The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-06-23
HOW A FOREST WILL GROW,
Facts that are Full of Encouragement to Tree
Planters.

Facts that are Full of Encouragement to Tree
Planters.
10 show how fast forest will grow, here
is an extract from Mr.. Leonard B. Hodges
address, read before the annual meeting of
the Minnesota State Agricultural society in
February, 1879. It is worth reading. He
says:
Il bring forward only Minnesota growths
as specimens of what has already been
done. We have no occasion to draw from
the state for facts for the encouragement
of forest culture. From many hundreds of
similar facts, select the followin as suffi-
cient:
"Cottonwoods, in Olmsted county, sew
enteen years old, are from so to 60 feet
hig and from 60 to 81 inches in circumfer-
ence. Cottonwood in Dakota county, sew
enteen years old, are over sixty feet high,
from 81 to 80 inches in circumference
and will yield cord of fire. wood per tree,
Messenger, Esq.
Eastwood are now standing on timber
land cleared by tho writer, in 1857, in the
town of Oronoco, Olmsted county, 80 feet
high, 25 inches in circumference. Ash, on
same ground, - to 81 inches in ciroumfer-
ence. 25 feet high, 10 to II years old. But
ternut, Is inches in circumference, rs feet
high, IA years old, Pignut hickory, Is
inches in circumference, 25 feet
high, 10 to Il years old This is On
ground cleared from 10 to 10 years ago, and
left to the care of nature ever since.
On grub prairie in the village of Oro-
noco, where the grubs did not average two
feet high and nothing but oak to be seen
twenty years ago, now stands grove from
which select jack oak trees 20 to 26 inches
in circumference, and Is to 80 feet high !;
white oak trees, 81 to % inches in circum-
ference, and 20 to 80 feet high; butternut,
n inches in circumference, and Is to 80
feet high.
''All this without any cultivation, no pro-
lection from cattle, but pretty we'll protect
ed from fire.
In the door-yard of John K. Kepner,
Little Valley, Olmsted county, black wal
nut is bearing, 8 years old, from seed, 8 to S
inches in diameter, 10 to 20 feet high; elm
diameter; scarlet maple still larger; box -e]-
der, larger yet, and cottonwoeds twice as
large as the box-elder; honey locust rather
slow grower, but hardy, only one in fifty
having been kille during the hard winter
of 1878; white pine 20 feet high, to 8
inches in diameter, transplanted from the
forest, seven and eight years ago, when
only few inches high; balsan fir 1872
feet high, SO inches in circumference one
foot above the ground; IL years old, the
branches covering circle more than SO feet
On the farm of Hon. Dwight Rath-
burn, Fillmore county, black ash, seven to
eight years old from seed, 10 to 81 inches
in circumference, Is feet high, with beau-
tifully shaped tops Is to 10 feet across. In
dooryard of Gen. German, St. Paul, tam
cracks transplanted from the swamp eigh-
teen years ago 80 to IS feet high, and. "a to
"a inches in circumference-large enough
for railroad ties. Sugar maple, on Dayton
avenue, st. Paul, % to 26 inches in cir.
conference. On the farm of Harrison
Waldron of Byron, Olmsted county, white
willow, Al inches in circumference one foot
above the ground, 40 feet high. eight years
from the cutting. Mr.. G.. n. Waldron, in
larger growth. At Winona, Eastwood,
planted in SO, 20 inches in circumference;
hard maple. same age, 16 inches in circum-
ference; soft maple, planted five or six
years later, IL inches in circumference;
elm, planted in 1859 or 1860, 81 inches in
circumference; cottonwood, planted in
same row at same time, 70 inches in cir
conference. These results, gratifying as
they are, might have been materially in.
creased by better cultivation, and many Of
them but little.
Mr.: Hodges also asserts
First-That the farmer on tho bleakest
portion Of our treeless regions, can, with
less ready money than it would cost to buy
. breaking pillow, surround his stock yard
and buildings with wind break within five
years. that will protect him as effectually az
though he was in the middle of the Big
woods.
Second-that crop of trees can be grown
as surley and in proportion to its value,
with fur less expense that q crop of corn.
Third-That ten acres properly planted
to timber and properly cultivated will, in
five years, supply fuel for q family in great
abundance and also fencing for farm of
100 acres. 80 ~
Fonrth-That the most worthless lands
Of our treeless regions can, through tho
Intervention Of the hee-plsnter, be sold for
800 per acre within twenty years, --.,..
Sixth That single cottonwood seed,