The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-11-18
Free Trees For
North Dakotans

lished in connection with the State
School Of Forestry. The school was
required to set apart at least 10 acres
of land to be used in the growing Of
forest tree seeds, seedlings, and cut
tings for distribution to the land own
ers of the state free of all expense, ex-
cept that of transportation. AS o
as possible, the school of forestry
started the planting of forest tree
seeds, and as a result, in the spring Of
1914, about $4,000 seedlings and cut
tings were sent out to the land own
ers of the state. In 1915, about 1885,
600 and for 1916, there are available
nearly 1000 1000, most Of which will
probably be distributed. That this is
not a local proposition, but is state
wide, is seen by the fact that in 1914
trees went to twenty-five counties,
in 1915 into thirty-seven counties and
it seems safe to say that in 1916 trees
will be sent to every n of the fifty
two counties in the state.
All that is required by the state,
is that the soil must be properly pre-
pared, the trees carefully planted, and
that they shall be carefully and pro-
perly protected afterwards. Applica-
tions for cuttings must be in not
later than December LIST. if they are
wished for planting the following
year.
AS a part of the extension service of
the school, experts will be sent out
to assist in the planting of trees
wherever there is sufficient demand.
In this case, the cost Of the service
must be borne by the land owner.
Several applications are in for this
service in the spring of 1916.
Considerable demand has been plac-
ed upon the school for the prepara-
ton of plans for landscaping of city
lots, school grounds, cemeteries, city
parks and farmsteads. This service
is given free of cost. In many cases,
information is desired as to how to
overcome mistakes that were made in
the earlier planting. In sending for
landscaping plats, the location of all
permanent buildings WELLS, fences,
previous tree plaa+ings, the location Of
g, tlots for stock, and tie general
lay of the land are advisable so that
advice suited to the particular locali-
ty can be given. Owners should also
express their own desires as far as
possible. The School of Forestry is
particularly anxious that school boards
and school teachers may avail them
selves, to the fullest possible extent,
of this service.
In the work of the school, special
attention is called to the training of
our young people in the methods of
arranging for wi%ndbreaks, shelter
belts and ornamental planting, also
in the consideration and determina-
ton of varities suited to their eli
mate, and to the various purposes. A
course in landscape gardening, land
scape engineering, and in city forest
ry, so arranged that students taking
this work may earn all of their ex-
penses by working in the school nurs-
cry. Classwork is given in the fore
noon and field work in the afternoon.
The school has a good greenhouse, so
that training in greenhouse work is
also open to the students. Provisin
is made so that students in the win
ter courses, by means of the green
may get actual training in grating,
o pollenation, and tree planting
when the work can be done outside.
The legislature Of 1915 desiring
that the tree distribution work should
be extended, made provision for the
purchase of 100 acres of additional
land. This is now in use, and during
the past summer, about S. acres have
been planted to tree seed. So far,
the demand for trees has exceeded the
supply. With this additional land, it
is thought that from s to 6 million of
trees can be ready for distribution
each year.
The effect of this continued plant
ing of trees upon the climatic condi-
tions of the state, will undoubtedly
be felt within a few years. 1t will take
a long time to approach the ideal
conditions, the authorities consider
that at least 10 to 20 per cent should
be given over to the raising of trees.
Careful tree planting will result in
increased crops, in increased COM
fort to man and beast, and will add
considerable to the general wealth of
u land owners.