White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-06-18
fnr tbt farmer.
Wood Lots and their Management.

Where our lumber, faeI and fences are
to be obtained when few more years
have gone by, is an interesting question,
but we do not here propose TO discuss it,
desiring rather to offer few hints on the
management Of our remaining wood lots,
which are becoming more and more pre-
cious as they decrease in number and In
quality. Wood for all purposes COM
mands high prices, hence the sources and
permsnence of the supply, and the best
means of its increase and preservation,
are subjects of general interest. The
season of the year when forests are cut
of, has long been known to have an in
luence upon their future growth; and in
almost every wood lot it may be seen
that the trees cut at certain time-of
most varieties Of timber-sproutup again
very freely, while the stumps of the same
kinds cut at another time. later, or earli-
er, send out few or no shoots, and soon
decay. Carefully conducted experiments
made purposely to test the matter, show
that trees cat early in the spring, when
the sap flows freely, almosFalways sprout
again, generally sending forth a most
fourishing growth. And where this
growth is.desirable, it is found the best
plan to cut the trees as near the ground
as possible, as the shoots then start more
thrifty, are less liable to be broken of,
and will more readily take root for them
selves. The saving in wood is also a
noticeable consideration. From these
facts it would appear that from land
which it is desirable to clear, the trees
should be cut when the sap flows most
freely. The influence of the season of
cutting upon the durability and value of
the lumber, is not taken into account in
these conclusions.
The matter of cutting-whether it is
best to select out only the full-grown and
the decaying trees. leaving the young and
thrifty standing-Or to make clean
sweep of the whole, has not been posi-
lively settled. The latter course is very
generally advised, on the ground that as
the new trees spring up, all viii have an
equal chance, and make a handsomer and
thriftier growth. The number of trees
will be much larger than when the plan
of selecting is followed-for, when only
the young and vigorous are left, the for
est is comparatively thin, and the most
thrifty trees spread their branches thick
and wide, discouraging all underground.
These seem good arguments, but how
ever the question may be decided by
those who to make an annual draft on
their wood lots, they must remember
that cattle and sheep and the fire must be
kept from the woods, multitudes of young
trees will spring up in every spot thus
protected. In the older settled parts of
the country planting trees in the openings
of the forests and on broken ground diff
ficult of cultivation, is very proper as
well as profitable course of management.
The steep hill-sides which have been I'M
thinkingly barred to the sun, and for
want of the protection of trees their rich
est elements washed into the streams and
valleys below, may Shus be clothed in
veranre, dndi ed Of remaining barren
and vaiusesi IS their owners, bear tim
bsrwOrth hundreds of dollars to the acre,
aid every year increasing rapidly in
value. We hope that all available means
will be used for the increase of this great
staple and prime necessity of the country,
at least while ships and houses are built
of wood, and its use as fuel continued
Rural New Yorker.