Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-04-06
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From The NeC- York Farmer.
CULTURE AND VALUE OF LO-
GUST


Among the great variety of subjects
discussed in your valuable publication,
connected with agricultural pursuits, |
have not seen any notices of that most
valuable of all the different kinds of
wood known TO our country, the com
mon yellow locust,-the most valuable,
because ola the varied productions of
our forests, no one species of wood is in
SO many ways preferable to all others.
In ship-building, and house building, for
fences and for fuel, the locust is in al
most all respects as good as any other,
and IN so many particulars so decidedly
superior, as scarcely to admit of compa-
riSon.
The value ofthis wood not being gen.
orally known, as it is rarely found among
our primitive forests, and the cultivation
OF 1t but little attended to in the new
and recently settled parts Of our state is
probably the cause why it has attracted
so little of the general interest. The
soil in which the locust appears to
thrive the best, is of the kind which is
generally found upon the necks and pro-
montories on the north shore of Long Is
land-a light and somewhat sandy loan.
1t thrives best in the deepest and rich
est soils Of this description, but grows
very well in those that are SO gravelly
and uneven as to be of little or no value
for the plough.
1t may be grown from the seed first
subjected to the action of boiling water,
and planted in nurseries, to Yemain two
or more years previous to trans planting;
or when fallen, after having attained
some size, numerous sprouts may be OBJ
tanned by wounding OF separating the
roots with plough, which extend for
considerable distance from the body, and
run near the surface. In this way an
acre may be covered with more than
will arrive at maturity, from dozen
well grown trees scattered over that sur
face.
In the older parts ofthe state, where
the quantity of wood land is reduced to
thu desirable limits this wood may be
advantageousIy substituted for other
Kinds, by introducing it among the
sprouts, on wood land recently cut off in
which way, five and twenty trees
on all acre, and in a soil adapted to the
axe, take the place of the other timber,
II care were taken to destroy or retard
the growth of the sprouts
For fence posts, the locust is invalua-
cle, it being durable beyond any other
Kind ofwood. How long it will last.
used in this way, is perhaps somewhat
uncertain; but it does not admit Of a
doubt, that an originally sound post of
five inches in diameter will be good at
the expiration of fifty years.
For sills, posts, and those parts Of the
frame of q building that are subjected
to damPncss, or exposure to the wealth
or, 1T IS perhaps as durable as iron sim
ilariy exposed; and lift should ever be-
come so plentiful, as to admit of be-
ing used for the outside covering of
buildings, as well as for frames, stone it.
self would have but few advantages over
it.
In ship-building, lis value is well
known, for certain parts of the frame
and for trunnels, it being incomparablv
of more value, in all respects, than wal
nut, or the best white oak.
In kindly soil, there are but few
kinds of wood that grow more rapidly
than the locust. The walnut, oak, elm.
and other kinds Of hard wood, are de-
cIdedly inferior to it in that respect ;
but the chestnut and tulip tree, (the
common white woody, particularly the
last, will overtop il. Great care, conse-
que;ntly, is required when it is young,
and growing among sprouts Of this last