The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1905-03-25
Habits Of Trees.

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Habits Of Trees. ...-.& y
William L. Hail., of the Bureau of
Forestry, United States Department
OF Agriculture, writes thus of the
habits of trees:
Tree Companionship.-In almost
every region certain kinds of trees
are found together This is due to
similarity of preferences in regard to
soil, heat, moisture and light. Two
trees adapted to the same conditions
will thrive best in the same situation.
The White Ash and Black Walnut are
good examples. Having similar pref
erences, they have almost Identical
ranges and are very generally associ-
ated. There is also another reason
why trees accompany one another.
A tree may SO influence it's surround
1ngs as to make them favorable to an
other tree, where otherwise they would
be unfavorable. AS an example of
such influence, the Chestnut on sterile,
sandy plains in portions of New Eng
land forms a much-branched tree,
which shades the ground and keeps it
moist and cool. Such conditions are
favorable to the termination of the
White Pine in that region; consequent
ly 1t is found coming up abundantly
beneath the Chestnut, but not so abun-
dainty on the open, unprotected
ground.
Effect of Change in Surroundings
A change in the surroundings of a
tree always modifies it's habit of
growth. If the change is toward more
favorable surroundings the result is
seen in increased vigor, rate of growth,
and size; if toward unfavorable sur
roundings, the reverse will be true.
The stately Tulip-tree of the central
Eastern states is said to be a mere
shrub in Florida. The reason is that
there it is out of its range of adapta-
ton. The White Elm, which grows
with tall and vase-like form in New
England, in the semiarid parts of Kan.
sas and Oklahoma is low and spread.
ing like an apple tree. Nor is form
the only variable character. On the
western elm the leaves are fewer in
number, smaller, thicker, and much
rougher than on the New England tree.
In other parts of the tree there are
differences Of the same kind, though
they are not so noticeable as those
in the form and foliage. These varia-
lions have resulted from the differ
ences in soil and climatic conditions
to which the tree has been subjected.
Gradual Change.-The difference in
form between two trees of the same
kind in different localities has come
about through gradual divergence of
characteristics. TO certain degree
changes of this kind can be brought
about in practice. When a gradual
change is made in the surroundings of
a tree corresponding change takes
place in the tree ITSELF Thus if stock
of the New England elm be slowly
moved westward through many gen.
erations, it will gradually change in
form and other characteristics to be
like the western tree; and it must be
assumed that this change is neces-
sary to enable it to live under its
new conditions.
Sudden Changes.-Sudden changes
in the surroundings of tree frequent
ly cause it's death, because it can not
quickly change itself to meet the re-
quirements of it's new conditions. The
New England elm moved at once to
the semiarid west is likely to die, be-
cause it is not adapted to the condi-
tons of soil, light, heat, and moisture
of that region. In the prairie marshes
of northern Indiana there are occa-
sional knobs which once supported
thrifty oaks of moisture-loving kinds.
Now that the marshes have been
drained the drying out of the soil has
caused the oaks to die. The change
was too sudden. Suddenness and
intensity Of change often account for
the failure of trees to thrive when
moved away from the region to which
they were adapted. This is also why
eastern trees SO often die when moved
to the west. This is why nursery stock
grown near by can be more safelv
planted than that grown in a distant
region. It is a practical matter. and
should be generally understood.
Take the Insects in Time,
The time to begin the fight against