, 1902-04-17
ON FLOWERS
DECORATIVE PLANTS AND PLANT.
ING SUITABLE TO BE
DONE IN LARAMIE.
Extracts from a Paper Read BY Prof.
euffum Before the Woman's Club
in January, 1899, and Printed at
the Request Of the Woman's Club
On Account Of Abor Day.


On Account Of Abor Day.
The following extracts are from an adj
dress delivered by Prof Buffum when
he was director of the agricultural ex-
pertinent station Of the University Of
Wyoming INT in charge of the agri-
cultural department, and reprinted
now on account of the lei approach
Of Arbor day and the fact that the
WOman's club has undertaken the
growing of flowers in the city park:
True art must be directed by the
soul emotions of the individuals Gre
ating it, and not by any set OF rules.
However. in our work of decorative
planting. there + a few principles to
be observed. They are briefly: Plant
borders of yards. leaving well designed
openings through which may be OBJ
tanned passing glimpses of the outside
world: plant flowers only in borders.
near shrubery, or along buildings and
fences. The general statement Is true
that in landscaping there is no place
for the straight row except along our
streets.
l suppose you are looking for a mes
sage in regarj to the materials which
we may successfully use to beautify
our yards II streets. Many Of US
have tried to grow various trees,
shrubs and flowers. with results which
are perhaps anything but encouraging.
Our naples. elms, lilacs and snowballs.
when planted in exposed places, have
taken IN a woe-begone, hOmesick ap-
pearance and finally succumbed. A null
titude of tender plants when planted
here will look and uncomfort-
able until an early frost puts an end to
their miserable existence. Ruskin
says, "A downright fact may be told
in a plain way" We live near the top
of the Rocky mountains. Our annual
mean temperature is 40 degrees Fair
enheit, or even less. Measured by tenn
p~erature We live In the Attic one
Out of doors, in the garden, yard or
field we must not expect to grow any
thing with profit which will % stand
two or three degrees Of frost during
the growing Unless excep
tional protection can be given at
tempts to grow any plant which is
not sufficiently hardy to stand a little
frost only results in disappointment.
This need not discourage us for after
eliminating bananas, cannas and other
tender exotics, there are more varie-
ties of hard plants than anyone will
care to grow in a single garden. Some
one has counted 411O different flow
ers in cultivation in Europe. One one
hundredth as many in a single garden
Is more than enough.
Hardy Trees, Shrubs and Vines.
Among trees the cottonwood and the
silver spruce stand almost alone for
general planting. though We may set
willows, alders, apples Especially
crabs), c~hokecherries and perhaps an
occasional boxelder or silver maple in
protected places. The cottonwood is
the only tree we have suficiently
hardy for street planting. There are
several varieties Of cottonwood and
some possess more merit than others.
Undoubtedly the best one is the
smooth-bark or Rydberg's cottonwood.
The narrow leaf or black cottonwood,
q native of the Laramie plains. comes
In second. Some Of the finest trees in
Laramie are Of this species. The ma
tive balm Of gtlead also makes a good
tree IL properly cared for. There are
a number Of other poplars which are
hardy but none possess the merit Of
the cottonwoods mentioned. The chief
objection to the cottonwood is the dis.
agreeable cotton which is produced in
such abundance when the tree sheds
its seeds in the summer, but this din.
Guilty IL easily overcome by properly
growing the trees which are to be used.
The staminate or male trees produce
no cotton and trees for planting should
be grown from cuttings taken from
these. Such cuttings will produce on.
~ staminate trees and do away with
the cotton nuisance. More attention
should be given this matter where the
cottonwood must be generally used
The white or Russian willow makes g
hardy. nice tree II carefully grown and
trained into tree form.
strongly recommend native plants
shrubs. at least will hardly be recos
nised when brought under cultivation
though they are well known Al the,
appear in the wild. Tame 9 pos
sess little value as shrubs. but oul
common wild rose has q merit Of 1T
own. We also have two valuable spe
cIes Of native currant. . native goose
berry. . native sumac. native buhal,
hesry. native dogwood. native Rock!
noantain dwarf cherry. native patsn
tila, Aakive tunebsrry. . beautiful NJ
ftito tAinhaeberry and others which n
~enitivation n many places. Nativ
fAAruhAy which, - far as'I know. hav
npe hssa ssltivated but which m
psonisaas - woaid b beautiful Il