The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-11-05

various 1A1m04 ~ Af~Ee ae4@~M*0
With little doubt the most falisfac-
tory results In raising forest trees arc
obtained by raising the trees In q
nursery on the farm or purchasing
them from a reliable dealer. setting
them out nj uniform distances in
straight rows and cultivaling them till
they are OF size TO occupy all tho
ground. II one has but small amount
of land 10 devote to forest tree grow
Ing. rs all the land on the place II
quite valuable. this plan will be found
"a be tho most economical one. Trees
that are cultivated make a much more
rapid growth than those that receive
no attention. and soon become yalua-
BILE for fuel and timber A poor
farmer. however. who has his place TO
improve, II not pay for. can not orii-
nariIy AFFORD 10 plant 4 considerable
number Of acres Of land In this way.
He has not the time to raise them In
nursery. and he may not understand
how 10 properly manage i. He has
not the money 10 spare to buy young
trees from q nurseryman or to pay
freight on them II they are brought
from a distance on cars. As rule he
has no time in the spring TO set out
trees, and none in the summer 10 de-
vote to their cultivation. lie Il gene
orally obliged TO keep himself hands
and teams Mt work on crops that will
b. needed by his family and stock. or
which can be disposed Of in the market
Evelyn, who wrote on forest-treo
growing hundred years ago recon-
mendcd an easy way Of obtaining =
forest which is worthy the attention Of
nil who are improving farms On the
prairics He stated that he obtained
most excellent results by practicing a
method that involved no expense ex-
cept for seed. The land selected for
producing forest-trces was plowed deep
In the fall and again plowed in the
spring and narrowed in the usual man
ncr. At the ordinary feeding time the
cones Of the pine. spruce, fir and hem-
lock. acorns, beech-nuts and walnuts,
and the seeds Of ash. maple and other
trees were scattered broadcast over the
land. rs is done in sowing small grains
Then oats were sown at the rate Of
from three pccks to a bushel per acre.
The land was then well narrowed, SO
as 10 cover the seed quite deep. This
was the beginning and the ending OF
the work necessary to produce for
est The oats. as might be expected.
terminated in good time and shaded
the ground. Some of the tree seeds
come up in few weeks. others in the
course Of month. while some Of them
did not gcrminate till the next year.
The oats shaded the young trees and pre-
vented the growth Of weeds. He found
that the young trees grew better among
the oats than they did on ground cx-
posed to the hot sun.
This old writer on forest-trce plant
ing recommended cutting the oats
with sickle. the only way Of harvest
ing grain then in use. At the present
time il would hardly pay to harvest .
crop of oats in that way. and there Is
no occasion for doing it. BY raising
the cntting-bar Of harvester they
could be gathered in the usual man
ner. II would probably be better
however. to allow the oats to remain
where they grew. The straw would
afford protection to the young trees
during the winter. II volunteer
crop II oats appeared the next season
il would be Of benefit to the youns
trees. while 1t would help proven
the growth Of weeds. Evelyn allowed
all the trees that sprung from the seed
sown to grow. believing that the fittes
would survive and occupy the ground
By having them stand close t0gethe
they grew tall and straight. and he oh
tanned large amount Of wood on |
small area Of land. Pruning wa
saved. as trees standing in dens
mass ssshcd" their side branches whcI
they become Of quite large size. SOM
of the trees that make very rapi'
growth afforded protection to- thos
that were not very hardy. These wer
removed and used for fuel after til
more valuable trees became well Is
tablishcd and were able to take care o
themselves.
With some slight modification
Evclyns plan Of raising forest Nigh
doubtless he followed 70 excellent nd
vantage in most parts Ct the West
would probably be better 70 plan
large nuts in the burrows as the Ian
was plowcd 50 rs 10 insure their beis
covered deeply. The smaller seed shoul
be sown broadcast. and covered wit
a harrow. II might be practical I
put them IL with grain drill. ia
openings Of the different discharg
pipes being. adjusted 10 the size Of th
seed TO be dropped. An artificial fol
est containing a large variety Of trees
scattered about promiscuOusly, wool
present very beautiful appearance,
and would be mistaken for the natnr'