Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-08-12

unFserymen, but viii have ~ mosiss
MON 70 suit the larser aeiE y,
inc forester, who does ma, S.,i
with the individual 40 ,nnch as
Win an aggregate Of lndiv,drais
tne forest. ] win not tire Won ,.,i,b
TURNER generalities, but take this onnor-
tnuity OF bringing to your notice two
trees which seem to me admirahiv
adapted to some localities Of vour state.
ana II adopted would form most desirable
material Tor forest planting, recommend
ing themselves by their easy prona oation
quick growth and their early proftahle,
ness.
For aught know this may be known N
some OF you, but have not heard az their
Introduction at large
These are acacia pyenantha ana Tho
less hardy acacia decurreus, the so-called
"Wettletrees."
They are natives Of South Australia
with climate which rivals IN sudden
changes and In scarcity Of rainfall. CON
tinued and frequent droughts with many
parts OF your state. Whether II Is
capable OF wlthstanding the lower
winter temperature OF your eli.
mate is a matter OF experiment
In Its native habitat the thermometer
rarely goes below 20 f. A nearly alliea
species acacia dealbata Is found semi.
hardy In England, recovering very easily
from occasional frost injuries They will
thrive with less than fifteen inches rain
iaii and stand thermometrical range of
w In twelve hours, such as sometimes
occur In its native habitat.
The best soil for their propagation IS a
deep, poor sand, with retentive CLAY
suosoil, and especially acacia pycnantha
seems to thrive on almost any soil.
These trees are therefore likely To
answer to our first question. "Will they
grown"
But they will also satisfy us as to their
profitable growing, though they are only
shortlived trees but rapid In growing,
reaching their maximum growth at the
tenth or twelfth year, when they will
measure twenty-five feet In height, and
ten inches in diameter at the base.
Acacia deeurreus even attaining double
that size in the same time, and one inch
IN diameter per year. Some trees were
found thirty feet in height and eight
inches In diameter when only five years
Old Their timber is hard aud valuable
not only for fuel, but good for manu-
featuring purposes. Their main profit,
however, lies In the remarkable Yield Of
bark for tanning purposes. Acacia pyc-
nantha containing as much as 30 TO 40
per cent. OF tanning matter, and q Occur
reus of "a per cent. Oh the average. The
bark can be stripped as early as the third
year, but it is more profitable Is walt
until the sixth or seventh year, when ten
pounds to the tree may be reckoned at
low yield. twelve-year-old tree
yielded 225 pounds of bark, and Yields of
1000 pounds per tree from older growth
used not to be rare in its South Australian
home, before the reck ess strip
ping of young trees began.
The bark sells In London at $40 per ton.
At such prices, plantation OF seven years
old wattles of only 1000 trees to the acre,
yielding Ave tons per acre, would bring
gross profit Of 5000 per acre.
AS nurseries, for other kinds to be
grown underneath and protected against
the scorching sun and hot winds, they are
commendable ON account of their thin
foliage, giving partial shade only.
The cultivation Is simple. After the
ground Is thoroughly plowed to u depth
OF four inches, one or two seeds are put
in every three or four feet, In rows Ave
feet apart, with a corn-planter or by hand.
thinning out to one plant to each hill at
the end Of the first year aud cultiyating
for two seasons to produce thrifty start
OF the plantation. Where pillow cannot
be used, turn over spade full
OF earth every three or four feet and
put in seed one-fourth to one-half inch.
The seed must be prepared for germina-
ton by boiling, aud may be boiled five
minutes without injury, or by soaking for
one or two days and keeping damp until
termination begins.
Steps have been taken TO procure seed
OF these promising trees, and when ar
rived / shall be glad to supply applicants
who are willing to test them.
From your programme | see that you
devote part of your session to the dis
cussion of forestry matters. Let me urge
that you will then consider how, by
plan of systematic cooperative expert
you can assist In solving the
forestry problems OF your treeless plains
Wishing you a successful meeting, am,
Very respectfully,
BERNHARD Il. FERNow.
At late hour in the afternoon, after
much business had been disposed of, Il
was announced that Mr.. III 4. Van Deman,
the
UNITED STATES PoMoLoGIsT,
would address the society.
Mr.. Van Deman, coming TO the door,
said
Mr.. President, Ladies' and Gentlemen Of
the Society; "Before begin, wish TO
inquire how long am TO be allowed to1
speakP"
The chair answered $40 minutes.
The speaker continued: | shall en-
deavor not to be long would say in
the beginning that have been pleased TO
meet with this Central Texas Horticul-
tural society. have received invitations
from your secretary and from
your president through the secretary,
and It has been a pleasure to me
to accept the invitation and to meet with
you / come here as your servant, as l
am the representative Of the horticultural
division OF the department of agricul-
ture; and, as Mr.. Colman has appointed
me to take charge of this division, l am
in the position of your servant, and |
want to say that it is my desire that you
feel that i am in this position, that you
may call upon me any time that can as
slst you, and II there is anything can do
to your aid shall do Il. 1t may be well
enough to explain TO You the true condi-
ton Of this department which repre-