The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1872-10-31
FOR hsAf farmer.
raK CmEsrNUr.


The natural scarcity of timber IN large por-
ton Oh the western States, and it's rapid dsap
pearance in the older settled portions uf she conn
try-in their primitive state ysst .fsrcst-is
matter justly attracting the attention Of both
agr1crltunsts and manufacturers. The question
isV"from whence shall come the supply Of tim
Der Tor fnfnre generations-for fencing, building,
solution to this question is forest tree culture,
and which We are glad tp see, is attracting the
attention which the Importance Of the subject
demands In the Eastern States, much land,
winch mas oeen IN cultivation for generations, is
being spontaneously retimbered by growth Of
spruce. pine, birch, maple and other species of
timber indigenous to the country. field or
tract Of land, when abandoned by the farmer
soon shows growth of timber unaided by hand
Of man, Not 50 here at the West. To timber
our naked praIries We must SOW and plant; and
to attain the hest results we should go about it
understandingly-know what is best to plant
and the best way to do it.
VI the deciduous trees, the chestnut, black,
white and hickory, walnuts, white aud sugar
naples, white ASH elm and birch are all very de-
sirabie, and may he easily grown from seed.
Among the number, the chestnut stands pre-
eminent N our estimation. There is no tree that
can he grown from seed more readily or that
possesses 90 many valuable Qualities Fer posts
or rails the timber is Invaluable. We have seen
fence rails of it in New England fifty years old
from the log and apparently as sound as ever.
The tree Is rampant grower, reproductive and
prOdnces most valuable and profitable fruit.
power of the chestnut. chestnut forest may
he cut any age and it will reproduce itself in six
to ten years. We have sccen sprouts pushed up
eight or ten feet in q single season from the
srumps OF trees cut the previous winter.
1t has been truly said of the chestnut: " 1t is
beautiful in bloom refreshing in the rich vcrlnre
of its foliage and satisfying in the abundance of
its sweet nuts. The farmer wants it for timber,
rails posts, fence stakes, hop holes grape trrlis
and stakes, and wood. forest once planted is
established for all time"
HOW TO GROW TIE CHESTNUT.
The seed should he gathered when it drops
from the burr and mixed with three parts of san
dy loan to one Of the nuts, and stored in a cool
cellar for the winter. Fall planting burying
ont of doors exposed to the frost is unsafe, though
attended with success sometimes. The loan
should he Just moist enough ia retain the natural
moisture of the NUT 81 that the meat will not
shrink from the shell. The nut may be boxed up
fresh from the burr and kept two or three
weeks without injury before packing in loan.
NURSERY GROWING.
For nursery growing, plant six to eight inches
apart in rows four feet apart The plants when
Young. are tender, and liable TO injury from hot
sun The best protection is thorough cultivation
of the soil to produce vigorous growth, thereby
increasing the vital power of the plant, and ena-
bic it to resist the effects of great heat Late in
autumn tuTn y ruTTOW OIL CttueT sue Oh TIE TbW
up TO the plants-hilling them mp four five
inches In winter they will kill down TO the sur
face line, but if well buried up, the plant will
send new shoot from below for the future
tree.
FOREST GROWING.
For standard timber, or forest growing, lay off
the ground for corn and plant the nuts four
feet apart each way, and put hill of potatoes
between them way. The potatoes will serve
to show the rows in cultivating. The second
year plant potatoes beans the other waS,I and
continue alternating these crops until the frees
are too large to admit of crop When large
enough to he in service for fencing, thin out by
removing alternate rows each way-leaving the
trees in . square of eight feet. If large growth
and permanent grove is desired, when the trees
begin to crowd, repeat the thinning ont by again
removing alternate rows-eaving the trees in
squares of sixteen feet Where hops are grown,
we do not why the chestnut may not
be profitably grown for pslcs. Where grown
close together, in the nursery row, the
trees run mp very straight and slender. If well
cared for, five or six years growth will make
good hop pole. -....- -. = .,-s.s.-7i
For transplatiug get yonng trees-not over
..;-., years ut, and we told that yearlinSs
still better esterR Promologisf.