The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1862-05-17
FARMERS DEPARTMENT.
On the Cultivation Of Locust T imber.


There is now desire in some sections t.
cultivate timber trees. Perhaps some of thu
readers of the Valley Farmer would be viii
ling TO do so economically and successfully
To such will impart such inform alton a:
will enable them to raise large quantity o.
Black Locust with but little labor.
The fret move is to procure the seed
which may be had before the 5th of May,
as the seed of the Black Locust hangs on
until after leaf. Select piece of rolling land
with stiff clay sub-soil, with from three to
nine inches of loan; put it in about the same
order as for corn. and free of clods, as they
may break down the young plants, which
are very easily destroyed, until they attain
ten or tweve inches high. They may be
killed by frost at that hight.
The Locust seed should be planted with
corn-every third row, Locust-and in ev-
cry hill of that row drop eight or ten seeds,
and cover them with the hoe two inches
deep and work them carefully the first year.
Plant corn the second year between the Lo-
Gust: the third year sow rye or oats. By
that time nothing more will grow on the
ground but grass or weeds.
The young trees should never be thinned;
nature will perform that operation in due
time. If the young trees are Trimmed out
with the AK, the borer will injure or perhaps
destroy them, but when letgrow as thick on
the ground as it is possible for them to thrive,
the borer never Injuries them to my knowl
edge. l saw field of twenty acres of Lo-
Gust trees of ten years growth, remarkably
thrifty and free from the effects of the bor-
er. I examined the same field ten years af-
Il. loA do hory
with them. The owner informed me that he
thought the trees stood too thickly, and put
the axman at work on them. He should
have cut them rather and he would have had
better field of trees than the first planting.
The Black Locust is like red clover, it
never needs sowing but once; cut them in
the winter. and they will come as thick as
cane brake next spring.
In 1888 planted seventeen acres of Lo-
Gusts, and in eleven years calculated l had
posts sufficient to fence my entire farm of
375 acies. A large portion OF my trees
would make four rails to the cut, or three
fence posts. There is no more beautiful
sight on farm than a Locust grove in bloom,
besides a tribute to the bees.
1t is matter of question and doubt which
is the most durable timber, Red Cedar or
Locust. think there is no comparison,
and let me cite just two instances: The ties
CT q railroad in Kentucky were laid down,
in 1888, of Red Cedar and Black Locust.
They were taken up and new ones put down
in 1916 or AT. The Cedar was worthless, |
and the Locust apparently sound, and then
better than new oak ties, and were bought
up by the farmers for fence posts. Iowned
a Locust post and rail fence made in 1918.
About twenty years ago reset the same
fence, and eighteen months since [ rode
along it, and could see no change, not a post
rotted off or one propped up.
Locust seed requires to be soaked in boil
ing water four to six days before it will veg
etate. Seed may remain in water ten days
before planting Valley Farmer.