American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-12-14
TREES OF THE sEMI-ARD REGION
y. X. Parsons Tells What Can BE Done
With the Native Species.

with the Native species.
Many years ago when the writer
settled In the dry country all the farm
ing IA done by irrigation and people
generally had no Idea that anything
could be raised without II. There
we're some. however, who. being close
observers. arrived at a different con
eiusion. based on the fact that there
rere many feed grasses and clovers
growing Wild. trees OF the hills, wild
fruit In the valleys and some years
! sven hay on the uplandE.
wherever plants grow Wild In a
state Of nature II is an even bet that
they viii grow twice a. we'll under
cultivation.
The ultimate test OF soil IL not
analysis. hut what u viii produce.
The best record Of precipitation TO
The man who can read natures Sc
arets Is not The weather statistics.
but the native vegetation on the hills.
where the saKebrusb grows Ia pro-
fusion. crops viii do the same. Where
the pinon aud ~chokccherry flourish
orchards can be raised.
Years ago many we're afraid 10 plant
trees: but surely their fears we're un-
founded. when almost all the yellow
pine lumber which was used IN the
building Of Denver vas secured from
the foothills and the divide country.
where the precipitation Is seldom
much over rs inches.
OF all the trees which grow In the
vest. the blue ribbon for drouth re-
sistance should be given 10 the pinOn
nine and the juniper. In southern
Colorado and the Western slopes these
rot only groV Ia the hills where moth
lng else viii grow. but even invade
the plains and deserts. holding their
own with the sagebruah Ia places
where the precipitation Is az low az
3 q 10 inches.
on The eastern slope In he foothills.
Nest OF Denver. occasionally On tho
divide and also in the Pixies Peak
National Forest the juniper Is found
growing here and there aingly, In out
of-the-Way corners and. under an IS
mch precipitation. makes a handsome
tree or bush from 10 q 20 feet high
m the wild state. It's companion on
ne western slope. the pinon pine.
sears edible nuts and II OF value for
arewood. but Is not used 90 any eX-
VIM NRA NfAWNANANW NAN N"N"'" w -
lumber. nut the Juniper when Guilt
waited IL not only a handsome garden
shrub but may be planted close. and
N a feS years viii provide a beautiful
hedgc which may be trained 20 almost
any shape and kept clipped like the
cypress hedges Of California.
Juniper Holds It's Color.
II Is often called the white cedar
and IN summer Is much like ~ broth
or. the little red cedar OF the low
mountains and foothills. but while the
latter turns brown In winter. the juni-
per holds ia bright green color thru
cut the year. Either OF these. how
ever. Is easily raised In any garden
sith ordinary cultivation without
watering.
A tree which H. valuable both for
ornamental and economic purposes ID
the Douglas or. which. together with
the yellow pine. u found on the divide
fhe foothills and the low rangcs. Thii
nee Is not quite such a strudy drouti
r~esister as the juniper. but viii dc
very well under cultivation on a "a
mch precipitation. Il Is also called
fhe Douglas spruce and Is known 10.
sAiiy a. the red spruce. Il supplies
valuable lumber Tor joints. rafters ant
tWo-by -foura A. a dry farm tree
there Is none better for windhreaks
avenue purposes. or as an ornament
lee the garden. or around the houae
n planted In rows and cultivated th'
Douglas mr. when IN established MAJ
grow two feet ln a season. and beini
ar evergreen Is always pa the job al
a windbrcak. catching huge anowdrifii
in winter. which materially increases
a. moisture supply.
The blue or silver spruce. the STATE
tree OF Colorado. o. the most beautiful
81 all for decorative pug -
nay be- seen tn almost
Farden. II requires about
precipitation as the Douglaj hdt1f
not quite 30 hardy Or 30 fa grower
The young trees 90 both fTese yarie
ties are found growing almost ans
nhere La the los ranges and mxYVb0
easily transplauted when less Thar
TAO feet Ia height.