St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-04-01
The Locust Grove.

The culture of trees has always been
interesting to me, and l have already
had the pleasure of seeing unsightly
spots made beautiful and weary hill
sides made profitable by the trees
growing upon them. 1t seems un-
necessary to add that these changes
will make farm more attractive and
valuable, and thus compensate in
most satisfactory manner for all the
labor bestowed. Among the most valu-
able trees to grow is the Robina
locust). This is useful on the farm
for fence posts and stakes, and will last in
the ground nearly if not quite as long as
red cedar, which stands at the head Of all
wood for these purposes | have known
posts of the latter to stand forty years
without decaying. The locust of the
yellow variety, which is the kind we
should select as the most valuable, will
arpw rapidly and to large size. In a
group of these trees now in vigorous
condition in the grounds of Kirby
Homestead, there are two which have
a circumference at the base OF ten feet,
and are fully 100 feet high. These
trees are seventy eight years old.
Locust trees are liable to be eaten by
borers, but this trouble is not SO com
mon now as FORMERLY. In the groves
planted on this farm no particular DAM
age has been observed. The seed may
ND gathered and planted in the fall, Or
1t may be gathered in. the winter, as the
pods do not drop Until winter or toward
SPRING The trees are, at this date
(Dec.4 26) stiH loaded with seeds
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and soaking iii the ground has the effect
to crack the horny shell which contains
the germ Of growth. I like the plan
best of planting in the spring as the
ground can, be- put in better order for
Che young, trees to get ahead of the
weeds. The seeds may be. kept until
spring in a dry, cool place, and when
this is done just before planting they
should be put into collander or sieve,
and boiling water poured upon them to
soften the shell. Another way is to
mix the seeds in sand and put them in
a box out of doors, and in this form
with the sand they may be planted.
When the ground can be we'll pre-
pared they may be sownl broadcast and
narrowed in like grain. A thrifty grove
on Kirby Homestead was started in this
way and never had any care since.
Where the ground is rough and will not
admit OF being titled, spots may be pre-
pared with spade and the seeds
planted by hand, covering them about
an inch deep. If the ground is too rocky
and hard to work up with spade, little
seed-beds can be made with pick-ax
and soil can be carried in a basket to
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started in a bed and transplanted when
one or two years old, as they arezvery
hardy and bear. transplanting They
may then. be set in rows and by cult
waiting between them occasionally dur
ing the summer for few years they
will grow more rapidly. If the grove
is found to be too thick when the trees
become large enough for stakes, it
should be thinned out. A locust grove
should not be set near land which is to
be titled, as the roots extend for long
distances and send up sprouts which
would be in the way of cultivation
This fault under these circumstances
is great advantage when the trees are
planted in rough places, as it causes
them to multiply. When q loctSt tree is
down suckers spring up from the stump
and roots to take the place Of the old
tree, SO that locust grove once started
perpetual. The timber is in great de-
mandafor ship-building, as well as for
posts, and always brings a. high price.
In twenty years from the time of plant
ing, the trees WILDE large enough to be
utilized for these. purposes. a peckief
seed is ample for an acre when soWetd
broadcast. If the ground i. thoroughly
prepared VI that the eedsnlay an come
up. The same amount of seed is suf-
iicient when planted in drills. The
drills should befour feet apart, and the
! seed scattered in them thin enough to
be evenly distributed over the ground.
Most lar e seed dealers have locust seed
for sale. Locust seed will retain its VII
tality for several years, but fresh seed
is more certain to terminate. IF. q.
Curtis, IN ~. Z Tribune. Lily