Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-07-04
THg WEALTH or MAINE IN HER
FOREST TREES.

Il Inc roaI Weaitu VI y tsuu c0usisSs u
whatever ls essential to the happiness
and comfort Of its people. We are con-
tinually reading, or hearing eulogiums
upon Maine ~ having within her forests,
or can have an abundance Of the neces.
saries and luxuries VI life, or that they
may be produced here II the people wish
for them.
Among the necessities and the iuxuries
which We read Of are the forest trees,
which are indigenous to our soil, and
grow spontaneously everywhere II they
are only let alone. The seeds OF these
trees are sown broadcast everywhere by
the winds and birds, aud spring up all
over the State whilst In Its natural con-
ditlon, and made the grand forests which
once covered Maine with l0veliness,
beauty and grandeur. In order to make
Maine the residence Of civilized man,
vast tracts OF this forest had to be
cleared of Its original growth, and Its
ton, either by natural decay or the
flames.
Many who devoted q long life to un-
remltted toll In converting the forests
Into farms, became dlsgusted with 90
much work and so small pay, and
worked the woods far away. Not 90
with all, however. The men are not
few, more than 20 years old, who re-
member with great pleasure the little
opening In the dense forests stretching
for miles away, who then would spend
hours In pounding With hammer upon
the barn door, or upon the head Of an
empty barrel, and then listen for the
echo Of sharp sound which would come
back from the bank Of woods which sur
rounded the lone home Of his childhood
and youth. They remember with Intense
delight the imperial pine that was left to
sway and swing In the gale, seventy feet
high, whose top seemed to him to almost
touch the ground and then 90 back to
Its place far above the earth. Their
memory goes back to the sugar maple
with Its silyery leaf and Its annual fOw
Of sweets to enrich the family meal.
And they remember, too, the lordly elm,
under whose welcome shade they re
posed.
This class Of men, after having cleared
away the old forests, started the new by
the setting Of new trees. In travelling
over the country, one Of the most pleas
Ing sights we see are the many Orna-
mental trees to be seen In front Of roOmy
country residences. At one OF these
county residences I am at present So
journing. IL Il the Hotel Long In Buck
field village, Oxford county, now occu-
pied BY George NJ. Luce, Esq. This
was the former residence OF Hon. Zadoc
Long, who fifty years ago WAS one OF
the prominent citizens Of Oxford county.
He was the father Of John ID. Long,
recently Governor Of Massachusetts,, and
q member Of Congress from that state.
Gov. Long left Maine thirty years ago,
and his sign as Attorney at Law Is still
In its place upon the portion Of the hotel
In which was his Office. In front OF the
hotel, In an enclosure Of perhaps q quar-
ter of an acre, are fourteen majestic elm
and two maple trees. i am told that
these have been set about seventy.tiye
years, and while men have slept, worked.
travelled and played those trees have
grown until now they average over six
feet In circumference, and two feet In
diameter, and at least forty feet In
height.
-Four Of these elm trees are In one
group, which measures at the surface OF
the grass sixteen feet In circumference,
and they are at least fifty feet high. All
Of the trees upon this quarter OF an
acre. sawed of ut the surface OF the
ground and then sawed again into logs
four feet long, would make three from
each tree, or forty-two logs, and piled
up would measure at least six cords Of
wood. There would then be left the
trees measuring forty feet Ia hight.
twenty eight feet Of large aud small
limbs to be chopped of, and the trees
would on the whole make not less than
two cords of wood tn each tree.
I make these rather random figures
for the purpose Of showing that raising
forest trees, for fuel only, may he n
profitable crop to raise In Maine. Maple,
elm, birch, ash, pine, spruce, and other
trees, will grow where nothing else OF
any value will grow. They will grow
without care or attention. In seventy
i've years they will come to maturity.
And, although In most cases the father
must SOW aud trust to his son to reap
the harvest, yet that was the way the
world was made, aud Il is now for Us to
try to make II better.-Daniel Stickney,
In Maine Farmer.