The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1907-09-27
Forest Planting on Irrigated Lands.


Extensive Investigations cf irri-
gated lands in the western states
10 determine the possibilities on tree
planting on reclaimed tracts have
just been completed by experts in
the forest service and according to
the first reports of the studies the
j%udicious planting of certain trees
around homesteads and along canals
will greatly increase the value of
lands where irrigation has played
such a prominent part in develop
ment.
The lands examined are in Mon
tana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas, and
are practically treeless, as in the case
on most irrigated tracts Yin these
sections. While it was found that
the growing of trees under the con-
ditions found on most of the tracts
will be confronted with many diff
ficulties unless great care is taken,
1t has been determined that certain
species can be grown very success
fully for wind-breaks, shelter-belts,
fuel and protection for canals.
All of the land examined is of
great value for agriculture and, of
course, timber production on a large
scale would not be advisable even
If it we're feasible. Planting will
be profitable chiefly for the protec-
ton it will give farm buildings,
stockyards. and valuable fruit or
chards from heavy winds and for
the timber which can be grown for
fuel, fence posts and other uses.
The principal difficulties to be met
in tree growing in the region where
the examinations were made are the
great extremes of temperature which
are always an importnt consideration
since it is the occasional period of
extreme cold and not the average
winter temperature which determines
the adaptability of a tree. Damage
by drought and extreme heat may be
largely overcome by irrigation, but
there is no way to temper the win
try blasts of these wind swept prair-
les. 1t has been found, however,
that the choice of proper species of
trees will meet practically every diff
Guilty encountered.
On the irrigated tracts in Mon
ltann, Wyoming and the Dakotas,
belts of trees are needed on the
north and west to shield the farms
from the eve cold winds and on
the south to check the drying winds
that come from that direction. Pro-
lection on the east is not so essen
tial, yet if the management of the
buildings will permit. a narrow belt
of trees, at least, will be desirable.
1t has been found species most
suitable for windbreaks and shelter
belts are green ash, boxeider, com
mon cottonwood, ~lanceleaf cotton
wood, Russian wild olive, jack pine,
white spruce, white elm, hackber-
ry, Balm of Gilead, almondleaf viii
low, western yellow pine, Rocky
Mountain juniper, and blue spruce.
Next to protection, the most i'm
portant reason for tree planting is
the need of local fuel supplies. The
species which are best suited for
fuel production in this region are
the cottonwoods, aspen, and willow,
since they will produce the greatest
quantity of wood in weight per acre,
in the least time. For fence posts,
the planting of green ash, diamond
willow, common cottonwood, Rus
sian olive, Rocky Mountain juniper,
and western yellow pine is recon-
mended. Green ash and bur oak fur
nish material valuable for farm re-
pairs.
Settlers on irrigated lands in this
region who wish advise on the selec-
ton of species and methods of carry
ing on tree planting may obtain it
by writing to the Forester, Forest
Service, Washington, D. G. re-
quests for advice should contain in
formation concerning the character
of the soil, the purpose for which
planting is to be done, and other de-
tails which might assist in making
tho rpn1v n ho1pf,l ~ ,o.,:L1. ~