The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-02-13
building Of homes IN a region long
regarded as worthless; the reclama-|
ton service at Washington, D. c., is
receiving the hearty cooperation of
the press Of the entire country.
NORWAY POPLAR.
BY e. G. cheyney, Division of
Forestry, Minnesota Univer-
sity Farm.

j. /. /. + !. + J. !. !. !. ]. !. !. !. :. !.
The Norway Poplar is valuable
tree in it's proper place.: but, like most
good things, it is likely to be overrated
and misused. This has happened In
the case of several other we'll known
species, and has brought discredit up.
on them where the fault was with the
ignorance and lack of Judgment Of
those handling them. ~-.
Every species has range of region
in which it makes it's best growth and
reaches its best development. In some
cases, as with the Catalpa, the Chest.
nut and the Norway Poplar, this
growth in it's native district is remark.
ably rapid, and wonderful results are
obtained. These results attract the at,
tention of people in other districts,
and they naturally want the benefits
of them. The magnitude of the posi-.
BILE results overshadows everything
else, and they forget that the natural
u,
and it's success in a new district
doubtful. Inscriptions dealers do
not hesitate to exaggerate it's won.
ders, and claim it's hardness in dis
tricts where they know it's success IS
next to. impossible. About the best
example of this is the hardy Catalpa.
Its natural range is in Indiana, yet it
is being sold in Northwestern Canada,
where it is practically a complete fail.
ure. -
The facts In the case of the Norway
Poplar are these: 1t is probably a
form of the staminate cottonwood; but
Its origin and exact classification are
unknown. 1t was introduced some
years ago into Southern Minnesota and
Nebraska, where it made remarka bly,
rapid growth. One fence-row, located
in rich soil in a moist location, and
the trees planted one rod apart, at.
tanned maximum diameter of sixteen
inches, and an average height of fifty.
five feet, in ten years. The form of
the tree was very good, and the wood
of better quality than that of the
common Cottonwood or the Carolina
Poplar. ~
This remarkable performance Ger.
tainly was worthy of attention, and no
sooner was the news of it noised
abroad than the demand for cuttings
far surpassed the supply. The dan.
ger then was that the tree would be
carried beyond its range, large
amounts OF money be expended in
planting, and failure result
The tree is certainly worth trying
throughout the state, especially in the
prairie district; but these paintings
should be started on a small scale.
With the present demand for cuttings,
the price is very high. A small plan.
tation will test the hardness of the
new location in few years; and, il
successful, will furnish cheap cuttings
for further planting. This is the only
safe method anywhere north of St
Paul or on the open .prairies.
The plantation, once established,
should be very carefully thinned to
obtain the best results; as the species
demands plenty of light, and grows
but slowly in dense plantations. There
are number of plantations which are
old enough to furnish valuable data,
but they have never been thinned, and
the growth is of no value in determin.
ing the possibilities of the species.
The Norway Poplar deserves to be
tried out extensively, but in small
plantations and cautiously.