The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1862-05-15
horticultural Column.
ON THE CULTIVATION OF LOCUST TIMBER.

ON THE CULTIVATION OF LOCUST TIMBER
There is now desire in some sections
to cultivate timber trees. Perhaps some
of the readers Of the Valley Farmer
would be willing to engage in the Gull
ture of them if they knew how to do so
economically and successfully. To such
Twill impart such information as will en-
able them to raise large quantity of
Black Locust with but little labor.
The first move, is to procure the seed,
which may be had before the 18th 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 3 to inches Of loan; put ii
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 10 OR II
inches high. They may be killed by
frost at that hight.
The locust seed should be planted with
corn-every third row, Locusts-and in
every hill Of that row drop 8 or 10 seeds,
and cover them with the hoe two inches
deep and work them carefully the first
year. Plant corn the cecond year be-
tween the Locusts; 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 thin
ned; nature will perform that operation
in due time. II the young trees are
Trimmed out with an AK, the borer will
injure Or perhaps destroy them, but when
let grow as thick on the ground as it is
possible for them to thrive, the borer
never Injuries them to my knowledge. l
saw field Of 20 acres Of Locust trees
of 10 years growth, remarkably thrifty
and free from the effects Of the borer.
l examined the same field 10 years after,
when the borer had made sad havoc with
them. The owner informed me that he
thought the trees stood too thickly and
put the aXmen 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 a cane brake next spring.
In 1888 | planted II acres Of Lo-
Gusts, and in II years | calculated l had
posts sufficient to fence my entire farm
Of 375 acres. A large portion of my
trees would make four rails to the cut,
or three fence posts. There is no more
beautiful sight On a farm than Locust
grove in bloom, besides tribute to the
bees.
1t is matter Of question and doubt
which is the most durable timber, Red
Cedar or Locust. l think there is no
comparison, and let me cite just two in
stances: The ties of Il railroad in Ken
lucky were laid down, in 1888, of Red
Ceader and Black Locust. They were
taken up and new ones put down in
1916 or '47. 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.
l owned a Locust post and rail fence
made in 1918. About 90 years ago /
reset the same fence, and Is months
since / rode along it, and conld see no
change, not a post rotted of or one
propped up.
Locust seed requires to be soaked in
boiling water four to six days before it
will yesetate. Seed may remain in wa
ter ten days before planting. S.