New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-26
WHAT | KNOW OF FARMING.
By HORACE GREELEY.
., ,NrNc AND GROWING TREES.

"A
wboeyer has recently bought, inherited, or other
wise become the owner of farm, has usually found
some part OF parts of 1T devoted 10 wood; and THIS
if not in excess he will mainly preserve, while ne
studies and plans with view to the ultimate devo-
ton TO timber of just those portions of his land that
are best adapted TO that In locating his TIMBER
would have him consider these suggestions;
I. Land wisely planted with trees and fenced SO
far as need be to keep out cattle costs nothing
Whatever else you grow involves labor ana eApehui
ture: trees grow of their own accord lou may
neglect them utterly-may wander over the e'r'h
and be absent for ten or twenty years whiIe your
fences decay ard your fields are overcropped 10 ex
haustion; even your meadows may be run out by
late moving and close feeding at both ends OF the
season. till dozen acres will hardly subsist span
of horses'and a COW but your woods need only TO
be let alone 10 insure that their value shall have de-
cidedly increased during yOuT absence. They Will
richly reward labor and care in thinning, trimming
and transplantng-you may prOhtably employ IN
them any time that you can spare them-but they
will do very well if simply let done And unlike any
other product with which am acquainted you may
take crop after crop of wood from the same lot ana
the soil will be richer and more productive after
the last than it was before the first Whether wholly
because their roots permeste ana break up the sou
during their life and enrich it in their decay, or for
and especially poor lai.--is enriched by grow
inc unon II crop of almost any timber, the ever
green's posslbly excepted SO. should you ever have
land that Won cannot till 10 profit, whether because
II is 100 poor or because you have suthelency tha
il better YOU should at once devote 1T to wood
IT Your springs and streams will be rendered more
ennable and enduring by increasing the area ana the
Irvrr;ance of your timber. They may have become
scantv and caprcious under pocyof reckless whole
cole destruction of trees they will be reinforced and
reinvigorated by doubling the area of your woods
while ouadrupling the number, and increasing the
average size Of your trees.
I'LL All ravines and steep hill-sides should be
devoted to trees Every acre too rocky to be thor
ouphIy cleared of stone and plowed should be set
apart for tree-growing. Wherever the soil will be
chilled or washed away by violent rains if under TIL
lace IL should be excluded from cultivation and
GIVEN ND TO trees. Men often doubt the profit fheavy
,nonpring: and well they may. il three fourths of
che fertilizers applied are soaked out and swept
a,vav nv flooding rains or sudden thaws and toated
off IN some distant bay; but let all that IS APP
plied to the soil only remain there TIL 1t Is earted
a,v.v in crons. and it will hardly DO possible TO
manure too highly for proht'
~ Trees especially evergreens, may beso disposed
40 20 modify agreeaby the average temperature OF
80, farm or at least of the most important parts OF
| !, when bought my place-or rather the first In
tlment Of 1.-THE best spot could select for gar
den Law at the foot Of Hill which half surrounded II
an the south and east leaving it exposed to the fu
/ sweep of north and northwest winds; 80 That
| though the soil was graYelly and warm, my garden
| was likely to be cold and backward. To remedy
this. planted four Of evergreens tBalsam tlr'
| Pine Red Cedar. and Hemlockl along low rdge
bounding it on the north. following an inward curve
of the ridge at its west end; and those eyergreens
| have in sxten years grown into very considerable
trees forming shady clearly, inviting bower. OF
sylvan retreat, daintily carpeted with the fallen
/ leaves of the exchanging frs. ! judge that the
4 average temperature Of the soil for some yards
southwark of this wnd-break is at least five degrees
higher throughout the growing season, than 1t for
merly was or would be if these evergreens were
swept away while the aspect of the place is sgreea-
bly, diversified and even beautifed, by their appear
ance. believe ID would sell for some hundreds OF
dollars more with than without that thrifty, grow
ing clump Of evergreens
" have already urged, though not strongly
enough that crops, as well as springs, viii be inn
| proved oy keeping the crests of ridges thIckly
| wooded, thus depositing moisture in Winter and
Spring to be slowly yielded to the subiacent stones
during the heat and drouth Of Summer I firmly
believe that the slopes Of q hill whose crest il
heavily wooded will yield larger average crops than
slope and crest together would do if both were bare
| of trees.
| VI The banks of considerable streams ponds
&C., may often be planted with trees that these
will shade water than land, to the comfort and
satisfaction Of the fish, and the protection OF thoss
banks from abrasion BY floods and rapid currents
Sycamore. Elm. and Willow, do well here; if goes
Grape Vines are set beside and allowed to run oye
some Of them the effect is good, and the grapes ac
| ceptable to man and bird.
VII. Never forget that good tree grows as thrift
lily and surely as poor one. Many farmer has to
day Ten to forty acres of Indifferent wood where
he might, at very slight cost. have had instead
Ian equal quantity Of choice timber worth ten times
las much y Hickory, Chestnut, and Walnut while
they yield nuts that can be eaten or Sold are worth
Mar more as timber than equal bulk of Beech
Birch. Hemlock. or Red Oak. Chestnut has more