The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-05-29
Timber Farming.

Timber Farming.
In tho West are large forests, not
much injured by the AK, and In the Mid
die aud The Western States many farms
have wood lots OF fair area In which
largo and valuable trees arc growing,
but most Of these are being thnned out,
while In many cases the land ID being
cleared of every yostlge OF timber In an
insane desire 10 add 10 the acreage OF
plowed land, Even In the older States
something Of this Is seen. Within u
week the wrllor has seen In Central
New York men busy In cutting thrifty
naples, birches, ashes cherries and
other trees, sound and Of fair age, that
the logs might 90 TO mill and tho land
DO Vsod for growing costly crops. The
theory was that this land will produce
better crops than can bo grown on the
old worn-out soil; aud tho fact h that
the logs are worth from five TO twenty
dollars per thousand foot ut tho saw
mill.
Once this very land was covered with
birdSeye maple, whltewood, ash and
linden trees, which would to-day readily
sell for twenty dollars per thousand feet
but noble great trees were burned by the
thousands that the land might be cleared
for cultivation. II would be- a moderate
estimate which would place the yield
per acre Of such timber at $4,000 feet,
At half tho price the logs Nronow worth
an acre OF such timber would be worth
$3.50; but the land itself, "improyed' y
they call H. Is worth less than one-quar-
ter that sum. OF course IL seemed 10
be necessary, half century ago, TO de-
strOy that timber that room might be
made for growing food for tho people
who did not know that nature had Left
enough cleared land, ready for the pow
and wonderfully fertile, In tho West 10
furnish food for all tho people If
America, and more, But this genera
ton has tho experience Of two or three
hundred years 10 guide IT, and surely
should be able, In the light Of that expert
ence, TO avoid the more serious errors
which have been made, Yet II has gone
eagerly along In the paths followed by
the pioneers, and, while II may not do.
stroy as many valuable trees by burning
them on the land, II Is sending the
larger ones away IN the form Of fuel or
OF lumber and destroying the smaller
ones. The work Of destruction Is going
on In several States, particularly In
Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri, To-
day the timber on those lands Is worth
more than the ground II stands on viii
sell for when the trees are gone, Ten
years hence the timber will have more
than doubled In value, Ii the population
and the needs Of the country continue 10
increase In tho ratio Of growth Of lho
last ten years,
Shrewd capitalists SEQ that the future
will make timber lands more pro',uI ,c
than almost any others, and they are
quietly and quickly buying good TIM
bered lands In large blocks, especially in
tho South For The country this Is for
tunate, as those men viii not repent the
folly Of past decades by destroying the
forests They clearly understand that
no crops they could produce on their
lands woul give q greater return, or ne.
qulre less labor, expense and ca'o than
will the timber which Is indigenous.
They have only 10 guard their property
from timber thieves, and cut uut few
Of the largest and best of tleir trees
where they are orowding the younger
ones, and thus each yeur get very
liberal interest upon their Investment
Meantime the soil upon which tie TIM
Der stands increases IN value, whllo each
year adds 10 the market value Of tho
timber II produces.
Is there nothing In these facts Of inter
est to tho general larmvrp is not the
lucl that q single walnut, or ash, or
maple may be worth more aS Il stands
than n Dcro Of The ground II stands on
"'r 10 Of a better plan llun tat 80
followed 10y landowners in The
StalesP Is Il not true that tim
are can be made neof the most
pJuo,oDlo Of all branches of farming,
and the least laboriousp Already cnougl.
has been done 10 show that tloe-grOw-
ing Is very profitable, yet rs u rule tho
trees grown have beea Of the less yulu.
able kinds, soft and quickly.growng
poplars, willows, aud ashes,
Tho objection may DO made that too
ong u time must pass after planting be-.
'oro trees can be made 10 yield an IN.
'ome, The young trees will grow moro
'apidly II cultivated during the first few
'cars after planting, and crops have
,ccn grown prolitably between The rows,
or two or three years In succession.
}ul most farmers can well afford 10 set
side u part OF their land for all time 10
'ruw trees upon, for thc labor Of pre-.
,orIng the ground and planting the
recs Is, with the exception of taxes and
cpalrlng fences projecting thc frees,
he only outlay the timber lot will 70.
ulrc. The owner has only 70 wait for
lis rich reward, which will surely come.
Iut II ho cannot wait the years required
0 secure tho greatest return, he will
md In the greatly enhanced value Of the
md goodly profit without cutting
wig. - Chicag0 1tibgae
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