Omaha daily bee., 1883-01-19
THE ADVANTAGE OF TIMBER
CULTURE.

To the Editor Of tbs BEE.
A great interest is felt by our gov,
eminent oti cials and practical forest
growers about the future supplies o.
fuel and timber In the United Statel
and an effort is being made to promote
extensive forest tree planting.
There are very many important
considerations which may be urged in
favor of extensive tree planting. The
more m considerations are the
providing of fuel, polos and posts for
the farm. However important these
may be they are only a part of the
considerations that should be urged in
favor of artificial forest groves and
hedges.
Occasionally a man hes blundered
upon a nice little fortune by planting
a quantity of European larch, Usage
or walnut timber and caring we'll fJr
it. l know of a man who was offered
50, 500 per acre for larches on three
acres. The trees were eighteen years
| old at the time.
Some of our journals give an ao.
count of q man in Wisconsin who sold
his artificial walnut grove last year for
$4,000. This looks like q remarka.
Bile statement, but a little figuring will
show that it Is no nor than may rea.
sonably be expected to be accom-.
plished in twenty years. I recently
noticed q grove of walnut trees Of
twenty-five years growth. Some of
these trees were upwards of forty feet
In heighth and would make from tour
to six fence posts each, by splitting
the lower lengths. The grove would
average at least four posts to the tree,
thus making the trees worth from fifty
to seventy.tive cents. Many Of the
trees are worth double this price for
other uses. At a distance of five feet
apart one acre would produce about
2 900 trees. These, at the end of
twenty years, at fifty cents each,
would bring $1,000 per acre. II Is
also quite probable that twenty years
will double the price of timber for
mechanical purposes. A few long
sighted persons are being influenced
by such facts and are commencing to
plant black walnut and other trees
adapted to mechanical purposes more
extensively. This fall l met a man
from southwestern Iowa who had
chartered a car for Dlkota and the
principal part Of his load was to be
black walnuts. He estimated that he
had enough to produce 60 600 trees,
These will make him $50, 600 in twenty
pears. These wAlnuts will mako only
a part Of his forest, White ash Is
equally valuable for many kinds of
furniture and much more valuable for
mechanical purposes. 1t is, however,
worthless for posts. The ash Is more
easily propogated and transplanted
than walnut and grows much more
rapidly,
The common wild cherry is also q
very valuable timber for furniture and
makes a rapid growth when cultivated.
1t Is produced by planting the cherry
without drying.
TIE Usage hedge tree is probably
the most valuable hard wood that can
be cultivated wherever it can stand
the winter. 1t is easily raised, a rap
Id grower, and a stronger and harder
wood than the best oak or hickory.
1t is very valuable for agricultural I'm
plements, grape stakcs, fence posts
and feel
The Hardy Catalpa Is perhaps more
valuable than any other me tree. 1t
Is q light colored, fine grained wood
suitable for furniture. 1t is a light,
with great strength, and is adapted to
mechanical purposes whore ash or ma
pie would be Of service. 1t is the
most durable timber known for posts,
lasting three or four times as long as
oak or cedar; aud with all of these
good qualities it is q rapid grower,
making wood oout as fast sgiin as
the black walCdt. No other tree is so
easily proosgated from the
seed o. more readily trans.
planted. These and aome other
varieties OF timber have q very wide
range of us tlluess which ought to be
considered an planting, We should
platt With IN eye 10 thu future when
we San pos IDLY do SO. Timber belts,
groves an hedges are of great service
to US in checking the severe winds,
thus Often modifying the worst of
storms.
There are some unpleasant things
about he iges ana some serious objec-
lions to COWS OF trees planted around
the farm, but it Is quite probable that