Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1871-12-30

old. | had at that time little faith In
hedges, and let them grow as wind
breaks. They turn horses and cattle,
and most of the plants are large enough
for posts. Where they have room they
grow much faster, and when cut at any
time of the, year, and as close to the
ground as possible. from six to dozen
new plants spring up, which In four or
FIVE years will do for fence stakes.
Once start grove and you will always
have grove.
/ know Of no timber as useful, and
so easily propagated. For firewood
none is better, burning we'll when green,
better when dry. There is no better
investment for the prairie farmer than
to set part of the farm to Usage orange
grove.
AUSTRALIAN FoREsTs.
The report of the Inspector of State
Forests in Victoria reveals condition
of things which could hardly have
been expected in so young a colony.
1t appears that the demand for timber
at the gold fields for mining operations
is very great, aud that the forests in
the neighborhood of Ballarat aud SINH
lar districts have been devastated in
the most reckless and wauton manner.
Frequently saplings of forty or fifty
feet have been cut down for the sake of
few yards Of timber, and the dam
age done by the prop cutters has
been rivalled by the carelessness of the
splitters, who allow their camp-fres
free range in ravaging extensive tracts
Of forest land. Unless vigilant SUPER
vision is exercised, it is feared that the
supply of timber for fuel and other
purposes will soon become alarmingly
short The Barmah Forest, the largest
in Victoria, ard comprising upwards of
10000 acres of red gum trees, has snf-
fered severely, not only from the en-
croachments of unlicensed persons, but
also by shipments of It's valuable timber
having been made TO India and other
| places. 1t is on this forest that the
State chiefly relies for supply of rail
way slecpers, and there can be no
question that The red gan In tho best
Indigenous wood that the colony pro-
duces. The Inspector draws the attenr,
tion Of the Government to the wasteful
destruction and premature decay of the
State Forests, aud recommends that
timber reserves should be at once con.
ssituted and strictly protected, and that
every encouragement should be given
to the plantation of fresh woods. s.-Pali
Mall Gazette.
EXCLUSION OF FARM STOCK FROM
WOOD LANDS.
Arthur Bryant, of Princeton, Ills,
writes to the Rock River Farmer thus !:
"The preservation of wood lands is q
subject which has of late attracted in
creasing attention. The rapid destruc-
tion of wood in all parts of the country,
and the growing scarcity of the more
valuable kinds of timber, render the
growth and preservation of the forests
matter of primary Importance. Yet
many who are anxious to perpetuate
their wood lands are perhaps not aware
that they may be extinguished by pas
turage; not indeed as speedily, but as
certainly as by summary process of
telling. So well Is this recognized in
New England generally, that ali land
owners who look forward to the inter
ests of posterity, exclude farm stock of
every description from their forests. In
Illinois, on the other hand, the pastur.
age Of wood land is almost universally
practised. The cost of fencing may
have had Its uence-probably many
have never bestowed a thought upon
the subject yet little consideration
must convince every sensible man of
its inexpediency. The underground of
forest is entirely extirpated in few
years by the admission of farm stock !;
and the young trees upon which the
continuation of the forest depends are
destroyed. Cattle will often bend or
break down slender trees twenty feet
high, for the sake of browsing the
leaves from their tops. The lower
branches of large trees are stripped of
their leaves and die. The growth of
the wood is injuriously affected by the
admission of cold and parching Winds
by the tramping of cattle, which hard
ems the soil and Injuries the roots of
the trees--by the close fed turf which
forms wherever the shade il not too
dense, and by the lack of the accus.
toned mulch of leaves, which in thick
woods everywhere covers the ground
From this combination of causes some
of the trees perish; others are DESTROYED
by the axe, and thinning once CON-
menced, goes ON in an increasing ratio
as they are deprived Of the accustomed
protection afforded by close companion
ship. An illustration is afforded b
the wood lands Of Kentucky. The
owners of valuable forests in that STATE