Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-08-14
Farm and auusehuIa.
Carr of Woodlands.

Tn Is seldom that the owners of wood |
lands In this country ever think OF taking
the least care OF them. II seems TO make
hut very little difference whether the trees
grow straight or crooked, slowly or rapid.
ly. for nature Il left TO take care Of her
own produetions.' 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 It's forester, whose busi.
ness 1t is to attend to all the woods belong.
ing to 1t. He not only has TO see that the
woods are properly pruncd and thinned
out, but that q constant supply Of 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 prescrva-
ton Of forests is also n subject worthy of
their careful consideration.
There are few landowners, except those
on the large prairips, who do not possess n
small piece of woods which, If properly
cared for, would supply them with all the
timber really necessary for their own
private useS but as negligence is com.
mon trait with most of our people, it 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 a different system from the one i'm
vogue is adopted. No farmer expects 10
raise wheat continually on the same piece
of land without adding something to keep
up its fertility neither does he think Of
growing corn or potatoes without culti-
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 u
constant strife for existence, and H. is
only the strongest, or those which fall in
favorable locations, that surviyr and come
to maturity; hence the necessity Of time
ly thinning out and occasional pruning.
1t must be apparent to every observer
that hundred large trees cannot grow
upon rod square OF land; then why al
low nature TO attempt it, and permit Il
score of young trees to struggle for exist
encc in such a crowded position that none
can make more than a few inches Of growtl
annually, when, if portion of them was
removed, those that remained would soon
grow to n large size, and become valuable
Besides this our forests are composed o
many species of trees, some of which ar,
far more valuable than others, while few
are comparatively worthless, and there /.
certainly no good reason for cncumberinl
the soil with poor tree, when there are
abundance of valuable ones to take thcii
place. Therefore we advise every farmer
to look we'll to his woodlands, for they are
often of more value than that which is
under cultivation. II requires but little
time and labor to 60 through the woods
and cut out the worthless underbrush and
poorest kinds of trees, md give that which
remains a chance to grow and take full
possession of the soil. Better burn up the
trash and make ashes of it for fertilzng
the cultivated land, than To let il remain
where 1t only encumhers the soil which
should be occupied by better things.
In cutting large trees It's better to select
those which have arrived at maturity,
(provided they will answer the desired
purpose) in preference TO younger trees,
and if thisplan is followed and the small
seedlings and sprouts are taken care OF, n
forest may become n source of perpetual
income, and still increase in value-N J.
Sun E.