Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-09-10
Forest Tree Culture.

We have for many years claimed that
the culture of timber trees could be made
as profitable as ordinary farming, even in
regions of country where natural forests
were comparatively plentiful. If we
carefully examine the trees in any of our
natural forests, especially those composed
of various kinds, we find that a large pro
portion are inferior, if not almost worth
less for anything except fuel.
Many persons form their estimate of
the value of an acre of cultivated trees
from the quality of those growing upon
a similar area in our natural forests; but
they could scarcely make a greater mis-
take. We doubt, for instance, if there is
an acre of second growth hickory forest
anywhere which will yield 1000 hoop
poles: but it is well known that by regu-
larity in planting and proper cultivation
!, 1000 to 10, 900 would not be an eXtraOrdi
nary yield from the area named. The
same rule holds good with all other kinds
of trees, whether they are to be used
while small or allowed to grow up into
timber large enough for building pur-
poses. The best sugar maple groves in
our Northern States include usually a
number of other kinds of trees, and if
the latter were removed the position of
those remaining would be very irregular
Some would be crowded, while others
would have more room than they require
to insure health and old age.
In uncultiyable lands uniformity is out
of the question, and the most that can be
done is to plant such kinds of trees as
are desirable and in the best spots which
can be found for their reception. There
are also millions of acres of land in the
older States from which the large trees
have been removed and the young
growth permitted to take its chances in
struggle for existence among brierS,
weeds and small shrubs of no value what
ever. Here little attention in cutting
out inferior sorts and thinning the good
trees would certainly be profitable in
vestment for the owners.
The few who have paid particular at
tention to this subject of improving natu
| raj forests or planting new ones are all
agreed in regard to the profit side of the
question, and this should encourage
others to try their hand. But forest tree
cultivation on an extensive scale must
for many years to come be confined to
! the Western prairies, where at the present
time more attention is being paid to this
branch of industry than elsewhere
still room and actual need of millions of
trees for where there are now only hun
dreds growing.
But it is to be feared that great mis-
takes have been made in regard to the
kinds planted, the cheapest and most
| rapid-grOwing being selected in prefer
ence to the most valuable Cottonwood
and willow may answer to start with
where there is no timber of any kind,
| but they are really of no value except
| for shade, shelter and firewOod But
! the farmers out West will soon, and in
! fact do now, need something better than
these soft, spongy kinds of wood.
! Hickory, ash, maple, and other hard
woods are required not only for fuel, but
! for mechanical uses, and there should be
no delay in securing the seeds and get
| ting the young seedlings started.
| For tough timber suitable for the Ordi-
nary farm implements, ash, elm, hickory
and oak are probably the best, while
| chestnut, naples of the different species,
locust, wildwood, and black walnut
| should be extensively planted various
/ other purposes. An acre of each would
not come amiss upon every large farm;
| but there are few localities where all the
| different kinds would do equally well.
| The white oak succeeds best in light or
! heavy soils, while the elm prefers
moist soil full of vegetable matter All
! the hickOries thrive in a rather heavy
| clay, although some, like the common
| thick shell, are found on high, dry, but
! stony lands. Chestnuts prefer a rather
| dry, sandy soil; old red sandstone seems
| to be its natural home, while clay or lime
! stone soils are not cOngenial Sugar
NAPLES thrive best in limestone or Slaty
! soils, succeeding poorly in sand or peat
| lands, while the scarlet and silver leaf
maple grow best in land containing
! large amount of humus. LOcusts and
! black walnut seem to thrive in almost
any land not too wet. From these varie-
! ties any farmer should be able to make
a selection suited to his locality and spe-
| cial needs A few acres of hickory or
| ash would not come amiss even in the
Older States, where these kinds are most
abundant, but in a prairie country the
value must certainly be greatly en-
! HANGED through scarcity.
| Either the seeds or one or two year old
| seedlings of any of the kinds named can
! be procured so cheaply that cost can
! scarcely be urged as an excuse for not
! attempting their cultivation. Whether
| seeds or seedlings are procured to begin
| with, the land for their reception should
! be thoroughly prepared this fall, and the
earlier the better, for to have land in
good filth is as important with trees as
with other farm crops. The seeds may
| be mixed with moist sand and kept in
boxes buried in the open ground through
winter. We prefer this mode of keeping
seeds to that of planting them in autumn
/ because they are more readily protected
! from mice and other vermin than when
widely scattered, and if sown early in
| spring the chances of success are equally
good There is no good reason why
! every farmer should not raise all the or
/ binary kinds Of timber required for use
upon the farm. 1t is no more difficult to
raise trees than corn, but the first require
a little more time to bring them to
marketable or useful age-N. 7. SUI.
d j.