The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-12-09

IltaVe trees growing. 10 snow the aD-
surdity of the ruling take one instance.
Rev. J. G.. Oglo. of this place, has ten
acres of walnut trees on his claim
grown from the nuts. In order to COM
ply with the ruling, he will have to take
up the young trees and move them, say
all inch Or two from where they now
stand, and then the ten acres of timber
will be ''accepted as i compliance with
the requirements,'' etc. We are glad
to learn, through Mr.. Moulton, of the
Land Office, that application has al
ready been made to Senator Window
and Representative Dunnell to have
this matter rightcd, and there IS
scarcely a doubt that this ruling will he
reversed.
TIE COUNTY BOUNTY.
2. The first State law to encourage
tree culture became law on the 9Th
day Of March, 1871. It provides that
every person WHO shall plant, protect
and cultivate one acre or more of prai-
RE land, with any kind Of forest trees
except the black locust, shall be entitled
to al annual bounty Ct s. for each acre
SO planted, to be paid from the treasury
Of the county in which the trees are
growing. The payment of bounty does
not begin until three years from the
time Of planting, and continues ten
years. The trees must be planted with
in five years from the passage Of tho
act, or before March, 1876, to get the
benefit Of the act. So those who have
planted trees this fall arc in time to
secure the bounty. This act does not
fix the distance apart at which trees
shall be. planted in groves, bur only
fixes the maximum distance for the
lows along the highway.
Recently question has been raised
as to whether or not the county bounty
will be paid on tree claims. It is said
that the gift of the land is a suffi-
Gent consideration. But we see 10
way in which this view can be tortured
from any of tho enactments Oh the sub
ject. If this could by any possibility
be enforced, it would operate most un-
justly, for the homesteader on the same
section who had out from ten to twenty
acres would darw his annual bounty,
while his neig'h5or, because he was so
unfortunate us to have entered 4 tree
claim instead of a homestead would be
deprived Of the bounty.
THE STATE BOUNTY.
3. The second State law to encourage
tree planting was passed Feb. Goth, 1873
The provisions of this act arc identical
with the one passed March, 1871, with
these differences, viz: that under this
act the bounty shall be paid out of the
State instead Of the county treasury.
and that not more than 10000 shall be
distributed in bounties in any one year.
Thus provision is made to pay on ten
thousand acres, or what is equal to $50
tree claims each year. If the aggregate
bounty applied for in any one year ex-
ceeds SEQ, 600, then that sum is to be
equitably distributed among those ap-
plying.
Under this act the trees must be
planted by February, 1878, in order to
secure the bounty, as the limit is fixed
at five years for the planting.
PROFITS or TREE CULTURE.
A word, in conclusion, us to the prof
its Of tree culture. No kind of farming
will pay SO we'll in the long run. Mr..
Mendenhall, Of Iowa, values his groves.
after s or 10 years growth, at $500 an
acre. Mr.. Joseph Claggctt, in al ex-
cellent letter published in the Jackson
Republic, estimates that he can cut
$240 worth Of fence-poles from two and
one-half acres of his grove. This would
he about $50 worth Of fencing to the
acre, leaving one-half the poles stand
ing for agroye.
Estimate, now, the profits on ass:trce
claim. Should tho full bounty be re-
ceived for ten years Isl an acre, or $16o
for forty acres,) the total amount of
bounty drawn would be 81 500. This
would pay the principal on a 100 acre
| farm near Worthington. If Mr.. Men
denlall's estimate is correct, the forty
acres with trees on arc worth $500 an
acre, or $4,000. The remaining 40
acres wo1ll, 10y that time, be worth
from $50 to $40 an acre. Say $50, and
we have s2,4o0 morb. Thus, a tree
claim will be worth $4,000.
We repeat what we have frequently
said before, viz: that the farmers can
settle the fuel problem for themselves
in a very few years. The older portions
or Illinois and Iowa are now dotted
with groves and forests, supplying the
farmers with fuel, furnishing fencing
ana protecting orchards and premises
from the winds.
Tweed has escaped from the Ludlow
Street Jail. In other words, we SUP
pose the ''Boss" thief was turned loose
by his keepers.
Z. J. Kniss finished threshinc last
week. Ills wheat yielded Il trifle over
twenty-six bushels to tile acre. machine
measure, and doubtless will oyerrun
considerably III weight. "A portion Of
this crop was grown on new land
which, us everyone knows, does not
produce as much wheat per acre as
lands for some time under cultivation.
probably owing to the extremely tough