The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-04-14

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; In the consideration of plans fo1
the planting of streetsides, parks ant
gardens it is necessary always to give
attention to certain factors; among
the most important Of which are, thu
effect to be desired to be accomplish
! ed, the restrictions imposed by eli
mate, soil, and other physical condi
tions. As to effects desired tastes
differ. Some prefer to have highl!
artificial and forced effects, whether
of the stiffcst and most rigid con
ventionality in material and design
or, on the other hand the most ano
malous, the most unusual and bizarre
! Some may like to have indjvidua
trees and plants which depart from
the normal, such as willows, birches
or other trees of the so-called weep.
ing habit, and other freakish feat
ures; or they may go even further ir
satisfaction of their desire for the
strange and unusual by pruning ane
trimming and training Of individua
trees into grotesque and unnatura
forms, as is sometimes done with
evergrcens, such as cedar, sprunces ano
pine, making them into distorted ane
mcanny objects.
Must Avoid Artificial '
, Others prefer their gardens. tc
have the refreshing and restful anc
spontaneously joyful effect Of norma
natural growth. The rigidily formaI
and conventional and highly officia
garden can never give it's beholder the
refrehing and restful feeling which
he would gain from viewing a garden
of naturalistic design. The first con-
stantly suggests the labored plan of
it's designer and the restraint and
compulsion in which it is bound. The
second expresses, and so gives the ef-
feet Of, spontaneity, freedom, and
play.
The species used for planting may
be either wholly Indigenous, wholly
exotic, or partly native and partly
foreign. The latter composition is
very much the more usual one. But
when introduced species are used fol
planting they must come from a reg
ion Of similar climatic and soil con.
ditions as the one into which they are
introduced, otherwise they can never
succeed. Wherefore species intro
duced into North Dakota from the
milder and more humid climate Of the
states southeast Of this, or from the
milder parts Of Europe can not thrive
here. Species from the rigorous eli
mate of the plains Of Russia and ST.
IBERIA succeed here because they find
here climatic conditions to
those of the / regions where
they are indigenous. But why
should our native species be
supplanted by othe rspecies Of similar
requirements from Siberia? Why not
plant. or own? For instance there is
the so-calcd Russian olive, a species
of Eleagnus. But we have native
Eleagnus in North Dakota, the sill
ver-borry. Then why not use our
own E]eagnus, the silvcr-berry, for
planting instead of the Russian one ?
Also the Russian poplar is often
planted here. But why plant the Rus
sian? Why not plant our own cot
tonwood? In my opinion there is no
good reason for planting the Russian
cottonwood mere instead OF our own.
Many Native Species
As with trees and shrubs, so also
with vines and towering plants.
North Dakota possesses many native
species Of flowers Of peculiar charm
and beauty, unsurpassed by the flow.
crs indigenous to any other region OF
similar climatic conditions.
The plan of planting native trees,
shrubs and vines and flowers is de-
sirable from several considerations
1t will help to preserve from total
determination some native specie.
which are in real danger Of being ex-
ti,pated by the plow and by the ex-
ccss.vely close grazing by cattle and
sheep, or by the wanton destruction
and rampant ravaging from ungov-
erned and senseless plucking by ruth
less human beings. From this cause
it will be observed that already none
or vc"y few Of our native flowers, es-
pocal!y the most beautiful and most
prized species, are to be found any
where in walking distance of any
town. And now the automobile has
greatly extended the ravages Of those
who seem pervinactiously betn on the
utter destruction and desolation of all
our native flowers. They seem reso-
lutely determined to let none escape
alive to perpetuatc their kind, but
seek to snatch and destroy all they
can find. TO see such persons gath
ering the wild flowers in the quanti-
ties which they do one might suppose
they were gathering them not as flow
ers, but as fodder for cows. Such
quantity gathering is not from love
and appreciation Of beauty, but from
the inherent character Of acquisitlve-
ness and greed in the person so doing
Planting and cultivating native ope-
cies will serve science by providing
living material for scientific study OF
plants in their native habitat .
Native Vegetation Best
The aesthetic sense also would DC
served by this plan, for plants are
most beautiful when growing in theil
natural habitat in complete accor'
with their environment. Native vege
tation: planted according to natura
situation will give an effect of har
mony with its environment, whereas
exotics, however beautiful they may
be in themselves, and situated in theil
proper home surroundings, would bu
appear like homesick and lonely cap
tives in an alien situation. They
would make manifest the disharmon!
of their unhappy environment.
Native vegetation is already inuret
to the climate, hence has the advant