Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-10-05
George L. Clothier Of the Department
of Forestry Working in this
# State.
Enlisting the Interest of Farmers in
the State in Scientific Tree
Culture.
Some Practical Suggestions by an Ex-
pert as to Planting
of Trees. ..E

nI. 1SofSe, IL. aJlOUl1ef, government
forestry expert, who has been working
IN North Dakota, came over on tine
late train from west OF the river yes
terday afternoon, and visited with o.
H. VIII until the midnight trains ar
rival. In speaking of forestry work
in North Dakota, Mr.. Clothier says:
THE peopel of North Dakota have a
commonwealth OF which they may well
be proud. Although nature has been
very profuse in comforting blessings
upon this state, she has not given
North Dakota her proportionate share
CT natural forests. 1t, therefore, be-
hooyes man to improve upon the nat
ural forest conditions, if he would en-
joy all the good things that the land
is capable of producing.
The tree flora of your state is excep-
tionally large for prairie state and
may be considerably increased by the
introduction of new species. It will
be many years, however, before foreign
sorts will exert any great influence
upon farmers plantations.
For economic purposes, the planter
OF trees must depend largely upon ma
tive species; and it happens that a
number of excellent sorts are found
native within the borders of the state.
The state Of North Dakota has taken
an advanced position ON the subject
OF tree planting. The efficient ser
vices of your superintendent of forest
ry, Hon. W. W. Barrett of Churches
Ferry have already left their marks
upon many bleak prairie home
Groves have sprung up all over your
youthful state as monuments to the
untiring industry of this excellent
man. May the good work go on, and
may the state of North Dakota support
the grand work of Mr.. Barrett with
liberal appropriations, is the sincere
wish of the writer. The work of ill
teresting the school children in tree
planting of which Mr.. Barrett is the
originator deserves special commend
alton. II the children are trained I'M
to love trees, the prosperity and beauty
OF the future homes will be assured.
The United States department of
agriculture is also attempting to as
sist and interest farmers in tree plant
ing. Agents are sent out by the na-
tional division of forestry to. examine
proposed sites for timber lots and
groves. These agents make planting
plans for farmers, prescribing the
kinds of trees, and instructing the
planter in the proper methods of
handling the same The writer is Just
completing tour of the state in the
interests of this work.
One of the commonest mistakes that
farmers make in planting trees is that
of planning only single sort in a
grove. Trees love company; they are
soclable beings, and thrive much bet
ter in mixtures than in pure planta-
tlcns. Another mis- take is the exclu-
slve use of temporary varieties in the
plantation. The cottonwood, willow,
poplars, and silver maple are tempo
rary or short lived trees on dry ,,p-
lands. If they are planted in such
situations, other long lived species
such as the bur oak, blackberry, white
elm and green ash should be mixed in
with the same. The cottonwood is a
good pioneer tree because OF it's rapid
growth, but it should always be sup
plemented with such trees as the elm,
blackberry or boxelder, whose function
in early life will be to shade the
ground and keep the grasses and
weeds from choking the trees to death. |
Cottonwoods alone never cast sufficient
shade "to protect the ground and iu-
sure their long life. There is no |
greater enemy to trees than grass, and
tbs planter should plan to keep the
sod out of his grove, if he expects it to
#hea;a permanent Improvement. This
can be done much better with shade
than by cultivation. A grove should
be cultivated IS long as the farmer can
ges Between the trees with his imple-
! mems, illi., but she time will come when
he Will be compelled to cease cuItiva-
tfon. II the trees have been painted
IN s sgfsfc lent ent abundance and have been
properly mixed they will ultimately
take care cs themselves by means If