Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-08-14
firm md 75ousetnId.
Care of Woodlands.


TT is seldom that the owners OF wood
lands in this country ever think OF taking
the least care of them. 1t seems to make
Int very little difference whether the trees
grow straight or crooked, slowly or rapid
ly, for nature is left to take care of her
own productions; but to give her any
assistance is an exception to the general
rule. In the case of forests we can GER
tainly learn much from the people OF
European countries, where every large
landed estate has its forester, whose bust
ness it is to attend to all the woods belong
ing to it. He not only has to see that the
woods are properly pruned and thlnned
out, but that constant supply CT young
trees are at hand to fill up all vacant spaces
that may be made by removing the old
and mature timber.
On several occasions we have called the
attention of our readers to the Importance
of planting forests, but we wish now to
remind them that the care and preserva-
ton of forests is also a subject worthy of
their careful consideration.
There are few landowners, except those
on the large prairies, who do not possess
small piece of woods which, if properly
cared for, would supply them with all the
timber really necessary for their own
private use but as negligence is a COM
mon trait with most OF our people, 1T Is
not to be wondered at that many OF our
small forests are becoming extinct, and
others will soon follow in the same way
unless different system from the one in
vogue is adopted. No farmer expects to
raise wheat continually on the same piece
of land without adding something to keep
up it's fertility; neither does he think of
growing corn or potatoes without cultl-
waiting them In other words, he assists
nature, and this is just what should be
done in our forests.
Nature scatters the seed promiscuously
and often SO abundantly that there is a
constant strife for existence, and 1t is
only the strongest, or those which fall IN
favorable locations, that survive and come
to maturity hence the necessity OF time
ly thinning out and occasional pruning.
1t must be apparent to every observer
that a hundred large trees cannot grow
upon rod square of land; then why al
low nature to attempt it, and permit
score of young trees to struggle for exist
ence in such crowded position that none
can make more than few inches of growth
annually, when, if a portion of them was
removed, those that remained would soon
grow to large size, and become valuable:
Besides this, our forests are composed OF
many species of trees, some of which are
far more valuable than others, while few
are comparatively worthless, and there is
certainly no good reason for encumbering
the soil with poor tree, when there are
abundance of valuable ones to take their
place Therefore we advise every farmer
to look well to his woodlands, for they are
often of more value than that which is
under cultivation. 1t requires but little
time and labor to go through the woods
and cut out the worthless underbrush and
poorest kinds of trees, and give that which
remains chance to grow and take full
possession of the soil. Better burn up the
trash and make ashes of it for fertilizing
the cultivated land, than to let it remain
where it only encumbers the soil which
should be occupied by better things.
In cutting large trees it is better to select
those which have arrived at maturity,
provided they will answer the desired
purpose), in preference to younger trees
and if this plan is followed and the small
seedlings and sprouts are taken care of, q
forest may become source of perpetual
income, and still increase in value.-N T.
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