The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-23
NEWS OF THE CITY
FIRE WARDEN PICKS
TREES FOR FARMERS
Stale Officers Circular Urges
Farmer to Plant Pine
and Spruce

In view of the near approach of Ar
Dor day, when the school children
of Minnesota will plant trees in honor
OF the day, Gen. c. c. Andrews, chief
ire warden of Minnesota, has issued a
circular 6f instruction relating to the
planting Of pine and spruce on farms.
Gen. Andrews says that on many
farms there are pieces of land that
can be profitably utilized for growing
pine and spruce. In sheltered situa-
tions white pine in 80 10 40 years will
be of merchantable size, and the pine
VIII yield good money return and
will while growing lend beauty and
value to the farm property.
To raise such timber on prairie
land" the fire warden says, sit is abb
solUtely necessary to first grow wind
break on the south, west and north
sides. On these sides a strip of land
about ten feet wide should be cultivat-
ed two years and then two rows eight
feet apart of golden willow should be
planted, which can be done either by
planting small trees or by planting
cuttings, in each case to be eighteen
inches apart. If cuttings are used
they should be about twelve inches
long, placed slanting in the ground,
leaving one or two buds out of the
ground. To prevent snow drifting on
to the plantation some successful prai-
RE farmers prefer two rows of willows
two rods apart, the intervening space
to be used for clover and timothy.
Some highly recommend instead OF
the golden willow a species of
cottonwood known in some places in
Minnesota as the Norway poplar.
Whatever kind of tree is used for a
windbreak the whole strip of ground
comprising two rows should be kept
cultivated; also mulched with hay or
straw to preserve moisture and TO sup
press weeds. AS both these kinds of
trees, though rapid growers, are COM
parauvely short lived, il would be well
to begin, when convenient, to supply
their place with evergreens, such as the
Norway spruce or Scotch pine.
Behind the Windbreak
when the trees composing the wind
break are two years old one can begin
planting the pine and spruce If the
land on which the planting is to be
done is not too rocky or hilly it should
first be plowed and cultivated; and
even after planting is done cultivation
should be continued long enough to
keep down weeds until the plants reach
such size that their shade will be suffi-
cient>to suppress weed growth.
The best success is with small trees.
AS a rule it is not advisable to use
plants over four or five years old, and
the planting will generally be more
successful If they are younger. The
farmer can obtain seeds from re-
sponsible nurserymen and can SOW
them in nursery beds of well cultivated
but not rich soil in shallow drills six
inches apart the seeds about an inch
apart and to be lightly covered. Sow
ing should not be done when the
ground is wet. For the first summer
the beds should be covered with
screens, either lath or brush, TO pro-
tect them from the sun.
In making a plantation Of pine and
spruce two year old seedlings are quite
often planted successfully, but probably
the best success will be obtained by US
ing transplants that are two years old.
In either case plants may be set four
feet apart, which would require $3.50
plants to an acre. They are sometimes
set three feet apart and even closer.
The plants should be taken up, ham
died and planted with the greatest
care and the roots never for a moment
be exposed to the sun or dry air. Care
should be taken that the roots have a
natural position and the earth be firm
around them. In dry situations they
should be a little below the ordinary
surface. The roots should be covered
with moist soil until planted. Planting
should be done in the spring, soon
after the frost is out of the ground,
and preferably in cloudy and damp
weather. In very dry seasons mulch
ing Of the ground may be necessary.
"a good combination for a coniferous
plantation is white pine and Norway
spruce. They could be planted in al
ternate rows. One can follow his own
taste in mixing other sorts. Our white
spruce would be as satisfactory as the
Norway spruce if it could be as easily
obtained. In places where the soil is
very sandy and poor our so-called Nor
way pine and jack pine would do well.
On any more fertile spots some good
hardwood varieties could be planted
and partly to attract singing birds.
The. absolute necessity of great care
and pains in all of such work cannot be
too strongly emphasized"