Omaha daily bee., 1916-07-09
BY EUNICE HASKINS.

BY EUNICE HASK1NS.
Forest culture is an art. Nebraska
has state forestration commission to
look after her forests. Originally three
separate areas OF land were Withdrawn
from the public domain. and under
proclamation issued by President
Roosevelt, they were designated as
the Nebraska forest reserves, to be
devoted to the work of afforestation.
"Afforestation" means the act of turn.
ing ground into forest or woodland.
This was done by the first Norman
kings in England to afford them the
pleasures of the chase.
The conception of afforestation for
Nebraska, and its fulfillment, is due
to the late Dr.. Bessey of the state uni
yersity. 1t was through the efforts of
Or. Bessey that the first work of af-
torestation with coniferous trees was
done in the sand hills of Nebraska. By
"coniferous" is meant those trees that
bear cones, as the pine and fir. This
FIRST experiment of planting confer
GUS trees was in Holt county on land
belonging to Prof. Bruner of the state
university, who last year was desig-
mated Nebraska's most distinguished
citizen. This first experiment was so
successful that Dr.. Bessey urged upon
the federal government the adoption
OF a forestry policy for the state Of
Nebraska.
Consequently three areas were set
aside for afforestation. These areas
became known as the Platte, the Dis.
NAL or Loup, and the Niobrara diyis-
ions of the Nebraska National forest
reserve. The Platte division was loca-
ted in Grant and Mcpherson counties
and contained $4,000 acres; the Dis
NAL or Loup division was located in
Blaine and Thomas counties and con-
tanned $1,000 acres; the Niobrara was
located in Cherry county and con-
tanned $4,000 acres.
In 1908 a nursery was established
in the Dismal or Loup division on
the south bank OF the Middle Loup
river, mile and half west of Hal
sey, on the Burlington railroad. This
became known as the Halsey reserve
or division, and is now known as the
Bessey, in honor Of Dr.. Bessey, who
was at the head of the department
of botany and forestry at the state
university at the time Of his death,
This nursery now has a capacity OF
] 100000 plants annually and approx.
mately 100000 of these plants are dis
tributed free, upon request, to settlers
in western Nebraska. In the. sand
hills, $500 acres have been planted.
In a great measure this work was
a novel departure in so far as the
United States was CONCERNED, and the
forest service had not had the benefit.
OF previous experience with similar
conditions to guide it in its work.
Owing to climatic and soil conditions,
the available species Of trees for plant.
ing had to be tested out.
To make afforestation in the sand
hills success, the bureau Of forestry
realized that the results obtained must
be upon commercial basis-it would
have to be conclusively demonstrated
that trees could be grown into tim
Der to net profit. /
a A new government nursery has
been started in Cherry county, south
of Wenzel, and the original name
of Niobrara has been changed to Nor.
ton, in recognition OF the services of
the late J. Sterling Morton. of Ne
braska City to forestry and conserva-1
ton. The first seeds were planted this
year. The Morton nursery will have
a capacity of 100000 trees = year..
The Platte division was eventually
opened to settlement, as soil sur
vey showed a large percentage of it |
to be classified as agricultural land.
Seventy acres covers the total expert
mental work ever done upon the
Platte division, and less than Is per
cent Of this acreage was planted to
hardwood stock, the balance was in
pines, and two or three years ago
when a count was made, it showed
more than rs per cent Of the trees to
be alive. So successful has been the
work Of afforestation in Nebraska
that the federal government now feels
warranted in undertaking similar |
work upon its sand land in Minnesota,
and Michigan. The rec
ords of the forestry bureau show a |
greater annual growth than anything |
of which the bureau of forestry has
a record of in the Rocky mountain |
region--this, Of course, comparing |
similar species.
Beginning with the 1915 planting |
of trees, three-year-old Seeding trees
were used. These seeding trees were
obtained from the seed cones pro-
duced from the first trees planted.
A soil surveyor the Platte division
showed large percentage of it to be
classified as agricultural land, and in
consequence it was thrown open to
settlement. Experts who have seen
practically all planting done by the
forest service throughout the national
forest regions in the United States
pronounce the Nebraska forest to be
the most successful and promising in
the United States, and congress has
increased the appropriation available
for forest work in Nebraska, which
allowed for the establishment of a
second nursery in the state. The Ne
braska legislature also appropriates
a sum of money for the work OF the
State Forestation commission.
In 1910, substation for experiment
tai agriculture was established at VAL
entine, Cherry county, and there
about 1000 trees have ben planted in
sand hills. This number is made
up of cottnnwoods, Norway pop
lars, box elders, honey locusts, black
locusts, American elms, green ash,
hardy catalpas, Russian olives, few
cedars, and about 500 rock pines and