Smyrna times., 1872-12-18

Ma. CoURSEY ON FoREsrS AND IrBGEs-T b
Coutsey, Esq being unable to attend the ucciInp
"i the Farmers Club IN D,vcr, recently, wrote ),
letter 10 VI. Hayes, E,q, rcgrcttIug the same, and
SAID 81 regret that 1t Is 50, very much dsr,d
to be with you On that ucc isIGr, aud Intended n
nothing better offered 10 engage the attention oi
those pres,nl,j to call the attention # the Assoc
tIon to the Importance Of tree culture. | do no,
mean traIt tree culture, over when we have had
Snch mama ns 10 extend ii beyond profit. hu,
iorr>t trees, especially chestnut, pine aud ucuSt
Had been able 10 attend your meeting, | intended
To have brought some small sections taken from a
tree grown by myself as demonstrating what can
be done by what has been done. had a tree cut
IN part for this purpose. 1t was planted IN 1870
and when cut last spring had obt ,ned heiphth of
eighty hive feet. had It cut into is feet Icnpths
Ihe hrst log measured At the largccAd 5 inches IN
diameter the second 8 inches The third 10 inches
IL measured inches III diameter tlly feet from the
ground; above that sick that would make two
good rails The first log will make sixteen fence
boards SIX inches WIDE and one inch tmck The
whole would make from twenty five to thirty
boards. This tree grew on the banks oi The creek
where no crops could grow, and cost Comparatively
not'Ing. There was time when the advocacy of
growing forest trees in Delaware, would be like
carrying Goals To- New Castle But such Is not the
case now, as may ne by any one passing
through this county with his eyes open; whole sec
tonS have been dcnudrd oi every vcstIrc Of timber
ana we are now dependent on the mountains of
TcnnSyIvanIa for fencing material lur our farms
klght here IN section which a few wears ago was
the paradise Oi wood Ch0pp,rs large quantities Of
ceder rails and henock fencing boards are sold
every year. These lumbc- bulls are a heavy dram
on the county, aud had we'll be kept at home Tor
even the supply from Pcnnsy yvania has a hnI and
mas about ttcbblCd IN prIcc within my recollection.
hedges are taking the place of the IaI Cncc, and
are good substitute, but t0 my mind only sub.
sutute II kept perfect order they arc rather nrnA.
mental than otherwise. But 1t requires an i'm.
mense amount OF labor TO keep them IN that cond,.
ton' and II MT so kept, they are nuisance,
especially along public highway. Hedges cost
more than they seem To from Il super fetal obser
vance. crossed Farm some time agO on which
there was hedge between two fields and a hoard
fence between tw1 others; the gram hy the hcdpc
had quite margin, while that by the fence was
growing almost under the rails. calculated that
the difference under cultivation would renew the
board fence If needed every twelve or fifteen years
and save the labor of hedge trimming two or three
times year turthcrInGrC, II is almost impossible
To Keep the hedge unbr0kcn, in winch case lis
beauty Is destroyed. | would not, however, dis
courage the growing of hedges. for il is the best
that can be done at present, but look upon them
only as substitute for better fence on valuable
land, and only 10 be endured until we can grow
fencing material TO take their place, which NAV
easily be done by the next generation. The i'm
porancc ot this question may be by what other
states are dong, by offering premiums TO those
who Plant aud grow forest trees.