The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-08-31
THE Farm.
Farmers, Gardners, Horticufturists,
Dairy and Stookmem are requested to
tUYite for this Department.
"woodman Spare that Tree"


ment expressed in this direction, espec-
tally Of late years, without as yet CIV
ing practical or general impetus to a
movement to perputuate our timber
supply. We may mourn the apparent
destruction of valuable timber tracts,
by operations Of our steam saw mills,
some of which have been at work in
this and adjoining counties, following
IN the wake of ship timber cutters, and
then those who have chiefly been after
hickory, until those trees have been
very perceptibly thinned out. In con-
junction with these agencies there is
the natural decline and decay constant
ly going on that is not fairly understood
by many who have been writing upon
the subject. There is much heavy
timber in all parts ofthe Eastern states,
that, however, much we may dislike to
see it cut, is nevertheless being de-
stroyed by natural agencies as fast as
the tooth of time can do it. Some va
rieties of timber deteriorate very rap.
idly after they have attained an aver
age maximum growth. This is notably
the case with chestnut. The timber
from an old tree may be nearly worth
less for the same uses it is especially
adapted to when cut young. 1t may
servo purpose for fence posts but is
useless when cut into thin boards or
for any purpose where strength is
needed. 1t makes some of the poorest
rail road ties. They are too soft to hold
a spike firmly and mash under the rail
by the jar of the passing trains. While
not rotten, they easily part between
the layers of annual growth.
This being a we'll known fact tract
of young chestnut timber with a growth
of trees averaging Is inches in diane
ter is more valuable than the same
covered with trees of twice the dame
ter. The same rule that has been ap
piled to the forests of chestnut, applies
with less force perhaps but equal cef-
tainty to those of mixed hard wood
trees. The outrageous oak is very
nice thing to contemplate, or the poets
to write about, but in the light ofthe
hard practical common sense Of the
business man it may be very undesir
able piece of property. 1t may stand
where its shade is an encumbrance and
its timber be of such nature as to be
not worth the cutting. Many other
trees, not oak, are allowed to stand and
cumber thousands of acres of otherwise
valuable land, just for the reason that
they were not worth the labor of re-
moval. And these thousands of acres
are called by courtesy timber land.'
IF any law is needed to encourage
the growth or preservation of timber
this thing should receive due attention.
These worthless specimens should be
removed before it is possible for new
forest to spring up. This done and
cattle and sheep kept out for two or
three years, in the majority of cases
new growth will spring up, without
planting, to make valuable timber in
very few years,
The first thing to come may be poke
weed, fire weed, briars. Then dog
wood will make show and if nature
take its course, oak, hickory, poplar,
maple, ash, walnut, chestnut. &C., will
overtop these and we have forest OF
straight saplings, that will make straight
trees if left to take their own course.
From such thicket there can be cut
enough hoop poles to pay the interest
on the investment in a few years, aud
the best can be left thick enough to
make valuable timber. 1t does not
take life time either for these poles to
become large enough to make sticks
for hewn timber.
We are indebted to the friendly
brieI for much of the timber we now
have. But for their sheltering care
the sprouts and seedlings would all
have been destroyed by rowing cattle.
Our rocky hill sides and much land
that is of very little value for any other
purpose might be made into our most
valuable acres by little care and at