Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-03-07
orr FOX rs rs.

II has often been said but it is truth
so important that it bears repetition, and it
ought to he continually repeated, so long
as it is so little regarded, that, on most of
the farms in New England there is too
much land under cultivation. There are,
doubtless, thousands of acres too poor to
be proftably cultivated. OF late, some of
these barren fields have been abandoned,
and, gradually, trees native to the neigh
borhood, oftentimes Of the poorest sorts,
pitch pines and gray birches, have sprung
up. On the whole of these Impoverished
lands, agriculture should cease. Many
acres, from which, by aborlous cultivation
and the use of valuable manure, poor crops
may be obtained, ought Immediately to be
devoted to forest culture.
1t is found, in many parts of the old
world, and it is probably true of portions,
at least, of New England, that land which
does not contain, in sufficient abundance,
the elements of soil necessary for the
growth of the cereals, wheat, rye, corn and
other grains, or grasses, shows itself fertile
for the growth oftrees. Hundreds of miles
of land in the southwest of France, lands
made by the sands from the Atlantic Ocean,
lands which will not bear any of the cere-
ais, are covered with fine forests of pine
the Seaside Pine, Pinus Martina, which
yield vast quantities of resin and essence
of turpentine, and of valuable timber. All
these forests are artificial, formed by the
hand of man. Almost all the way from
Bayonne to Bordeaux, and for distance
north of that city, the traveller passes by
or through forests planted in lines, which
stretch off as far as the eye can reach.
Where the pines of these forests have been
growing many years, especially about the
beautiful town of Arcaion, oaks, beech
es, naples and many other trees have
been planted and are f1ourishing, so that
among the woods in the neighbOrhood OF
this town, the drives through miles of this
artificial forest are very delightful and
the town is in consequence the winter re-
sort of many thousands from Paris and
other French cities, and from England and
America.
There are many acres of land, in almost
every town in New England, very poor
land now cultivated, not to ne compared
for fertility with land here and elsewhere
which is not yet under cultivation. This
poor land, and all land which has been
worn out by unthriit fly tillage, may be sown
or planted, often very proftably, with trees
In most cases it would he good economy tc
give the worn ont field plowing,-tht
deeper the better,-and then SOW the seeds
very literally and cover them with the
harrow. The seeds of the pines and Other
evergreens, and of the larch, should bt
sown Immediately after the cones open
which is commonly in the spring. Th,
seeds of the summer-green or deciduou,
trees, should be sown soon after they fal
from the mother tree. The pines sooi
spring up, but make very little visibl,
progress for two or three years. Durinl
that period, the young plant is busy il
strengthening its position in the soil, b,
numerous roots thrown out in every diroc
ton. After few years, the visible growtl
of the tree is very rapid. There are al
ready, as has been said, many lots which
having been exhausted by cultivation, hav
been left to themselves. The trees tina
have sprung up are scattered and thin, AM
of poor kinds. Among these, other an,
better trees may be sown or planted
Wherever gray birches grow, black or vel
low birches, far better trees, may flourish
Where there are only pitch pines, the seed
of white pines may be sown, or of larches
both of them very rapid growers and valu
able for their timber. Chestnuts may
planted in the fall, when they are Just CON
pletely ripened, or in the spring. if the nut
have been carefully kept. Shellbark nut
or other hickory nuts, or beech nuts @
acorns, may also be sown in the same way
1t is only necessary to put the nuts an inc
or two down and to cover Them not to
heavily. 1t is safer to plant them anon
bushes or between clumps of bushes. TIL
nuts or seeds of most of these trees al
sown naturally, under or near the branche
of the mother tree, and the young plan
are thus protected from excessive SUNSHINE
This fact gives a hint. Another valuab
hint is given by the fact that the seeds {
nuts fall where they will soon be covered
not very deeply, with leaves. The Germa
and Swiss forresters avail themselves
this instruction. Beautiful seminaries f
the forest trees are found in openings
old forests of enormously high trees, whel
the young plants are completely protecte
from the wind, and are exposed to open {
partial sunshine for only very few houl
of the day.
Trees, when either self-sown, or sown {
planted by the hand of man should be pre-
tected. The not uncommon practice of col
Meeting these future forests with the pa,
ture, and allowing them to be run over b
cattle, is wretchedly wasteful. The youn
trees, of all kinds, are often DESTROYED h
being trodden upon, and the more valui
BILE trees, -chestnuts, oaks, naples, beecl
es,-are MANNED by having their branche
killed, or by having their tops clipped of
Cattle, horses, sheep or swine should new,
be allowed to roam through woodlan
which is intended to be profitable or in an
degree successful.
1t is, undoubtedly, an excellent plan
have portion of woodland open to the an
imals on the farm, in which they may /
screened from the cutting winds or fror
the midsummer sun.
The planter who means to be successfr
aud to enjoy his woods, must take som
n.tns 10 atudu iba nafura ~ tho traa ha ,n,r