The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-04-16
Waste Of Woodland.

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In most long settled portions of the
country the wood lot is mostly of little
practical profit. 1t furnishes yearly
what fuel is needed for the family, but
it does this by diminishing the amount
of wood rather than by taking the in
crease. In fact the growth of wood on
partly cleared lot is of the smallest inn
portance. 1t is an Investment lying
idle and without interest ready to be
drawn upon at any time, but sure sooner
or later to be exhausted. 1t used to be
the practice in some states to exempt
from taxation all unfenced woodlands;
but this rule has long since been done
away with. 1t scarcely needs argument
to prove that such unproductive lands
should be cleared and put to some prof
table use. 1t may pay in some localities
to replant such clearings with forest
trees. There are doubtless some localities
where this is as profitable use as any to
which certain broken lands can be put;
but if so let it be done purposely and
Systematically and not drift along with
no plan but that of letting things take
their own course and doing everything
in the easiest way.
An acre of growing timber should
contain from 800 to 1000 trees, accord
ing to their size. At eight feet apart
each way the number would be nearly
700; but until the trees had attained con-
siderable size they could well bear to be
much more closely planted. Close plant
ing is indeed necessary to secure straight
and handsome trunks to the trees, es-
pecially when young. After few years
they may be thinned by removing al
ternate trees in rows each way. The
wood thus procured will partially and
sometimes wholly pay the interest on
the value of the land. Some kinds of
timber becomes useful very early after
planting.
A successful farmer, living in a neigh
boring town, planted an acre with locust
trees about twenty-five years ago. The
trees were planted in rows, north and
south, and cultivated few years. This
acre OF low ground, of little value for
any other purpose supplies him yearly
with hundreds of locust posts, besides
stakes and poles. When cut in winter
or spring, sprouts shoot up from the
stump, one of which is selected and
made the main tree, thus perpetuating
the grove indefinitely. 1t is probably
the most productive and valuable acre
which this gentleman owns. Contrast
this policy with that of leaving half
cleared forests to stand year after year
as " woodlots," often not carrying more
than twenty to fifty trees per acre, and
those not growing. Can there be any
doubt which method is most conductive
to profit There are some thin orchards
of sugar naples saved year after year for
their sugar alone, and this is entirely
eXcusable. Yet even for the sugar ma
pie there is a great advantage in having
the orchard as compact and in as solid
body as possible. 1t is yearly saving
of time and labor in gathering the sap,
as well as saving in the amount of
land required.
OF the trees for nuts the chestnut and
black walnut are both rapid growers and
quickly come into bearing. Their tim
Der is very valuable, though if planted
for fruit it should be at much wider dis
tances than if timber growing is the OBJ
ject. But for either purpose it is i'm
portant to have the trees as evenly dis
tributed as possible. No farmers need
regret the loss of his woodland if he
supersedes old and decaying timber with
an equal or larger number of vigorous
and more valuable trees, growing on a
smaller area. 1t is the number and kind
of trees rather than the number of acres
which makes a wood lot valuable
Country Gentleman.
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