Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-17
FARM AND GARDEN.
THE GROWING OF FIREWOOI
AND TIMBER TREES.

THE GROWING OF FIREwOOD
AND TIMBER TREES.
To the Editors Of the Union and American:
Forest trees are becoming scarce in
Middle Tennessee. A little forethought
and labor will soon supply their deficiency.
Several species of trees may be cultivated,
but the common Black Locust and Cot
tonwool will sooner and and most abund-
sntly supply the want. Every farm
ehould have portion of land devoted to
growing of wood and timber. The Lo-
Gust viii prosper in any soil which is not
swampy. The Cottonwood will prosper
whenever it is not swampy or too rocky,
as well miles from water courses as on
the banks Of streams.
For Locust culture, select the ground,
and SOW it in clover during January or
February. In the preceding September,
collect the ripe seed in their pods. Dry
and rub them out, and keep them dry till
the first frost. Then make a small plank
box, with numerous small gimblet holes
n thSiottom, TO let out the rain water.
Get fine sand; wet it and mix the Locust
seed with it, and fill the box with this
sand and seed. Plant the box in the
ground, Just deep enough to leave its top
level with the surface, and then let il
freeze and thaw all winter. In March
following, wash the sand through fine
seive, and collect the clean seed. In well
plowed ground, SOW the seed in drills
three feet apart, and thickly in the drills.
Cover as you would cotton seed. When
up and about four or five weeks old, weed
the rows out, and chop out the plants t.
a stand ten inches apart in the drill
Cultivate as for cotton through the sea
son.
In the fall or winter following, prepart
the ground for planting, by rnnning
deep furrow with turning pillow, eigh
feet apart both ways. Then dig up tn
Y little trees by running a long bull-tongu
plow deeply on each side of the rows
and plant one tree in every cross of tn
burrows laid off. No further culture
needed. Keep cattle from them for on
year.
In twelve years from planting the whit
sap wood of the trees will be change
into yellow heart wood, and the timbe
will be durable. One half of the row
may then be cut out to make posts G
rails, and the rest left to grow larger, an,
to be cut out as needed.
TO GROW COTTONWOOD TREES.
In the fall or winter, before there i
any hard freezing, gather COTTONWOOD
twigs Of the previous summers growth
cut them up six inches long. In soil We
pulverized stick the cuttings down
near the top buds. Crowd them closel!
Cover lightly with straw or brush. Abol
the first of April following, pillow Il
ground thoroughly for the nursery. La
off the rows five feet apart, making dee
burrows by running twice in the furrov
S lex the cuttings (but end downwsrd)
the bottom of the furrow and haul di
to them, 50 as Just 10 leave out the &c
bud not covered. The cuttings should
ten or twelve inches apart in the dri
Cultivate and keep weeds down throul
the season, taking care not to move {
cuttings. They viii take root and gro
five feet high during the season.
During the late fall or carly spring,
up the trees by running long bulltong
pIuw on each side of the rows as deer
as possible; then lift them out will
long grubbing hoe. Throw them IL
burdl and cover their roots with di
TO keep them alive till you plant them.
To plant them dig holes, or run de
burrows ten feet apart both wsys. Pts
them as you would peach trees exec
that they are to be but ten feet aps
They viii need no culture. Keep cat
from them for one year.
In ten years you may cut half
trees out for tirewOod. AT that time
trees will be eight or ten inches in dian
Ter. In Ten years more those left stal
ing will be eighty feet high and la
enough for saw logs. Their lumber v
be like that of poplar and equal to
Cotton wood is equal to black ash
fire wood. It grows faster than
other tree and is more easily propaga
from cuttings. The cost of fifty doll
in labor, devoted TO planting cotton Wo
viii furnish any farm plentifuly IN We
for lifetime. Near Nashville the c
ture of cotton wood could be made VI
profitable. +. II. GoRDoN
JENNINGS Fork, SMITH Co., Tenn, d
s, 1870.