Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-03-11
THE VALUE OF TREES
ON THE PRAIRIE
BY Prof. rhcs. Shaw in the Dakota Farmer:

1T IS not easy TO estimate tne Iult
value of trees OH the prairie: in fact
it is scarcely possible to do SO. The
factors that bear upon this question
are many and in some respects they
are interminable, for their exact
measure cannot be taken. 1t may be
possible to reduce to dollars and cents
the value of trees grown and turned
into lumber, or of trees grown and
made into fence posts, but it is not
possible to take the exact measure OF
the value OF the shelter which they
furnish to the homes, or OF the brne-
tit which comes from the protection
which they give to the fruit trees and
fruits in areas which are encircleu bv
trees. Nor is it possible to know just
exactly how much benefit comes from
the birds that they provide homes
for.
The value of trees for lumber under
praire conditions is not well under
stood. The plantations put out for
that urpose have been few. The in
stances in which they have been har-
vested for lumber have been fewer
still. But there are a few instances
OH record i'll which cottonwood trees
made into lumber have in Is to 80
years made 50 much growth that the
lumber obtained from them was found
to be worth more than the value of
all bthe wheat or grain that could
have been obtained from the land,
had these been grown on it for sue
cessive years during the entire period
in when it was occupied by the trees.
In addition considerable wood was
also obtained.
The protection furnished the home
has OF course an exceeding value
though it cannot be measured in
dollars and cents. Comfort III life is
worth more than money without
Z, comfort. The value OF comfort can
not easily be measured, it is SO high.
Think Of the difference in comfort OF
man whose home is encircled with
trees through which the storm cannot
break or through which the cold. cut
ting, fierce, cruel winds cannot blow.
Think of the difference which 1t
| makes to the animals that are pro-
tected from it's full sweep. There is
something enabling and commanding
in the thought that man may thus
harness the silent f. rces of nature to
effectively curb the fury Of the forces
that are bOisterOus. Life must be
shorn of many of it's charms when
the inmates Of home have no pro-
lection from the fury of the winter
winds.
The value of trees in protecting
fruit is very great. In some instances
it means the difference between sue
! cess and failure in growing fruits.
Apple trees for instance will fail to
grow in places unprotected where
they will grow well under protection.
Even though the trees should grow
and thrive and bear in places where
the wind is strong the fruit in such
exposures would be whipped off the
trees. There are places where rasp-
berries will not prove satisfactory. as
where the strong sunshine in the
spring is not kept away from them by
the shade of trees. There are many
areas where Strawberries unprotected
will not set runners properly. because
OF the action of the winds. When
the protection is furnished there is of
course, no trouble from this source.
That birds will increase as groves
increase is fOregone conclusion.
That they should increase is greatly
to be desired. The increase Of birds
means corresponding decrease OF
insect pests. Could the increase OF
birds be made sufficient, they could
take care of the insects. or at least
many species of them, that harm the
farmer. These enliven the groves
with their song. They are the friends
of the farmer and he ought to give
them every chance.
There are other benefits that come
from the trees. They furnish shade
for live stock when the groves are
properly planted. This in itself is Il
might consideration when mid-sum
mer suns wax warm. They check
the force Of the wind in summer an,
because of this they exercise salu
tary influence on crop production be
cause of the extent to which the,
check evaporation. When one con
siders the many benefits that tree,
bring to him who plants them on tin
prairie it is surprising that they ar,
not planted by every resident wht
owns a farm.
thousands OF homes are going to b,
planted on the prairies the comm: