Year: 1876

W . Ny VIC ASSOCldUlOu ulICClly
and indirectly added about $4,000 trees
to the Tree Planting Census, and the
ground prepared for planting next
spring in this town think IS not Tar from
thirty acres.


The white willows made fair growth,
so did the cottonwoods, as also the lom-
bardys The soft maple seed did also
commence to grow, but as we had no
rain from the time they were planted till
the first week Of August, about six
weeks, the most of them were burnt
down by the sun. Iplanted about three
gallons of seeds from which l have rails
ed about one thousand trees, which l
consider worth the outlay for the seed
and the labor. They are from 12 to ID
inches high. In the spring planted
1900 white willows, 1000 cottonwoods
and $50 lombardys. Of tae willows SO to
the hundred grew, the cottonwoods 80
to the hundred, and the lomhardys 90 to
the hundred. The white willows l
planted Tor q fence, 10 inches to foot
apart, but think the ground where
planted them was little too dry for will
lows, as the strip prepared was across
a ridge similar to the ground where the
company's nursery at Morris is located.
They grew only from one to three feet
high, while some OF my neighbors',
where the ground was moist and mel
low, grew five and six feet high. also
planted cottOnwoods on the same strip.
Some of them reached the height of five
feet.


Our object in planting is mostly for
wind-break and fence, and we want
trees best adapted for that purpose.
Some think black oak would be good for
wind break, as it holds its leaves all
winter. There is mono of that variety
grown in this vicinity. Have you any
knowledge about ii? If you think it
would be well wonld plant the acorns
among the cOttonwoOds and willows.


What do you think about the Europe
an larch? have been thinking to pur-
chase a few in the spring to try.


viii you supply us with cuttings next
spring ut the same price you did last
springP And have you an abundance
OF cottonwood SO you could furnish any
cuttings OF that variety? think it is
cheaper to buy them Of you at your
prices than to gather them around the
country, and they will be surer to grow.
| viii, in the interest of the tree plant
ing, take the trouble for one year more,
to- order and distribute the seeds and
cuttings for anybody in the township
who want any.


My Impression is still that tlee-plant-
societies could do more in the progress
oi the tree-Dlanting than anything else.
Almost every prairie settler wishes to
plant trees, but he does not know the
methods OF planting, and he does not
know where to get the stock to plant.
AS farmer he has no time to spare to
gather the trees and seeds and cuttings
around the country, in the time it
ought to be done, and the tree planting
is Year by year delayed.


II strip from four TO ten rods wide
was planted to seeds, cuttings or trees
on the north and west SIDES of each
quarter section OF land, the drifting
snow, the only objection to Minnesota,
would soon be at an end. And how
long would it take to reach such results?
Take strip five rods wide and sixteen
rods long, half an acre each year, it
would take twenty years. Ii an acre
strip. five rods wide and thirty two rods
long each year. it would take ten years.
A long time, but the prairie of M;nneso-
t. cannot be planted in one year to tim
Der.


Few are so poor or have not time
enough to spare but that they could plant
and cultivate halt an acre OF trees annu-
ally. il the work was absolutely necessa-
ry TO be done.


There should be one or more tree
planting societies in each prairie town
ship. and in corporation with the assO-
Citations there should be State Supern-
tendent OF Tree Planting, with one or
more nurseries belonging to the State
And to encourage rs many rs possible to
join the tree e-planliug associations they
should be supplied with trees and cut
tings from the State nurseries At re-
duced price. Ii any premiums should
be given tor each acre or hall acre plant
ed, it should not be AS the present Douu-
" system, but in fruit trees or other val
liable trees raised in those nurseries. as
it would encourage more than money
in most cases, and it would also aid n
great deal in the fruit growing OF the
State.


You must excuse. My letter is get
ting too long this time. as also the many
faults that exist in it, as am very little
posted in the English language.


Yours truly,


! JOHN BRAsErH.


And you will excuse me too, John
Braseth, il take the liberty of using
your letter in any way think bes. to
promote the cause Of forest culture.
Your letter is good one. 1t shows
thought. 1t narrates the fact of work
done. 1t is the first chapter in the histo-
~ of forest culture in New Prairie, and
twenty years hence the people of your
township will point with pride to the
long lines of forest trees and the beauti-
full groves scattered here and there, and
relate with pride that one of their own
countrymen organized the first forest
tree planting association in Minnesots
1t will be q great thing for Minnesota ii
all your Scandinavian countrymen would