The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-03
GREAT CHESTNUT FAIRY BURNED.
Destrucuon Of Ha%rrinGtons Interesting Noun
tain Land Experiment BY Forest Fires.

tain Lam Experiment BY Forest Fires.
wILkEs-BARRE. Pa. June Am experiment
IN chestnut farming on . largo scale has failed
here, owing TO tho destruction OF a tract ten
miles long and the burning Of $4,000 trees by
the forest fires which recently devastated the
mountains near here. The protector Of the
experiment. a new one In this country. Is Mr..
Thomas Harrington Of New York city. Some
years ago he conceived the idea Of converting
a tract Of wild land into a chestnut farm and
while travelling through this country In 1907 saw
land which suited him and purchased 300 acres.
The land is about fifteen miles from this city,
on top Of the mountain between Bear Creek
and Stoddardsville. The timber was stripped
from II years ago and when Mr.. Harrington
made the purchase 1t was covered with a wild
and rank growth Of young chestnut trees. In
the spring OF 1907 he cleared a space all around
the land. to protect 1t from forest fires. and
subdivided the big tract into smaller ones.
Then he grated 10000 European scions upon
the native chestnuts. They did we'll, survived
q hard winter. and this encouraged him 30 that
he continued the grating until he had 1000
trees, Italian. French and Japanese. They
proved hardy and grew splendidly, and he
expected to reap a big three-year crop. Dur
ing last winter he bought more land to devote
to the culture OF locust trees. TO make fence
posts. Made OF this wood posts are Of great
value and last fully sixty years, There are some
on the Patterson farm near here which are 100
The fire which destroyed Harrington's big
farm wai the most serious OF many years. II
extended from the mouth Of the To~byhannia
Creek near StOddardsville TO Bear Creek about
ten miles, and swept the district thoroughly.
The residents are few In that region and they
had all they could do to save their farms, some
OF them suffering heavy losses, while the peo-
pie Of Bear Creek. who would otherwise have
done their best to save Harrington's tract, had
their hands full In fighting the flames which
Mr., Harrington. in speaking Of bis loss, said:
trees as a diversion. ] also expected q profit,
in the market. l also wanted to demonstrate
that the mountain lands In this section. usually
considered worthless after the timber Ia stripped
10000 European scions in 1897 and, 10000 more
In 1895. The 1897 trees bore fruit lest fall and
the whole tract would have yielded this year.
tiic success, and u was q. question Of only
q few wears before II would be a success nnan.-
Il found a great deal Of pleasure on this
mountain, top; On my first visit I was de-
lighted with. the country and much interested
IN ne .e. Ge9Sp nm / WAS was moved !? pity when
ements Of New York. I found that the men
would willingly work ten hours a day for 81,
and ] at once saw how l could engage them
Wl'noul H'NN w NY sell anu SO DEVISED tne man
OF grating II was a question II the scions
would withstand the hard winters Of the al
titude; Two varieties I found were not hardy
enough, ! purposed, however. TO continue
the work. seeing it would finally become very
remunerativs. as the nuts bring Wholesale
500 a ton, with ever increasing demands, as
the imports show. MANY people do not APP
preciate the value Of this product and they
will he surprised to learn that chestnut flour
Is sold in New York M 80 cents n pound, yet
IL is grown cheaper than corn.
Il Ultimately when the trees grew larpa 7
expected to have them 80 far apart rs 10 be
good. nut trees and to have grazing below,
and ] felt. certain that the production would
Il do not know whether I shall continue
the effort, for II has been badly burned and
i will he two years before ! have a growth.
but what has been done demonstrates that
IL Is a success and can be made 10 paw IL better
protection from Ares can he arranged"