The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-05-13

floods OF the lower Mississippi might have
been prevented if we had considered the
forests that were growing at the source
OF the river a decade ago. 1t behooves
us all to conserve the forests and pro-
tect them from fires.
A map Of the lumber producing areas
shows our lumber areas to be receding
to the out-of-the-way places, adding
greatly to transportation costs. In fac
ing the situation the decided
on putting the consumers money INTO
growing trees in his own state, instead
Of transporting lumber from mills two
or three thousand miles distant. Grow
ing trees will give our idle hands some
thing to do and at the same time keep
us out Of lumber bankruptcy.
Have Cooperation of u. S. Government
The farmer is not to be left to his own
devices in the growing Of so long a time
crop as wood. In 1924 congress passed
a bill known as the McNary-Clark bill.
government with the various states in
the procurement, production and distri-
button Of forest trees, seeds and plants
for the purpose Of establishing wood lots
on every farm so desiring.
The extension department of the Colo
RADIO Agricultural college will furnish
trees to the farmers Of the state at cost.
Indeed, 1t is impossible to overestimate
the economic significance to the Ameri-
can people n especially to the agricul-
JUIdl llbGIGSIS u GIllS dCB OF congress.
Growing timber will give many an idle
acre something to do and to a great de-
gree solve h problem Of the states lum-
Der supply.
Experience has taught us that a tree
will do best when it feels at home in the
soil and atmosphere. Too many of our
western planters send out of the terri
tory for their nursery stock. Native trees
are hardy and really superior to i'm
ported stock. Before planting one should
know some Of the higher points about
the tree he is planting. While it is rec
these areas are usually idle because the
soil is poor; trees do much better in sol
made rich with fertilizers.
Moisture Termed Necessary by Planters
The most successful tree planters SAY
that hardwood trees demand from one.
half to one-fourth of the soil fertility
that field crops demand. Evergreens re.
quire still less fertility, and only one.
sixth TO One-tenth the moisture needed
Tor hardwood trees. The spruce viii
) grow in shallow soil; if the soil is les
than two feet the trees will suffer from
drought.
The cottonwood served a useful placl
with h pioneer n so did the boxeldeT
A booklet issued by the department o
agriculture, circular No. 265, embrace
the care Of trees and gives accurate dat
: on trees to plant in different sections o
! the United States. The Usage orange i
: a drought-reSistant tree and has a me
! dunn rate Of growth. The black walnut
2 also the black locust, are fast grower
: and comparatively good dry land trees.
: Chester A. Lee, extension forester o
> Colorado Agricultural college, in bulletin
: No. 6. January, 1926, tells Of mistake
: made in planting by the average layman
= THE roots of small trees, whether conf
. fers or hardwoods, are very delicate. Al
though seedlings may remain green 70
: several days. if the roots have been drie
" out in handling the tree will wither an
die.
"Great care should be taken at a.
times that the roots of small trees ar
not exposed to strong sunlight or keL
d out OF the ground for any length Of tim'
IS Even a minute or two will suffice to XII
e the roots Of conifers-too frequently
the time Of planting a person will b
hurried and not a sufficient pains /
# setting the tree in the ground. The or
GRAFTON is vital. The tree cannot adjul
! itself to slack methods. If air can reac
* the roots the tree will die"
Trees are too often planted n LEI
to axe care OF themselves. The averae
woodlot is a sad affair. The trees ha
= been broken by pasturing stock unit
loss through neglect of the woodlC
makes it impossible to arrive at a iui
Judgment Of what the trees would hay
been worth to the farm had the woodlC
been treated as a crop on the farm. An
farmers may not yet have got used
thinking Of wood as a crop.
We have many acres to plant; indee
the surface has not yet been scratched
nevertheless we must fast become a TO
est-wtse nation in a large and gener
sense, in order to a v the lumber situi
tion.