The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-12-21

| mahogany ana Diack walnut tOf tho pur-
poses of the cabinet maker and also fol
interior finish. This tree does not re.
quire a rich soil, and hence it's culture
need not infringe upon the richer acres
so much needed by the farmer. A re.
cent writer in the Ledger called attention
to the common black cultivated cherry,
which has in some places run wild. There
are many specimens of this tree which
have attained a large size. In France it
has long been greatly priced for furni
ture making, the natural beauty of its
wood being much increased by cutting
boards from the stem in diagonal di.
rection. Thus very striking figure is
obtained.
The mangrove of the extreme Southern
States, and of the tropical regions gen.
orally, is another tree of promise. We
| know how it is the means of retaining
low islands and preparing them event.
ually for human homes, by the growth
and decay of its own substance until
ooiiu COL VII 10 1ut, OOoluCo
the bark yields an enormous per centage
of tannin, and hence, in future, this tree
may come to serve as source Of supply
for tannin, and so aid in removing the
drain which now causes our hemlock
forests to be slaughtered simply for the
bark.
Good as we know them to be, it is not
likely that we place a sufficient estimate
upon the white and black ash trees in
the forestry OF the future. While the
while ash is the more valuable for inter-
ior finish and for such purposes as re-
quire lightness with strength and elasti-
city, both trees, when young, make fine
hoops may advantageously be planted
closely for that purpose, leaving few to
stand and attain mature size after the
smaller ones have been removed. So
much has been written of the catalpa,
both eastern and western species, that
there remains little to say, save that the
value of these trees for fence posts has
been fully established, though neither of
them will ever compete with the white
or tue rock oak (both of which are more
solid) as railroad tie timber. The lee
turer showed slide made from a pho
tograph furnished by Messrs. Webster s.
Ogden, of Media, where a catalpa post,
while alive, was SIT in the ground. From
the side of the post at the level of the
ground a tree started, which is still liv
ing and about foot and a.half in diam
eter. The remains of the post are still
seen attached to the tree.
Rock elm (Ulmus racemosa) was in
Guided in the list of neglected trees. 1t
is a species of vast value for certain kinds
of work. A striking popularity is the
spiral arrangement of the ibres, so tina
it is split with great difficulty. This
particularly fits it for such uses as making
wagon hubs. The tree is of very slow
growth, and one may we'll enough anti
cipate time when it will be hard to OBJ
tain.
Red oak, though not among our most
valuable species, is coming into favor to
a certain extent in interior finish, and de-
serves to be more used than it is.
The lecturer showed some striking il
Illustrations of second crop white pine for
ests from photographs taken by Prof.
Buckhout, of the State Agricultural Col
lege. There we're 800 thriving trees to
the acre. The forest, he said, had grown
mp within his memory to size approach
ing where the trees might be cut.
Among the trees We did not value suffi-
GENTLY for our gardens was the common
Towering dogwood (Cornus Florida), a
native of our hillsides and one of our
chief ornaments i'll the early spring. 1t
should be said that there is no part of
the growing season in which this species
is not attractive. Before the leaves ap
pear the whole tree, as in the instance
shown, may be mass of white or slightly
rose-colored bloom. Then it has in the
reddish-brown autumn foliage a charm of
its own. By all means let us recognize
the claims of this tree more fully.
Rising out of mass of serpentine, on
the most dreary part of the Chester
County barrens, one illustration showed
dwarfed, twisted, leafless bear oak
(Quercus Micifolia). 1t was thriving
where nothing else would, and. though
the prospects it furnished of timber grow
ing were meagre in the extreme, still it
was something, and that was better than
nothing. The red Virginia cedar was
often associated on these poor soils with
the bear oak, and it is fairly a question
whether much of said land might not
now be devoted to the growth of the &C.
dar with better prospect of some reward
than if given to any other crop. Of course
it implies long wait, but what can we
do better with such soil? 1t will at least,
meanwhile, help to consume the rainfall,
and SO to feed our springs and reservoirs
in years of less rainfall than this has
been.
One of the most important of all our
trees is the rock chestnut oak. 1t is
strong, solid, and durable, furnishing
good railroad ties. good fuel, both as
wood and as charcoal, and the bark is of
vast value to the tanning interests of the
State. Add to this that it will grow on
rocky mountain sides where no otner
species of oak can find foothold, and it's
claim to our consideration might be re-
garded as we'll established. 1t might re-
pay railroad companies to plant this tree
in their mountain acres alongside of the