Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-03-12
RAISING TREES.
Some SuEEestions for the Calculation cd
Profits froa Forest Culture.

Some Suggestions for the Calculation 81,
Profits froa Forest Culture.
From the -Aaaerican Forestry Bulletin
we take the following suggestions re-
iatiug to the interest suggested. because
our people have not ye; learned its great
Importance:
In discussing forestry matters in this
country we must not forget that the
needs of the various sections differ
widely, as do also the conditions for
.successful-we mean financially Sue
-cessful-torestry. The theories of eli
mate and hydraulic influence Of the
forest, which have given the first i'm
petus to the forestry movement III this
country are nOeT doubted by few-the
few having for the most part an inter-
est in doubling; the majority accept
them on faith. and some few on con-
viction. But. after all. these consider
tons will guide only the statesman and
the Government. The individual for
lest owner desires to make forestry a
profitable business; he tries to produce
in the shortest time the highest rent
from the soil which he devOtes to forest
nv. Therefore. unless other considers
tons necessitate. wheat land should not
be given up TO forest growth; for what
ever may have been said on the profita-
bleness of forest growing, with some
few exceptions forestry, compared with
agriculture. is only profitable on poor
soil, paradoxical as this may appear.
In Eli calculations on the profits of for
est culture our friends have neglected to
bring into use factor which will place
THE balance on the wrong side every
time, unless due care has been taken to
reduce the initial outlay for land, labor.
etc, to the smallest amount. In agri-
couture we take every year in our crops
the interest on the capital invested in
the shape of land. labor and seed, and
.can apply this interest in any way we
like. investing it. for instance. in rail
road stocks and deriving the interes
in dividends thereon. In forestry,
unfortunately, the calculation is more
from the fact that the full
returns on oar capital can not be eN-
pected for 100. 80, 60. or as some advO-
Gates of rapid growth will have it. ~
years from the start of the plantation.
II then we begin with soil the price
of which was 80 per acre. on that part
of the investments alone, the returns
will have to be, taking rotation OF co
years, $3.50, to pay interest at five per
cent. Mr.. Foster, of Muscatine, Ia,
for profit, allows 800 for
plantation OF one acre. The amount
would demand at the end of 50 years,
1868, in order to cover Interest on the
investment. or the whole acre must
have produced 81. 400 in 60 years. This
amount will be somewhat n Odified by
returns from Trimmings during the time
of rotation, with compound interest
added up to the end of 60 yesrs. But
taxes and the extra profit Watch sny
man expects from an enterprize 30 haz-
Ardous IS forestry growing. wlll more
than countexbalance this amon.et. In
walnut, at @l00 per 1000 feet clear of
we would have to cut at 60
years "a, GOO feet of clear lumber! We
doubt whether this will ever be done.
Yet we do not mean to discourage for
est planting BY these expositioDs: we
only want 70 direct atteation of 70 rest
growers to the necessity of simplify ing
and cheapening methods of FOREST On wv
ing, and a selecting such soils Is { an
not b utilized 10 better advantage br
Agricultural purposes. Fartunately he
of forest trees On the soil a.se
very Insignificant Whist the agricult-
nral crops deprive the soil of its rares
mineral constituents, tree growth makes
only on the physical properties