The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-08-07

where this could not be found; seek
ing and occupying certain kinds Of
soil and demanding certain amounts
of moisture and avoiding situations
where these were wanting.
The latest authorities go so far as
to declare that trees cannot be ac-
climatized: that is. that even the
ingenuity and perseverance of man
are unable to induce trees to change
their habits far enough to adopt a
country not closely like their native
habitat. For time the forester
may use various devices to surround
a tree with artificial conditions by
which, so to speak, the tree is de-
luded into feeling at home. But as
soon as the forester's care is with
drawn in such cases, thetree is seized
with homesickness and dies of it.
This fastidiousness in the habits
of trees has its good and it's bad
sides. 1t absolutely limits the for
est's choice Of trees to grow in
given region. To seek to force tree
growth in uncongenial conditions is
entirely fruitless. But, on the other
hand, there is practical certainty of
results. If beech or spruce thrives
where the average warmth and
moisture of the growing season
from year to year ranges between
certain degrees, then wherever else,
in the northern hemisphere at least,
the same average is found, the for
ester may plant beech or spruce,
whether or not they be not already
there, with confidence that they will
flourish.
The same law works both ways.
If the forester finds beech or spruce
or any other tree growing in a re-
gion Of which the climatic conditions
are not recorded, he knows within
very narrow limits what the climate
is, simply because he knows that at
home this tree grows in such a
climate. In other words, trees, espe-
cially of course those which are
particularly fastidious, are very sat-
isfactory substitutes for thermom-
eters and barometers so far as the
average temperature and moisture
conditions during the vegetative sea-
son are concerned.
There is close relation between
trees demands upon temperature
and it's demands upon soil. Given
the proper temperature, it will grow
where the soil is unfriendly; and
given the most congenial soil, it will
grow where the temperature is not
ideal. The colder and wetter the
soil, the better will it grow with
relatively low temperature. Thus,
on northern slope the forester will
often find it safe to plant trees
which would not thrive on the south
ern slope of the same mountain, be-
cause northern slopes are cooler and
moister than southern ones, and
this difference may suffice to offset
slight disadvantage in the general
temperature Of the region.
Frequently trees are distributed
over country not continuously but
in isolated groups, like black hem
lock, which occurs in the Sierras, in
the Cascades, and at sea level in
Alaska but not in the lower country
between. This is simply because the
required temperature, though prev
alent in the northern part of a re-
gion, is found only in the higher
attitudes as one goes farther and
farther to the south.
The forester, following these broad
first principles Of silviculture, may
work in harmony with nature and
so achieve in every locality the best
results with the lowest percentage
of fa;l,ro