The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1862-10-02


Ed. Iowa HOMESTEAD II promised
sometime since TO give you my views in
regard to the profit that could be rea-
lied here in the northwest, OF the plan
ting Of certain portion Of our wild
prairie to timber, for the purpose Of
sale. | have made some calculations on
this mater, and ! will now give them
TO you. may be too sanguine IN my
calculations, but il so, let those who
have tried the experiment correct me,
and those only.
For the purpose of illustration, | Will
take forty acres ofland, or eighty rods
square I will suppose this planted in
rows eight and quarter feet one way,
a four feet and onc-eighth tho other
and one tree in each hill or place. This
would make one hundred and sixty-one
rows ono way, and three hundred and
twenty-five other. Allowing one tree
in each hill, (some would have more,)
we will have tifty-one thousand eight
hundred and fsrty.two trees. These
trees in ten years, Gf black locnsts,)
would grow to sufficient size to make
two fence posts, by splitting in two, for
post and rail fence, and one pole.
Say nothing about the pole, we have
then one hundred and three thousand
one hundred and eighty-tour posts,
which at ten cents each, (Which, for
good sound posts, is fair price, would
amount to the sum often thousand three
hundred and sixty.eight dollars and
forty cents; or, at five cents post,
low estimate, the sum Of five thousand
one hundred and eighty-four dollars and
twenty cents, for the timber, to say
nothing Of the value Of the land aside
from the timber.
Now let us see what would be the
cost of raising. We will say to begin,
that the land is worth one hundred
dollars, or two dollars and fifty cents
per acre. It would cost, say three dol
lars per acre to break the same, making
one hundred and twenty dcllars-three
months work for man and team, each
year, planting and cultivating the trees
for three years-making nine months
work in all, at fifty dollars month four
hundred and fifty dollars. This would
cover cost Of seed, and guarding against
fire by blowing around the same each
year, and would no doubt cover all the
cost and more. Thus we have the actual
cost Of raising forty acres Of timber,
and at fair prices too, the sum of FIVE
hundred and seventy Misunderstanding
out the price Of the land which will be
worth the breaking and planting more
than it would be in wild state, as the
stumps after the posts are removed will
sprout and grow again, and thus keep
up constant supply. The pole and
surplus wood above the posts will pay
for outing and delivering the posts.
Subtract the cost Of raising as above
the value of the timber at ten cents
post, and we have profit of s9,79s,4 40,
or at i've cents a post, profit or inter
est on the cost and labor invested in
planting and raising tho same in ten
years, the sum of 1860, 20, or at the
last figures, 1892 interest on the sum
Ct 1910 invested, or nearly one hundred
per cent. IF I am wrong, let some one
correet me in the figures. The only
qneations now to be solved are, can
these trees be raised And can they be
sold after they are raised, at the price
that have stated? l say that in my
sxpssfesoe, and what have seen Of the
Black Locust, I ana satisfied that it can
bs sassed as easy as corn, and with but
little more expense; and as for the sale,
in country where there is not an acre
Of timber in some places for the space
Offorty miles. and the land rich and
susceptible Ct cultivation, no one hav-
ing any idea of the matter will ask the
question. . view Of the country being
the best answer that could be given.
Now, l ask you, what better investment
could young saaa with small capital
make, than to obtain forty or eighty
acres Of prairie, and plant to locnst
frees? Unlike the raising Of stock, il
will require but little attention from his
other duties, and no feeding in the win
tor. Imake these aug gestions to salts
fy the owners of prairie, that in timber.
properly cultivated, their investment is
. good one. The raising of timber in
Ahe Northwest must sooner or later be
undertaken, and he who moves first in
the matter, will have the Grat in market
and make the most dimea.-M. p.