The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-03-10
agficQitQfaI.
From tie PrGirie farmer.
The Yellow Locust.

The yellow Locust.
En- an account of a discussion on the
durability of timber, in the Farmer for
December, it would appear that the black
and yellow locust were generally regard
ed as one and the same. This is an error.
At the East there are three varieties OF
the locust, distinguished particularly by
the color of the heart wood-the yellow,
red, and white. The first two are the
most valuable-the white not much es-
teemed. That in cultivation there is still
another V;rriety-the black; so far as ]
can learn, it is confined to the West. Ii
has been planted in this vicinity quite
extensively as shade tree, which pur-
pose it answers well, being of rapid
growth, possessing grea. beauty of foliage
and flower, and also free from insects
The timber resembles the white, but is
still less yfiuable. There is perceptible
difference in the bark and leaf of the yel-
low and white, sufficient for person IA
miliar with them to readily distinguish
one from the other. The growth of the
white | am not acquainted with, Though
/ have often seen the timber in the locust
yards in New York city. The yellow
locust is very rapid grower-quite as
much so as the black; and | doubt not it
will prove equally as valuable for timber
here as at the East. Its superior to any
ether kind of wood for ship timber, mill
works, fence posts, and, indeed, for any
purpose requiring strength and great du-
rability. Much use is made of locust for
tree rails in ship building, and large guam
titles in this form are shipped from New
York TO England and elsewhere. The
yellow locust is indigenous iii New York
and several other States. 1t is at home
upon any good dry soil and while upon
light and poor soil it will grow we'll. it
thrives much better on one that is rich
showing its keeping as soon as any other
plant. In the middle and eastern States
it has been planted extensively, and has
proved exceedingly profitable. Barren.
and gravelly hill sides planted with this
tree have yielded posts and railroad Sleep
ers that sold for more than one hundred
dollars per acre for ten acres together,
within forty years from first planting.
Upon Deep. warm, rich lands, = return
may be expected much sooner. There
the trees Wilt large enough for posts in
ten or twelve years, and may be cut again
in as many more. If left fifteen or twenty
years, they will cut two or three railroad
sleepers. If the trees are planted six feet
apart each way, an acre will contain 1,21C
trees, or at four feet, 2,79e, which latter
distance. not be too close upon oul
rich, exposed prairies. What such land
will yield for these purposes can be easily
estimated. Ihaye known large trees sold
for so cents to $ per cubic foot.
1t is told of a farmer on Long Island,
that when his first child was born he
planted several acres with the yellow To-
Gust When she was twenty-one- years
old she married. To give her an outfit,
he cut the timber on one acre, which sold
for 1900; and this he was enabled to
do with each of his chil1ren. The search
ty of wood i'll prairie sections of the
country is great drawback upon their
cultivation. The demand for timber fol
fence posts. rails, &C., is ever increasing,
and especially for railroad timber here
where railroads intersect the country in
all directions The timber now in ust
for this purpose viii soon decay and how
viii it BE- replaced? The desirablenes.
and necessity of farmers planting timbe
for such purposes that is of quick growth
and yet durable, cannot be questioned
The yellow locust, it seems TO me, vii
meet these demands more readily ant
perfectly than anything with which w
are acquainted.
We deem this matter of so much i'm
portanee; that, to excite farmers to ente
into its cultivation, we would propos'
that Our Agricultural Societies offer lib
eral premiaass to the. growers of the bes
pfantatiopof this tree m any given mum
Der of years. A. g. HANFORD.
WArKEsHA, WIS.