105

C. Q. DEFRANCE, FAIRBURY, NEBRASKA.

Fairbury, Nebraska, August 28, 1891.

Prof. C. E. Bessey,
Lincoln, Nebraska.
Dear Sir:-
I send you by this mail twigs and leaves of red Mulberry, and Basswood, both of which are found growing naturally in Jefferson County. There are red mulberry trees in Town 1 north, Range 2 east, on what is known as Silver Creek-- a tributary of Rose Creek, which in turn flows into the Little Blue-- and some of them are thirty to forty feet high. This is the only place in Jefferson County I have been able to find the mulberry.

The basswood is more widely distributed over the south half of Jefferson County, but I have not found any specimens north of the Blue river. By the way, there is quite the amount of seed on the basswood trees this season: can you tell me how to manage it in order to have it grow? The nurserymen have tried it several times without success, but it seems to me that there must be some way to get it to grow.

This countyis peculiar in the distribution of its trees: in the north part we find ash, elm, cottonwood, burr-oak, willow, plum, and in one or tow small spots quite a number of hickory; south of the Little Blue there are all named above except hickory, and in addition, mulberry, basswood, walnut, and elder. From the explanation you gave in regard to genuine white ash, I believe there are a few trees of it in this county. I will be on the look-out for it when I am gathering seeds this fall.

Yours very truly,
C. Q. DeFrance