The Dickinson press., 1910-09-24
NORTH DAKOTA TREE RAISING
Greatest Difficulty Growers Arc Com.
PEELED to Contend With 10 Small
Amount Of Moisture.

by PROF. G. B. wALDRON.)
tsynoRsis Of Talk on Northern Pacific
The difficulties that the tree grow.
ers In western North Dakota have to
contend with can be summed up in,
the one phrase. lack Of moisture. The,
distribution of forests depends almost
wholly upon the supply of moisture in.
the soil. Ordinary forest trees are
supposed to require an annual rainfall
Of about 20 inches to make a satisfac-
tory growth and a rapid growth re-
quires even a considerably larger
amount. This would seem to indicate
that tree growing could never be suc-
cessfully carried on in regions like
that found In western North Dakota.
Fortunately, however, there are meth
OBS OF conserving the soil moisture SO
that a rainfall less than 20 inches
Will make a good tree growth If the
right kinds Of trees are selected.
Their are trees like the maple and
Eastwood which give of from the
leaves a large amount of moisture and
these can only be grown where the
water supply is abundant and unfail.
Ing. On the other hand We find trees
particularly in the drier regions whose
leaf structure Is such that they give
on a relatively small amount Of mois-
ture. These are the trees that must
eventually go to make up our tree
plantation In the western part of the
state. The most notable example Of
this type of trees is the western vel.
low or bull pine, known also as the
ponderosa pine. This has the distinc-
tion Of being the only pine tree that
grows wild in North Dakota. In the
southwestern part Of the state there
are six specimens that have attained
the height Of 70 feet and a diameter
OF 2k feet. This is the tree that
grows so extensively over the state Of
Montana, where it is known as the
valuable native timber tree. It
is also the tree which the government
has planted 80 extensively on the
western plains during the last ten
years. Its rate Of growth depends on
the moisture, but with a fairly moist
soil 1t will make a growth from one
to two feet each year. In starting
this tree it is necessary to begin with
plants not more than a foot in height
mol more than four years old. The
government uses chiefly three-yearold
"t%ransplants." These are plants which
have been grown two years in a seed
bed and n year in a nursery row.
They have a small top but usually a
large fibrous root. These should be
set about six feet apart each way in
soil which has been we'll prepared.
They should be set in the latter part
of May or just as the new growth is
beginning.
1t is very good practise to shade the
young trees for the first year, or until
the roots get a good hold of the soil.
This may be done by pressing pieces
of burlap over stakes that are driven
close to the tree. To prevent the es-
cape of moisture from the soil it
should be covered as soon as the trees
are planted with three or four inches.
Of half rotted straw or chat. In cases
where this Is not possible the land
must be kept constantly cultivated. It
Is poor practise to leave the ground
bare during the winter, and that is
one Of the strongest reasons for keep
Ing a mulch about the trees. It Is also
a good plan to grow a strip of corn
on the north side of the trees, as this
aids in holding the snow about them
during the winter. The corr is, Of
course, left standing. After the trees
once get their roots down to a depth
of one or two feet so that they can
keep themselves, supplied with as
much moisture as is e%vaporated from
the leaves they require no more atten-
ton than an ordinary tree. While
most of the broad leaved trees require
nor moisture than the bullpine, still
there are a few that will grow under
dry conditions. The most valuable Of
these is the native or green ash which
Is found growing wild wherever tim,
Der Is found In North Dakota. It is
not a rapid grower, but under fair con-
ditions makes a growth of something
over a foot each year and this growth
Is continued for a long period. These
trees may be set two by eight feet
apart and given such mulching and
cultivation as will keep the soil mel
low and moist. Another tree which is
grown largely for wind breaks in west
ern Nebraska and which will endure
cold, drought and alkali soil is the
Russian wild olive. This rarely at
tains a height of more than thirty or
forty feet and is used chiefly for wind
breaks.
After any of the trees attain a suf-
dcient size so that they shade the
ground they will require but little
further attention, although it is an
excellent plan to keep the ground
mulched with oldstraw as long as n
retains any interest In his trees.
Poultry In New Jersey.
Out Of less than $4,000 farms in