Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-08-20
Planting MT Trees in Dying Groves
BUTTERCUPs
written Tor the Censorl

Written for the Censorl
Perhaps some will say: 1t won't pay to
plant nuts to get trees; il will take too
long to get them large enough TO bear
True, it requires some time to start and
grow q nut-bearing tree, but when once
grown their value is considerable, and
such trees as the hickory, walnut and
butternut, start easily, grow rapidly
aud adapt themselves to almost any To-
cation. They are very ornamental,
their nuts are universally relished by
old and Young and the timber is except
ionally valuable and in good demand
n sonue places the native timber is dy-
ing out badly, so much so that many
groves which the owner would have pre-
served If possible, have been grubbed
out and the land devoted to oGher pro-
duets. The loss OF THESE groves means
serious dearth of timber IL the near fu-
ture-a future which has already open
ed for many farmers. Just why the
native oak trees no longer thrive is a
question which few farmers can answer
to their own or Others satisfaction but
no doubt a little we'll directed effort
will enable the owners of timbered
groves to retain much of the timber al
ready growing and to replace the dead
and dying trees with other kinds which
will, when grown, be even more valua-
bic than that which it is meant to re-
place.
Heavy stock trsmping among and
browsing the young timber is considered
by many to be the cause of premature
death of the trees and probably the
principal one. True it is, that groves
which are pastured cannot start up new
trees, for the stock is certain TO destroy
the tender seedlings. One thoughtful
man who has enjoyed protection from
northwest winds for many years has
fenced his grove away from his stoc' z
and every year he sets out a number of
small pine trees, here and there, through
Il grove Nor is that all the foreign
timber which has adapted itself to new
conditions. Hickory, walnut and but
ternut trees from seed which he himself
planted are growing thriftily and range
from one-year-old shoots TO trees begin
ing to bear, and yet it has been but a
dozen years siuce he began TO forsee the
necessity of saving his grove from de-
population. Pine and balsam trees are
not difficult to successfully transplant
where they are partially protected
from wind and sun and the nut trees
are easily started. If the nuts can be
gathered as soon as they drop from the
trees and planted where hogs cannot
get to them to root them out again, they
will nearly all sprout and grow the fol-
lowing spring Possibly it might some
time be an advantage to have the nuts
sprouted before planting them. In that
case they should be gathered as soon as
possible, put into kegs or barrels placed
where they will not become dry, but
where they will freeze when cold wealth
err comes. Very early in the spring, the
earlier the better, place them in shall
low hole and cover with about three in
ches of soil. By the last OF May they
will have sprouted and can be put where
they are expected to remain BY the
end of the first season, they will be from
eight to fifteen inches high and from
three to five feet when three years old.
Ii al timber owners would plant few
.~-oes every year TO repla t those used or
dyir < the inevitable shortage of timber
aud lumber would be materially lesson
ed and less would need to be said about
Forestry Bureaus and Commissions.
OBSERVER.
Mrs. Henry Weber returned from
Iowa, accompanied by her mother, Mrs.
Randall.
Birdie Nixon here from La Crosse
with relatives
MIR. Jos. Oftedahl, a former resident
af jefferson. arrived in the city today.
from Mory, Minnesota, and will spend
some time with relatives in this vicinity.
Prof. Solowan, optician in hospital
in New York city now established at
La Crosse. will be at ViroquA until
Tuesday next. ANY one III need OF