Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-02-19


is far less than the demand At the
present time the county is being
rapidly populated by homesteaders
and the demand for timber products,
poles and posts in particular, is
| rapidly increasing, and from, this
time on the timber supply will be a
question of vital Importance. A well
preserved body of timber will afford
protection to game. The deer which
are at present quite abundant, are be-
ing rapidly killed off. The wood
lands under good system Of manage
ment, will go far toward inducing the
settlers to give tree planting on their
homesteads due consideration and at
tention. 4
2. The forested area should by all
means be extended over the hilly
region Immediately south of the Mis-
souri, river valley, from the mouth Of
the Yellowstone river to the eastern
limit of the ;Nesson project. These
bluffs In the years past have sup
ported good growth of red cedar
which has been entirely destroyed by
fire. Since settlers have come in
these hillsides have been cleared, and
the dead timber converted into fence
posts. These posts are sold on the
Williston market at 10 cents each,
and some are hauled as far as forty
miles north of Williston to fence
ihomesteads. The destruction of red
lcedar in this region has been so COM
lplete that scarcely a living tree re-
mains, and no reproduction was noted
on the hills. The coulees in this
region are well stocked with young
growth of ash and cottonwood. and
bordering the streams is dense
growth of excellent diamond willow.
This entire region should be pro
tected from fire by a series of plowed
: fire guards extending from the Yellow
stone river east to a point on the
Missouri river below the Nesson pro-
3ject. From this main line of guards,
supplementary guards can be plowed
at frequent intervals to the Missouri
river.
After this measure of protection is
provided, tree planting and improve
ment cuttings should be begun as
soon as possible. A forest nursery
should be, established at some cor
venient place within easy access to
the region to be planted. Two acres
will be sufficient area for a nursery
with an annual capacity of half a
million trees. The nursery should be
devoted to growing red cedar and
western yellow pine, to be planted on
the denuded bluffs. If the red cedar
can be grown successfully in the
nursery 1t should be used much more
Extensively than the pine, as there is
no question of its ultimate success.
The pine can be more easily grown in
the nursery but may not succeed so
2Iwell upon the hills. ::
The hills are of glacial formation
and the soil varies from fine sandy
!, lean to deposits Of coarse gravel
! The areas to be planted have a light
. ground cover Of grasses and trailing
juniper. The grasses are very open
and thin. In no place will it be neces.
!. sary to plow the ground before plant,
: ing, and as the soil is light and loose,
planting with spades will not be at all
! difficult and should be accomplished
) at cost not to exceed S. or $6 pei
: acre. including the cost OF growing
I the trees and planting at the rate OF
J 1000 per acre. The steepness of the
hillsides will be the only difficult
!, condition to contend with.
4, The planting should be confined to
/. the north, east and west slopes, and
s in no instance should an attempt be
5 made to plant on the table-land bach
: of the bluffs or where buffalo grass
t sod has possession of the ground
/ Trees cannot complete with buffalo
e grass. 5s ". 5. ia. ..sz y
d A small area of the land near vii
i 1iston, on the north side of the river
d that Is being held for coal supplies
Q ny the reclamation service can also
Z be planted with the same species and
Z il the same manner
T The low land along the river viii
q need attention. Where the diamond
I willow has possession OF the ground
+ Il should be cut out and the ground
t planted with cottonwood cuttings
! The ground occupied by the sand bal
!. willow should also be planted with
cottonwood cuttings. This planting
4 should be done at d cost not exceed
l ing s3 per a;ere, including the cost 81
I the cuttings In thirty years the land
q thus planted returns yields OF 5,D0t
d to $500 board feet of lumber. at pres
I ent worth s2s per M Cottonwood
4 Soy