The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-07-01
Forest Tree Leaves for Fodder.

We have endeavored, from time to time,
to show the importance of planting forest
trees wherever they are not to be found in
state of nature, or are becoming scarce
through the clearing of land for agricult-
ural purposes. Prairie countries are
scarcely inhabitable, or at least fitted for
the production of fruits, or even farm
crops, until forests are reared to protect
them from severe winds, which generally
prevail in all sparsely- wooded regions. 1t
is not altogether the severity of the wind,
nor its direct influence upon crops, that
makes protection of so much Importance,
but it is the sweeping away of moisture
from an open, treeless country, both in
summer and winter, that is so disastrous
to vegetation.
Moist, wet climates are improved by
destroying the forests, and those subject to
long and severe droughts by the extensive
planting of trees. These are the we'll known
effects of forests on climate, leaving out
of consideration the mOoted question
whether they have any influence in de.
creasing or increasing the amount OF rain
fall in their immediate vicinity.
But all these points and others relating
to the value of trees, both for use and
ornament, we have referred to very fire.
quently in these columns. We wish now
to say a word in regard to leaves of
woody plants as forage for stock. Of
course we do not suppose men will plant
trees in their best pasture lands or mead
ows with the expectation of keeping their
cattle altogether upon leaves; still there
are many thousands of acres which are not
tillable, but could be made to produce
heritage in the shape of leaves on low
growing bushes or trees bearing nutri-
tious foliage. Recent Investigations of
chemists have shown that many kinds of
forest tree leaves afford very superior
fodder. In albuminoids u. e., muscle
producing properties) they are superior to
the best grasses. Stockhardt found that
although dried oak leaves at the end Of
July contained IL per cent. of tannin,
sheep ate these leaves greedily and with.
out i'll effects.
Every farmer who has had any expert
ence in pasturing in new cleared fields
containing brush wood, or in forests, is
well aware of the avidity with which
stock eat the leaves, and sheep especially.
The composition of leaves depends very
much upon their age, and like the COM
mon grasses the woody fiber increases
as they attain maturity. There is also a
great difference in the nutritive proper
ties of the different kinds, the maple,
elm, birch, beech and linden being
among the richest and most valuable for
food. t IL
Now, there are many thousands of acres
of land in the older States which have be-
come unfertile through long cultivation,
and are really too poor to support the low
est kinds of grasses, and it is a question
worth considering whether they could not
be made useful, and their fertility, in part
ut least, restored by planting with some
of the rapid growing forest trees. Forest
trees will grow in soils which are too poor
for the common grasses, because the roots
penetrate deeply, drawing sustenance
from lower depths than are reached by
herbaceous plants. When the trees have
once become fairly started in such soils
they improve its condition very rapidly
through the annual deposits of leaves
and other vegetable matter cast off during
growth. ~ ~est
There are many old plantations in the
Southern States which might in a great
measure be restored to fertility by cover
ing them again with forests, and if used
for pasture the droppings Of the animals
would soon make the soil rich enough to
produce first-rate crops. The decaying
roots in the soil of waste woodlands, as
well as the ashes produced in burning the
brush and timber, add greatly to its fer
tility, and usually amply repay the cost Of
clearing. Planting timber trees, or their
seeds, may at first sight appear like aslow
way Of rec]aiming WORKOUT soils; still it
is pretty certain method, and the pastur-
age furnished is also an item to be taken
into consideration. The seeds Of elms
and silver and red naples are at this time
ripening throughout the Northern States,
and those who have waste lands, or even
prairies yielding little or nothing in the
way of grasses, could scarcely do better
than to scatter these seeds upon them or
plant in nursery rows, and then transplant
when thew are Of proper size.