The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-05-08
How to Grow Trees {
In N. 0. IS Told

planting of trees around school houses
written by L. S. Kneeland for the
School Bulletin, issued by County Sup
erintendent Beatrice tombstone of
Grand Forks will be of interest.
The above is not the title to some
NEW work of fiction, although persons
familiar with prevailing conditions
around school houses, might be par
doned for indulglng in a smile. on
reading 1t, taking it for a bit of
pleasantly rather than anything
serious ..
That trees can be grown, almost
anywhere in North Dakota, has been
demonstrated: the reason our school
houses are not already surrounded by
beautiful groves, is not the fault Of
the climate, we must look further for
the reason, and l fear we shall md
a striking exemplifcation Of the old
adage, What is everybody's business
! is nobody's business"
To tell how trees may be success
fully grown is comparatively easy
but to awaken public interest to the
desirability, from financial, as we'll
as an artistic standpoint, of planting
groves not only around school houses.
but around homes, farms and in all
low or rough places, that cannot be
cult waited we'll, is far more difficult.
BY planting row of trees, even 1t
sixteen feet apart, around every quar-
ter section of land in our county,
would l believe, have a wonderful
effect, for the better, on our climatic
conditions in fifteen years. But, as l
undertook to tell how to grow trees,
not how to awaken public sentiment
along this line, l will proceed with
my story.
Many varieties of trees may be
grown successfully, in North Dakota.
but, conditions that trees planted
around school houses are liable to
have to contend with, make the list
of eligibles for that purpose, very
short.
From it's extreme hardness and
ability to stand neglect and even
abuse, and thrive, fairly we'll, place
the cottonwood at the head Of my list
Equally hardy, after becoming es
tablished, but more difficult to es
tablish and requiring more attention
to produce the best results is the box
elder. BY planting these trees thirt!
feet apart, cultivating and trimming
for five years, very fine, medium
sized, shade tree may be produced
Planted four feet apart, each way o.
four by six feet, and cultivating unit
they shade the ground so Vegetation
will not thrive under them, the,
make very good hedge and wind
brake.
The white ash Commonly calico
green ash by nurserymen )is yer!
hardy tree, and, given good care, viii
grow almost as fast as the box elder
and, when grown, is the best of ou
native trees for fuel. Both the DO!
elder and the white ash, when plante,
some distance apart and neglected
allowing the grass to grow aroun'
them, become dwarfed ''scrubby
and unsightly. Mulch and cultivate
we'll, three years with close plantin,
and five years for distance planting
The former will make fine wind
brake, the latter, fine shade trees, !
planted sufficiently far apart, tina
they have room to develop, withou
the interference of their neighbors. 4
very common error is planting tel
twelve or sixteen feet apart. This II
80 close that the tops Of thrifty tree!
will interlock in ten or twelve years
and you have neither wind brake
or fine shade trees. Certain portion!
of the city of Grand Forks offer
practical demonstration of the resul
of planting too close. The tops inter
lock and the trees have become
crooked, deformed and unsightly.
For hedge or nd,break the com
mon gray willow sometimes called
white willow is very reliable, cheal
easily established and rapid grower
These may be planted eighteen inche!
to two feet apart, if small plants are
used and, if the tops are over tifteer
Inches long, cut them back to thai
or shorter. Cuttings may be used t.
good advantage, in a fairly moist sea
son. If cuttings are used, make then
about eighteen inches long and ir
size, from the size of a lead pencil tt
|three.fourths of all inch in diameter
Set them ten to twelve inches in the
ground, using an iron rod Or sharp
ened hardwood stick to make holes
l IN tho ground On tho and IF the c,lf