The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1927-05-06
Growing Trees and Shrubs in Sheridan COUNTY


can be set in a bucket OF water or
the roots kept moist in some other
way till each tree is set in the hole
made ready for it.
The tree should be set just a trifle
deeper than it grew before. If one
plants much deeper the tree is weak
ened and may eventually die. A part
of the hole should be filled with
soil well worked in among the roots.
This should be well packed then the
rest of the hole should be filled.
working the soil around the roots as
carefully as before, taking pains also
to keep the side roots in their ma
tural, somewhat horizontal position.
When the hole is full pack the soil
firmly, tramping it as hard as pos
sible with the feet, being careful not
to step close to the stem of the tree
as that might break some of the
roots off. If the soil is moist, draw
some loose earth or litter over the
packed surface, prune off from one
third to one half of the trees top
and leave it. If the soil in which
you plant is dry, then water liber-
ally, with soft water, after firming,
and put on the mulch after the water
has soaked away, or a quantity of
water may be poured into the hole
and allowed to soak away before the
tree is planted.
CULTIVATION
Planting should be followed by
cultivation at intervals frequent
enough to keep down the weeds and
keep the surface loose to conserve
the moisture In ordinary seasons no
other care is likely to be needed, but
in case of protracted drought newly
set trees would be benefited by
watering if the water is applied so
that it reaches the roots and is not
merely poured on top of the ground,
and provided further that pure soft
water is used. Early in August Gull
tivation or further watering should
cease. From this time on the tree
should be maturing it's wood so that
1t may pass unframed through the
winter. The crop of weeds which
is likely to come at this time may
not please the eye but is more help
full than harmful to the trees. 1t
assists in checking the trees late
growth and in winter tends to dinin-
iSh the thawing and consequent
freezing of the ground.
HARDY VARIETIES
The trees which have been thus
carefully prepared for, planted and
cared for, would still fail to produce
desirable results if varieties hardy
in our climate had not been chosen.
1t is self evident fact that no har-
der varieties can be found than
those native to our own county.
These are quite numerous. We have
the Cottonwood, Balm of Gilead, Ma
tive Poplar, or Quivering Aspen,
Elm, Ash, Boxelder and Willow of
the larger trees. Of the smaller
trees and shrubs we have Choke
Cherries, Pin Cherries, Buffalo Ber-
ries, June Berries, Hawthorn. Dog
wood Silver Berries, Raspberries.
GOoseberTies Currents, of several va
rieties, an Evergreen Juniper Bush
and Roses. We have also the Viz
ginia Creeper OF WoOdbine and
creeping evergreen known locally as
the Creeping Cedar. With these ma
tive varieties most of us are familiar
and description here is unneces-
sary.
Imagine the pleasing results that
could be be obtained by using the
larger native trees for shade and
shelterbelt or windbreak and the
shrubs for hedges or ornamental
group paintings. Choke Cherries,
Pin Cherries, Buffalo Berries, tail
June, Hawthorn and Towering cur
rants all make beautiful hedges or
groups, and all produce valuable
fruit, The Silver Berry with its
silver colored leaves and intensely
fragrant blossoms and the Dogwood
with its conSpicuously red bark can
be used effectively as onamentals.
The Virginia Creeper is rapid grow
er and makes an effective showing
where vine is desired.
Many trees other than natives are
advertised by nurSerymen as good
for the northwest. Some of these we
have tried out here and can give a
report on results. The Norway Pop
lar has done well here the past eight
years but other growers in the coun-
ty say theirs have died after grow
ing few years. The Northwest or
Canadian Poplar is a native of cen