The Dickinson press., 1913-07-05

range, Oel0S 1OuQO naClVe from west
ern Ontario to Medicine Hat, in East.
ern Alberta. 1t seems hardy through
out the prairie districts Of Saskatche-
wan and Alberta, although in the
southwest portion of Alberta it is
claimed by some that it cannot be re-
lied upon. Probably the warm Chinook
winds occurring in the winter affect
1t adversely in certain season. How
ever, good healthy specimens growing
at Calgary, Lethbrfdge, Macleod,
Cardston and elsewhere in this district
would indicate that the tree is sufn.
GENTLY hardy to entitle is to a place in
the list of those varieties suitable for
planting in that region.
From the results of the plantations
set out from 1901 to 1906. it would
seem that after all the box elder, al
though successful in certain cases,
does notion the whole e as suit
able for general planting west of Swift
Current as other varieties, such as the
ash, elm, Russian poplar.
In it's native state it is generally
found growing in river or creek bot
toms, or on rich moist soil. In Mani
toba it attains a height Of from forty
to fifty feet, and reaches a diameter
Of from sixteen to twenty inches. It is
naturally Of q very branchy, irregular
habit Of growth, the main trunk Ovid
ing into two or more stems either at
n a few feet above the ground.
Uses.-The present value Of this
tree has in the west is for windbreaks.
as it grows rapidly and branches pro
fusely. 1t is exceptionally easy to
propagate and transplant, and will
adapt itself to a great variety Of con-
ditions. 1t will stand considerable
drought on the high prairies, but on
very wet or very dry soil growth is
much slower, and consequently, this
tree should never be planted in such
places, except perhaps to fill up q
plantation composed Of more suitable
varieties.
Owing to it's extreme hardness and
wide range, the box elder will prove
one of the most valuable trees In for
est plantation throughout the west
In the capacity Of a nurse to other
more tender and desirable kinds. It
Is q moderate shade bearer, and would
help to form a good soil cover, planted
in mixture with. such trees as ash,
cottonwood and other light-demanding
varieties. From the fact that it IL
easy to propagate and obtain young
Seeding Of this box elder, it has been
very widely used through the west fol
avenue and street planting. 1t is not
however, especially adapted for this
purpose, al 1t requires a great amount
Of pruning and care to bring into q
proper form and keep the top from be
coming straggly and heavy. As an
avenue tree it suffers considerably
from heavy winds and early snowfalls
and the trunk Is frequently damaged
by sun scald, which causes the barb
to crack on the south or southwest
side, making an unsightly scar and
laying the inner wood open to the at
tacks of fungi, which sooner or later
will cause the decay Of the stem.
It leafs out very early in the spring
which is one point in its favor, but
with the exception Of the ash, I" is the
first tree to lose it foliage In the fall
The wood Of the box elder Is hare
and close-grained. 1t makes excellen1
fuel. and II properly peeled and sea
soned should last we'll as a fence post
Propaaation.-The box elder is pro
pagated only by seed. Large crops o.
good seed are borne after the tree
reaches the age Of about eight years
and are produced almost every year
Seed is borne only on the pistillate Of
female tree; the starminate or male
tree does not bear seed. The seek
ripens, according to the season, from
the end Of September to the middle
Of November, and should be picked
after the first heavy fall frost, which
causes many of the leaves to drop OIL
thus making the collection Of tn