The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-22
TREE CULTURE.
Some Interesting Things About II
From the Pen of q Prominent
Authority.


BY l.. r. Waldron, director of the
Dickinson sub-experiment station:
The problem of tree culture will al
ways be an interesting one in this Sec
ton of the country. The remark is
often heard that this will never be
much of a corn country" and perhaps
the same expression might be more
aptly applied to trees. 1t is no doubt
true that the North Dakota farmer will
never raise corn for the market as
they do in Kansas, and it is even more
evident that this territory will never
support great forests or produce fruit
in any considerable quantities. Yet
such facts should not deter us in the
least from trying to do what is posi-
BILE along these lines.
AS nature has done something in the
way of fruits and forest trees in this
state, it will be we'll to follow in her
footsteps as far as practicable and i'm
prove upon her methods when posi-
BILE. In this way we will be most GER
tain of success. Our most important
forest trees are the box elder, elm,
blackberry, ash, cottonwood, poplar,
Eastwood, oak, iron, birch 1.-TWO kinds),
alder, pine, red cedar and cherry.
Some of the above are not strictly
forest trees, such as the cottonwood
and cedar, as they do not grow thickly
enough in nature to afford true forest
conditions. 1t is seen that our list of
trees is quite an imposing one-for a
treeless state-and it is certainly
varied enough for the would-be tree
planter to produce excellent results
Some of the trees such as blackberry
and Eastwood, are found mostly in the
eastern portion of the state, and per-
haps would not do SO we'll in the west
ern portion. Others, as oak and red
cedar, are rather chary of being trans
planted, but If great care is exercised,
success can be secured, even with
these
Our story would be but half told if
no mention were made of our native
shrubs and woody vines. Fairly good
results can be obtained with trees
alone, but shrubs are also necessary
to make foliage an effective decorative
factor. A list of shrubs and woody
vines, native to this state, which are
ornamental in character, would sur
prise the majority of people by it's
length. In fact, we have no fewer
than fifty species of shrubs which may
be planted with effect, either by them
selves or in clumps. Thirteen of these
are found in the rose family and ten
in the dogwood and honey-suckle fam
lilies. Among the woody vines may be
mentioned the moonseed, wild grape,
Virginia creeper, honey-suckle and bit
tersweet. 1t is perhaps natural for
most of us to desire the exotic and the
rare, but in the case of plants we will
obtain greater satisfaction by restrict
ing ourselves to the native and ac-
climated kinds.
The fruits found native in this state
Indicate along what lines fruit culture
can be made most successful. Aside
from the plum, the native fruits are
confined to the smaller varieties. The
following is only partial list of the
native edible small fruits: grape,
cherry, Give kinds), raspberry 1.-TWO
kinds), Juneberry, gooseberry 1.-TWO
kinds), currant (three kinds), cactus,
highbush cranberry, black-haw, night
shade 1.-TWO kinds), buffalo berry and
blackberry. While all of the above
might not appeal to every one, yet
they all have possibilities of improve
ment, perhaps as great as many of our
best modern fruits originally had.
which of course were once known only
in the wild state.