Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-04-20
PLANTING CHESTNUT TREES,
Successful Method Persued by 8
Hampshire County Farmer

Hampshire county FARMER.
NJ c. Graves of South Amherst has
an interesting contribution on plant
ing chestnut trees in recent number
of the Country Gentleman from which
we quote: Three years ago | came into
possession of practically an aban-
doned farm, $50 acres in chestnut and
pine and 100 in tillage, with many
hillsides and places which could not
be cultivated. | wished TO get trees
them grow from the seed | did not
know, nor could | find any one who
did, SO ] went to work planting chest
nuts in different ways, to see which
would succeed
! first took a six-tined fork, forced
say, four inches forward, threw a
chestnut under and drew out my fork
| saw that one man was working at
a disadvantage, So calling man, !
did the lifting of the turf and he
threw the chestnuts The result was
are now two feet high. 7 then plowed
:. hGH~sxeIs, sifUgpel y %stsstE&s~ sEy
two steps and stepped upon it, Not
che of tie chestuuts grew. | plowed
furrow in another piece
dropepd q chestnut every four
feet on the edge of furrow, and back
furrowed against this. Not 90 trees
started on the whole piece; those
which did start were where they were
covered lightly and natures condi-
tons were complied with 1t is so
simple and quick to plant a seed with
man and fork that | shall do more of
it in the future. The last two years it
has been nearly impossible 10 get
seed, blossoms set well on trees, but
all blasted.
But work is not ended here;
chestnut from the seed will grow like
bush, all branches this spring l
shall cut them all level with the
ground, and sprouts will spring up
and make a growth like a whip-stalk
Last August | was showing them to
going to cut them down now they
will all die; if you want to destroy
brush you must cut them in the sum
mer." | took my knife and cut two
of them leye! with the ground-they
were two feet high. In November
were three inches high. Below one
large place, which had evidently been
a knoll before trees had grown up
around, contained nothing. | plowed
three double burrows through it, took
80 small pine trees from near by, set
earth back. the result is that 10 of
them are alive, the same size as when
set out, 1t took me much longer to
set those trees than it would to have
planted chestnuts, and when they are
grown they will not be worth nearly
chestnut railroad ties, plank and fence
posts is much greater than for pine
boards; also when forest of pine Is
cut OFF We expect only scrub oak to
come up, while chestnut will repro
duce Itself tndetinitely-the sprouts on
10 feet high and to 10 at each stump.
But do not expect to get rich sud
denly by planting forest trees. They
are like confidence--of slow growth;
three years from the seed and practi-
cally level with the ground. Oak trees
ont 10 Prr ROT oh
by their rings, so years growth: an
acre Of pine grove, plowed for the last
time 40 years ago, Is only large
enough for box-hoagd now; an ash
tree, which 80 years ago was large
enough for line tree, is now but two
CT, have done much at sowing land
with pine seed 1t can be done but
give me chestnut, the risk is less
from fire and wind Zen large pines
blew down on my farm last fall; !
never heard of a chestnut blowing
remarked to Elder Wilcox of the
that | was planting chestnut
trees, but should never live to eat OF
the fruit Nay, but if thee has Is
acres of thrifty chestnut trees, Is
years old. and thee should want TO sell
thy farm. thee would find thy farm
would bring more money than ii no
thing were on 1t.
1t has been said that he who plants
trees plants love. If you do not be-
lleye it, go out and look at tree
which would not have been but for
You and II you are not down on your
knees to thank God that he has made
you a co-worker with him in heautify-
ing the world you are not like me.