The evening times., 1899-08-31

of Woodland Tracts-Experimen
The Division OF Forestry Of the Depart
ment of Agriculture has just issued an in
teresting circular on the subject Of tres
planting. This is a matter, it is said in
which all farmers are specially interested,
and for the first time in the history of the
Agricultural Department the Division of
Forestry is prepared. so far as its very
limited appropriation will permit. to rem
der practical and personal assistance to
farmers and others by cooperating with
them TO establish forest plantations, wood
lots, shelterbelts, and windbreaks. Sec
tion of the division has recently been or
ganized and placed in charge of an expert
tree planter. assisted by number of col
labGrators and assistants residing in the
different States, who are thoroughly ia
miliar with their local conditions. This
section &ill devote itself entirely to inves-
legations in tree planting and to the as
sistance of those who may avail themselves
of the cooperative plan outlined in this
circular. Applications for such assistance
ceipt, but the division reserves the right
to give preference to those likely to furnish
the most useful object lessons. After an
application has been made and accepted.
the Superintendent of Tree Planting, or
Gle of his collaborators or assistants, will
viEit the land of the applicant, and, after
adequate study on the ground, will make q
working plan suited TO its particular con-
ditions. The purpose of this plan is to
halr fra b. ofS ;v,f1
nation in regard TO planting. and instruc-
tion in handling forest trees after they are
planted
Briefly stated, the division proposes to
give such aid TO tree planters that wood
lots, Shelterbelts, windbreaks, and all 9TH
er economic plantations of forest trees may
be so well established and cared for as to
attain the greatest usefulness and most
permanent value TO their owners.
The cooperative plan announced in
former circular of the Forestry Division,
by which farmers, lumbermen, and others
are assisted in handling forest lands, has
been so well received that the division Of
fers. in the latest circular, a similar CO.
operative plan to aid farmers and other
landowners in the treeless regions of the
West and wherever il is desirable TO es-
tablish forest plantations. Since October,
1898. about 10000 acres of woodland have
received attention. Applications have been
received for assistance in the management
of about 1,50e, 600 acres, and attention is
being given TO them as rapidly as the
resources OF the division will permit Pub
lie recognition of the success OF better
methods applied to the management of
timber lands is rapidly increasing. Equal
success must follow the application of such
methods to the developing of forest planta-
uons, woodlots, and even shelterbreaks and
windbreaks. Upon that fact the co-opera-
tive plan set forth in this circular is based.
Tree Planting in the Past.
Forest-tree planting has been in prog
ress in the West for many years. AL
though reasonable success has usually fol-
lowed skiIlful planting and close attention
to the selection of species and to their
subsequent care, many of the tree claims
of that region are failures. This condi
ton has largely arisen from the difficulty
OF obtaining accurate information at first
hand regarding the most desirable species
TO grow in a given locality and from the
lack of personal supervision by a compe-
tent tree planter in the setting out and
subsequent care of the plantation
Few persons comprehend in full meas
ure the direct and indirect value of for
ests TO farmers. In the humid portions of
woodlot, the total area OF the woodland
is more than two hundred million acres
Ii is not possible TO make an accurate
statement of the value of the annual prod
ucts from these lands, but when il is con-
sidered that nearly all the fuel used by
the farmers of the region mentioned, to-
gether with most of the wood for fencing
and considerable portion of the timber
for building purposes, are annually cut
from the woodlots, their value begins to
be appreciated.
For fuel and fencing the woodlot and
other forest paintings are equally desirable
10 dwellers on the plains. On E. T. Hart
ley's farm, near Lincoln, Neb., an acre of
land set to willow has for several years
provided all necessary fuel used on the
farm, and today there is more standing
timber upon ii than ever before. The
planting is in ravine OF little value for
general farming. plantation of hardy
caialpa, near Hutchinson, Kan, planted in
the spring of 1892, began e year age to re-
imburse the owner. The trees taken out at
that time, in thinning the plantation, were
cut into fence posts. The trees removed
averaged IS feet high. one Of the rallest
measuring q feet 9 incnas. Forest planta-
ticns are valuable not only for the purposes
aeove indicated, but in addition they have
great indirect value. BY conserving the
moisture and tempering the wind, they
modify the local climate to very marked
degree. AS the farmers of the plains come
10 recognize more fully The great indirect
as well as direct value of forest planta-
uons, woodlots, shelterbeits and wind
breaks, scattered over the agricultural
treeless regions, and undertake to grow
them in greater numbers, even IL individ-
ual plantations are small in extent the
total result will be of vast Importance in
the development of the West
To the majority of people there is moth
ing else SO attractive about a home as
trees. A well-planted woodlot, in two or
three years after its establishment, will
provide the farmer with a supply of trees
to plant along roads and for ornamental
purposes about buildings and gardens. As
the trees in a plantation begin to crowd
each other many may be removed with
material advantage TO those that remain,
care being taken not to interfere with the
shading of the ground. The superfiuous
trees often pay the cost of cultivation and
care FOR the plantation after it is once es-
tablished.
Cost of Forest Culture.
The cost of planting and the subsequent
care OF forest plantation varies greatly.
planted, the cost of labor, and the char
acter of the soil. In most places in the
West trees can now be bought very cheap
ly- Deciduous trees of one seasons growth,
which under most conditions is the hest
age for general planting, can be purchased
in quantity in prices varying from Go cents
to s. per thousand. But even at this price
in the case of the harder trees such as
green ash, soft maple white elm hoYelder