The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-06-13
CHESTNUT FARMING.
The Interesting Mountain Land Ex
pertinent of Thomas Harrington.


Wilkes Barre Correspondence in New York Sun
An experiment in chestnut farming
on large scale has failed here, owing
to the destruction of a tract ten miles
long and the burning of 10000 trees by
the forest fires which recently devas-
tated the mountains near here. The
protector of the experiment, a new
one in this country, is Thomas Har-
rington, 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 1897 saw land
which suited him and purchased 900
acres. The land is about fifteen Iniles
from this city, on top of the mountain
between Bear Creek and Stoddards-
vile. The timber was stripped from
1t years ago and when Mr.. Harring-
ton made the purchase 1t was covered
with wild ard rank growth of young
chestnut trees. In the spring of 1897
he cleared a space all around the land,
to protect it from forest fires, and
subdivided the big tract into smaller
ones
Then he grated 10000 European
scions upon the native chestnuts.
They did well, survived a hard win
ter, and this encouraged him so that
he continued the grating until he
had 10000 trees, italian, French and
Japanese. They proved hardy and
grew splendidly, and ne expected to
reap big threc-year crop. During
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 years old and still
sound.
The fire which destroyed Harring-
tons big farm was the most serious
of many years. 1t extended from the
mouth Of the Tobyhanna creek near
| Stoddardsville to Bear creek, about
ten miles, and swept the district thor
oughly. 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'
| ple Of Bear Creek who would other
wise have done their best to save
| Harrington's tract, had their hands
| full IN fighting the flames which
| threatened their village.
Mr.. Harrington, in speaking of his
| loss, said.
while undertook the cultivation of
the trees as a diversion, also expected
a profit, as improved chestnuts bring 4
fancy price in the market. l also want
ed to demonstrate that the mountain
lands in this section, usually consid-
cred worthless after the timber is
hn t1A,
with profit. l grated 10000 European
scions in 1897 and 10000 more in 1898
The 1897 trees bore fruit last fall anG
the whole tract would have yielded this
year. / was somewhat elated over II
proving a scientific success, and it was
a question OF only few years befor,
1t would be a success financially as
we'll
IT found a great deal of pleasure or
this mountain top. On my first visit
was delighted with the country anC
much interested in the people. | wa
moved to pity when / saw their homes
more wretched than the tenements o
New York. ! found that the men woulC
willingly work ten hours a day for 81
and / at once saw how l could engaS,
them without loss to myself and so de
vised the plan of grating. 1t was
question If the scions would Withstand
the hard winters of the altitude. Tw'
varieties I found were not hard,
enough. / purposed, however, to con
tinue the work, seeing it would finall!
become very remunerative, as the nut
bring wholesale 800 a ton, with eve
increasing demands, as the import
show. Many people do not appreciate
the value of this product and they vii
be surprised to learn that chestnu
flour is sold in New York at 80 cents
pound, yet 1t is grown cheaper tina,
corn.
Ultimately when the trees grey
large l expected to have them so ia
apart as to be good nut trees and t
have grazing below, and l felt certai
that the production would give a valu
equal to coal or mineral lands. / d
not know whether ! shall continue tn
effort, for 1t has been badly burne
and 1t will be two years before l hav
a growth, but what has been don
demonstrates that 1t is a success an
can be made to pay If better proteo
tion from fires can be arranged"