Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-02-22
Timber Plan ting and Timber Prcset
walton.

walton.
The interchange of opinion upon
timber planting, and the preservation
OF timber, at the Princeton meeting,
OF the Northern Illinois Horticuitu.
raj Society was one OF the most inter
esting of the session, and elected
much earnes. discussion, showing
that the Horticulturalists are thor.
oughly alive to the Importance OF
this subject. Much regret was man
ifested that it could not have occurr.
ed at an earlier day OF the conrcn.
ton, in order that il might have been
more fully discussed.
Mr. Scofcld said that we, in this
generation, were in the midst OF this
work. The interests Of the whole
country demand 1t, from the hills Of
New England, 20 the slopes OF the
Rocky Mountains. Unless we take
hold of this matter IN earnest, the
next century will find the West des.
titute o! timber. We have all thought
earnestly upon the subject, and he
hoped that the people would be STIR
red by the influence and action OF the
Society
Arthur Bryant, Sr., mentioned q
letter that he had received from Cape
Cod, IN New England. Upon the
blowing sands there, the planting OF
the seed of the pitch pine had been
practiced with good results. The
seed was planted in light furrow,
and the trees grew without much fur.
ther care, Upon land so planted,
that had originally cost but twenty
FIVE dollars per acre, one thousand
dollars per acre has been realized
Mr. Douglas remarked that where
the timber OF country had been de-
nuded, disastrous results were:
sure to follow, He noticed the vari
Gus countries, such as Spain, and some
OF the Oriental countries where these
results had followed. Upon the re.
planting of timber 10y governments,
perennial streams had again begun to
flow. He said that upon the Rocky
Mountains, 10000 feet above the sea-.
he had found petri6ed stumrs, the re.
mains of forests of long ago. The
trees had deen destroyed, or partially
covered, and the roots and stumps.
by abrasion oil the soil, were now
petrifactions, standing, in some lu-
stances, two and half and threa feet
above the ground. These ssnmps
were those of cone bearing trees, and
some Of them were eleven feet in di-
ameter. At this day the trees were
dwarted in the same locality. show
ing that formerly the climate was
more natural to timber than now.
he believes one reason is that the eli
mate has been gradually getting dri.
er, from century to century.
In relation to the protection OF
timber while yoang, Mr.. Douglass
said that corn stalks could be grown
on the plains OF Kansas, up to the
mountain line, and that if corn was
planted with young trees, it would
afford them partial protection while
young.
Capt Beebe said he would like TO
see more attention given to tree plan
ting among ourselves, and in our own
States. 1t the far West could not
grow her own timber, we, OF Illinois
could do it for them. He advised
the planting of sott-wooded and
quick growing trees first, and follow
these up with the hard woods. He
said the Kansas Pacific railroad had
put in cottonwood trees, at $500
each, until they had built their road,
and could draw them from the Rocky
Mountains, at sl.00 each.
Mr.. Seely named Black. Walnut
and Butternu. as being fast growing
trees.
In taking mp the question of tim
ber preservation, Mr.. Rice said that
timber charred would decay much
sooner than if put in the ground in
its natural state.
Mr. Periam had found that posts
charred green had so decayed; but
It seasoned before charring, the result
was different. The reason was that
dry timber when charred on the out
side, became baked at the same time
throughout, while green timber char
red, retained the sap within
Mr.. Rice stated that he had founi
sawed posts decayed much sooner
than split ones. He thought the rea-
son was that they were sawn across
the grain. and therefore gave access
to moisture.
Mr.. Wier had treated posts with
coal-tar, by placing them in tank.
tor the purpose, and heating them
thoroughly. The tar entered the
pores and preserved the timber.
MIR. Ragan, OF Indiana, agreed with
Mr.. Rice, that logs charred will be-
come afflicted with dry-rot, but said
there were great differences m tim
Der from different soils. His expert.
ence was that timber from beech and
hickory soils lasted much longer than
from blacker and more porous soils.
timber from pine or oak lands, an IN
termediate soil, between the black
and white soils OF Indiana, lasted
we'll. Had found that hard, yellow
clay, tamped firmly about posts has
preserved them.- Western Rural.