The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-08-27
NEWS OF THE FARMING WORLD.


Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
The Bureau of Forestry of the
Agricultural Department. is much in
terested in the coming
MEETING OF THE AMERICAN FORESTRY
ASSOCIATION,
which will meet in afiliation with
the American Association for the
Advancement of Science at Denver,
August %. This meeting will be
distinctively Western one, and it's
proceedings of special interest to all
concerned with the forest problems
before the Western States-fres,
grazing, relation of forests to water
supply, etc. The Federal Govern
ment, more than ten years ago, rec
nized the Importance of the preser-
walton of the forests in protecting
the timber resources and conserving
the water supply, and there have
now been established in the States
and Territories west of the Missis-
sippi forty forest reserves, contain
ing nearly AZ, 200, 900 acres.
Public sentiment
IN FAVOR OF FOREST PRESERVATION
is rapidly growing, with the result
that land owners all over the coun-
try are now applying to the bureau
for advice on the subject. Speaking
of the matter recently, an official of
the bureau said: zone of the oircu-
lars we are sending out is directed
to owners of plains land, explaining
to them how their property can be
wooded, and the other circular is
intended for the information of own
ers of timber tracts in the Eastern
and Western timber regions and con-
tains advice and instructions com
prising working plans which enable
owners to manage their forests with
a view to maintaining a constant
supply of timber. The timber is out
according to our plans-a limit be-
ing placed upon the amount felled-
and consequently owners, under the
proposed system, will have a contin-
ued though somewhat restricted
supply on hand instead of a sudden
and fatal exhaustion. There are two
kinds of wood upon the supply of
which there is an enormous demand.
They are the white pine of the New
England and Great Lake region and
the yellow pine of the South. If the
present demand for these kinds of
wood is maintained, which it will be,
no doubt, the trees located in the
vast tracts now being denuded must
either be regrown or else the supply
will exhaust itself. There is no COM
putting the exact time when our tim
Der supply will have been completely
exhausted, according to the present
rate of consumption, for the reason
that no one knows exactly what
amount of lumber is grown in the
country. 1t is pretty safe to say,
ever, that within less than century
|
uses will all be gone unless steps are
taken to replace them"
The International Society of Ar
Horticulture has published an inter
esting pamphlet presenting in con-
else form the value of the catalpa
tree as a practical
SOLUTION OF THE RAILWAY TIE PROB
LEM
The c0t0LpG SpeciOSG--Very different
from the ordinary catalpa found in
the SoUth-produces exceedingly
straight and durable timber, good
for many purposes. 1t is indigenous to
Indiana and Illinois, where it grows
TO height of 80 feet, and has been
planted with success in California,
Nevada and Utah. The wood, though
light, is very compact, of fine tex
ture, of a straw Olor and susceptible
of the most brilliant polish. The
catalpa = raDid growth and durabil
ity are, however, the virtues that
recommend it for cross ties. Grown
from seed, it will, in sixteen years,
produce timber enough for five cross
ties, which will last for thirty five
years. After being cut down it will
renew itself from the root. The
Arboricultural Society urges rail-
ways to plant catalpa along their
right of way, $40 to the mile on each
side of the track. These will be
enough to keep the road supplied
perpetually with ties, and at the
same time will shade and beautify
the roadway.