The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-09-02
DIR. J. 7. ROTHROCK HERE.
May Purchase Fulton County Land for
Pennsylvania Railroad.
SCIENTIFIC CULTURE OF TREES.
The Pennsylvania Railroad will Cultivate Lo.
Gust Trees Extensively for the Production
Of Ties, Which are Superior to Iron.


DR.. j. II. Rothrock State Com.
missioner of Forestry, accompan.
led by Engineer Wertz, and Mr..
Knepper superintendent of the
Mont Alto reservation, were in
town last Thursday.
From this place they in com.
pany with Hon. D. H. Patterson,
went over TO Aughwick Valley to
examine the lands formerly own.
ed by the Aughwick Game and
Fishing Club, but now owned by
Henry K. Boyer of Philadelphia;
Harry E. Hershey and Pat Russ,
of Harrisburg; Thad M. Mahon
and Captain Skinner of Cham
bersburg, and Hon. D. H. Patter-
son of this county.
The tract consists of about
5000 acres, and it is proposed by
the owners to sell it to the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company.
Dr.. Rothrock is a careful and
capable business man and gave
no expression of opinion as to
probability of the purchase; but
Judging from the selections of
land already made in different
sections of the State, he should
regard the Aughwick Valley land
with favor.
Lying in the western part of
this county extending from north
ern Brush Creek township across
into southern Wells is body Of
several thousand acres, that
should be owned by the State. 1t
is well adapted to the culture of
locust aud chesnut timber and
could be made very valuable.
In order to provide for the fu-
ture in the matter of railroad ties
the Pennsylvania railroad com
pany is about TO engage exten
sively in growing locust trees,
and all its available farm land
along the lines of the system
adapted to such purposes is to be
planted with the trees. The com
pany has for several years been
experimenting with locust tree
planting at different points. 1t
has gone about it in a careful and
scientific manner, and the results
so far obtained warrant the un.
dertaking of the project on a
broader and more extensive
scale.
DR.. Rothrock, has been given
supervision Of the work. He has
made careful study of the mat
ter, and no place is selected by
him for planting the trees until
after thorough investigation as to
its adaptability, both as to climat'
ic conditions and freedom from
insects which, in certain sections
are said to be a serious menace
to these trees. The company
has numerous farms throughout
the State, secured in connection
with right of way, either for new
track or changes, in the align
ment of existing lines. Many of
these farms are tenanted, and
the tenants have been, or will be,
notified to vacate from time to
time.
The question of the future rail
road tie supply Is one that is be.
ing given serious attention by
not only the Pennsylvania rail
road officials, but by those of 9th
er roads, as the great number an
nually required is rapidly deplet-
ing the timber of the country
available for such purposes. Va
rious experiments with metal and
other ties have been conducted
by the Pennsylvania and other
companies in the past, but moth
ing has so far been found to give
the same satisfaction as the wood
en- tie.
1t is estimated that it will re-
quire fully 20 years for these
trees to sufficiently mature to