The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-06-12
SEED SOURCES
ARE STUDIED
FORESTERS STRIVE TO INSURE
BEST RESULTS IN FUTURE
PLANTINGS-MANY TREES ARE
PLANTED FOR TESTING.

WndC promises 10 De OIle Ol Iile lllOoO
interesting and valuable experiments
of it's kind was instituted on the Su-
perior National Forest last week, when
Norway pine trees from thirty-seven
different sources were planted on an
open tract on the Stoney River, about
80 miles out from Ely. Several MEM
bers of the force of the Superior Ma
|tional Forest, as well as research men
from st. Paul, were engaged in this
work, which required absolute clearing
of the land and blowing of regular
burrows, in order that each tree in the
plantation might be exactly located.
Approximately 100 trees of each of the
81 lots, grown for two years in the
Forest Service Nursery at Cass Lake,
were set out In addition, sixteen
similar lots of Scotch pine were
planted for the purpose of determining
whether any of the various forms of
this species will develop as well in
northeastern Minnesota as the native
pines. Scotch pine is the most impor-
tant softwood of Europe and northern
Asia, standing between Norway and
Jack pine in its qualities.
Heretofore, it has been the custom In
this country to collect pine seeds
wherever they could be obtained most
|easily, and to plant the resultant nur-
|sery stock wherever it was most
needed, according to C.. G. Bates,
Senior Silviculturist of the Lake States
Forest Experiment Station, who is in
charge of this and similar projects.
ForeSters are generally coming to re-
alize, however, that many of the pine
plantations are partial or entire fall
ureS because the trees planted are not
adapted to the local climatic con-
|ditions. AS an illustration, it is found
that Norway pine seedlings grown from
seed collected in northeastern Mime
|sota, where the growing season is rel
atively short, are inclined to be small,
or in other words are conservatives
in their growth, with the result that
when the first autumn frosts strike
them, they are well matured or
"ripened" and able to stand the effects.
Norway pine seedlings from the
southern part of the range of this
species, in Minnesota, Wisconsin or
Michigan, on the contrary grow much
faster, and are accustomed to con-
tinue their growth for longer period
each summer, with the result that the
early frosts may find them still in a
tender, Succulent condition. just how
serious the injury may be is not known
from any systematic observations, and
the purpose of the present experiment
is to determine whether seed collected
in the southern part of the Norway
pine range, or any locality outside of
northeastern Minnesota, can be ex-
pected to withstand the change of
climate and to produce desirable trees
in this region Likewise the seed from
this locality will be tried out in plant
ations elsewhere.
The planting this year is only be-
ginning of the trials of Norway pine |
which will be made, as larger num- |
Der of representatives of each locality |
in the Lake States, where Norway pine
grows, is needed to represent each 10 |
cality fully. This is because of the |
variations in the vigor and quality of |
different seed trees in the same 10 |
cality. Thus, the experiment has al |
ready shown that to obtain strong |
vigorous seedlings of Norway pine, the
seed must be taken either from mature |
trees or from moderately young trees |
whose vegetation activity has quieted |
down. To obtain representatives Of |
various tree qualities, as well as var1- |
GUS climatic localities, one hundred |
more lots of trees will be put in the |
Stoney River plantation two years
from this spring.