The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-02-08

DIVERSIFIED FARMING IN
CONVENTION TO-DAY
Continued from page six.)
States. He said that in North Dakota
the only action taken by the govern
ment was the planting of a plantation
near MedOra where some forty-five
square miles has been reserved. But,
owing to the fact that the trees which
grow high class lumber are not native
IN North Dakota Prof. Waldron en-
pressed some doubt rs to whether the
government would further extend its
activities in this state. But the rail-
roads OF the country are taking action
IN the matter of demonstration and are
growing black locust and catalpa trees
IN large numbers Just to supply the
necessary ties for their use. Prof.
Waldron called attention to the fact
that should the entire state of North
dakota be turned into forest it would
just nicely supply the yearly demand
OF the railroads of the country for
ties.
:. The people of the United States are
heavy users Of lumber per capita. The
per capita demand in this country is
500 feet. In other words. the average
family in the United States requires
$500 feet of lumber In the coun-
tries of Europe the per capita con-
sumption of lumber is only tifty feet.
lie United States is reducing it's for
est capital at tremendous rate. Now
the lumber used in North Dakota
comes from Minnesota and Wisconsin.
At the present rate of cutting. how
ever, the forests in Minnesota and
Wisconsin will be gone at the end of
ten years. This fact illustrates in a
very striking manner the need of con-
servation.
Depletion Of the Wisconsin and
Minnesota lumber means that North
Dakota will have to send to the far
south and the far west for lumber.
IT Is a fact that certain grades of
Lumber cannot be shipped much more
than 200 miles owing to prohibitiye
cost This brings up the question.
can any kind of trees be raised to
an advantage in North Dakota?" The
question in other words is. whether
or not you farmers can add to the
value of your estate by growing trees
Prof Waldron frankly expressed his
opinion that the trees which yield the
more valuable kinds of lumber can
not be grown profitably in North Da-
kota. He said that it was fact that
the trees which produce the more
expensive and higher grade lumber
cannot be grown in North Dakota to
an advantage. The agricultural col
lege has experimental great deal
with both the black locust and the
catalpa trees and has not been sue
cessful with either. The growing of
trees then that will furnish lumber
Is almost impossible in this state. In
order to grow the finer grades of tim
Der there must be from twenty-five to
forty inches of rain, the more the
better.
Prof. Waldron mentioned the fact
that there are few groves of cot
tonwood trees in the state, one of
which to his personal knowledge had
been cut down and used for lumber
at good profit.
Prof. Waldron next spoke of the
despised poplar and pointed out how
this tree has proven of real value. He
called attention to one grove of which
he had personal knowledge, which
after eighteen years growth was due
up and yielded ninety cords of wood
Ehich netted So cord. In other
cords, the land an acre in area netted
che owner SIS year, which is a hand.
3ome profit.
Prof. Waldron then took up and
discussed at length the willow. the
Sim, the ash and other trees that can
be grown In this state. He called at.
sention to the fact that most people
plant the trees too close together
The way to grow trees and grow them
straight, not bushy, is to plant them
close together and later weed them
out as the circumstances require.
The speaker dealt considerably with
che growing of willows and pointed
out by facts and figures the profitable.
pess OF q grove Of ten acres of vii.
lows, which after maturity he said
would yield fifty cords of wood a year
In answer to question regarding the
evergreen, Prof. Waldron said that the
great difficulty with this tree was in
getting 1t started.
In closing he urged upon the farm.
er the value Of tree culture from q