. the su0erin-
tedent Of tree Planting. or one OF his
or assistants. win visit the
land Of the applicant, and. after ale
euate study OF the ground. win make
working plan suited its particular con-
ditiQns. The purpose OF this pan is u
give help in tbs selection OF trees. i1.or-
NATION n regard . planting, and IN
struction IN nandhng foress trees after
they are planted