Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-28
FOREST FOR CITY PARK.
Barren, unsigh,iy Hill to be Planted
For Beauty ana Use.

Pubhc-spirited citizens of Helena,
Montana, have for some time been
agitating plan TO convert the I'M
slightly slopes of Mount Helena,
which lies just outside the city, into
a forest park. A great deal of inter
est has been awakened throughout
the state by this project, for the peo-
pie of Helena will not be the only
ones to benefit by it. Successful for
est planting will be difficult, owing to
the semiarid conditions, and will cali
for expert skill in the selection OF
suitable species, the details of plant
ing, and subsequent care of the plan.
tation. A solution of the problem
will serve as an object lesson of for
est planting under similar conditions
elsewhere.
In city parks the kind of decorative
effect sought is generally secured by
the art of the landscape gardener
rather than by that of the forester,
In the case of Helena there will be
reared, not single individuals or small
the conventional park, but a true for,
est. Later on the trees may be cut
for timber, without in tie least inter
fering with the integrity of the park
y good many cities have parks which
are partly or wholly woodland, pre-
served in its natural state; but no one
thinks of cutting the timber when il
is grown. Communally owned for
ests, however, maintained primarily
as productive properties, are not I'M
known in Europe. The educational
value of such a forest is well worth
consideration. A knowledge of what
forestry means would be a good deal
more common in this country if other
towns would initiate the example set
by Helena.
In order to secure thoroughly
practical plan for the execution of the
park project, the Helena Improvement
Society availed itself of the coopera-
tive offer of the government forest
service, which places its trained for
esters at the disposal of those who
wish to establish plantations of flores
trees. During the summer a repre-
sentative made a study of the condi-
lions on the ground, and, as a result,
detailed planting plan has just been
submitted to the society.
The proposed park contains about
900 acres. There are about 40
acres already covered with young
timber, and 400 acres more on which
some timber is growing, Planting
will he done on about 600 acres.
Western yellow pine and red fir are
the trees recommended for most OF
this area. These species compose
nearly all of the present stand, SO
that their adapability to existing con
ditions of soil and climate may be de-
pended upon Besides this. they are
among the most stately and also the
most valuable trees of the western
forest. Finally, seed from these
trees is readily obtained in abundance
in the neighborhood, so that ease
and economy in the planting opera
tions will be secured by their use,
Other trees adapted for the park are
lumber pine. lodgepole pine, blue
sbyuce knobcone pine, Monterey pine.
and Coulter pine. The spacing rec
commended by feet, would give
1910 trees to the acre on land which
is without trees. Where the land is
already partly stocked. from 500 to
1000 trees per acres. will suffice. The
total number of trees required is esti-
mated at 575, 600 To provide these a
special nursery will be started.