The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-24
The Yaggy Tree Farm Causes
Eastern Comment.
Chicago Paper Writes of a Reno
County Enterpri Use.
TELLS OF THE PROFITS
Some Interesting Figures on
the Money Value.
CataIpa Trees Principal Feature
of This Forest.

The Chicago Inter Ocean says of a
Reno county tree farm:
| Forty years ago the great sweep of
prairie of Kansas was only broken by
a ridge of foliage which bordered the
banks of some of the streams, cotton
wood and willows principally, with a
larger belt of better timber in the east
ern portion in the bottoms of the Kan
sas. Marias de Cygnes and Missouri
rivers.
AS these streams have all cut deep
into the prairies, no trees were WISH
Bile from the grass-covered rolling
hills until suddenly coming upon the
margin of a stream the winding skirt
of woodland came in view Today
there are hedges, orchards and grows
of timber seen from every portion of
the state. The pioneers of Kansas
realizing the necessity for shade shell
ter, fuel, and adornment, planted mill
ions of trees. Unfortunately many of
| these groves were of a character not
always the best nor most useful, yet
| they are trees and have served their
purpose as such.
"A dozen years ago, Mr.. L. Yaggy
! of Lake Forest, ILL.,, purchased 1900
acres of land in the valley of the Ar
kansas river, near Hutchinson, and
upon this he planted 800 acres with
apple orchards and on 500 acres he
planted catalpa trees. The catalpas
were not all planted at one time, but,
beginning with eighty acres as an ex-
this, he continued planting with in
creased confidence until 800 acres
! were covered.
1.-THE trees were set in rows six feet
apart with four feet space between the
| rows. Cultivation continued for about
three years, when the shade became
dense enough to prevent the growth of
grass and weeds. A few trees were cut
out from time to time, when fence posts
were needed, and later, as funds were
required for current expenses, others
were sold, but no systematic thinning
was begun until five years ago, when
the earliest planting demanded more
| space, alternately ten rows were re-
moved and three rows were left to
check the force of the wind.
THE trees which were cut have again
attained considerable size from sprouts
which have grown from the stumps. On
portions this experiment mas peen re-
peated. One block so cut over last
winter now has shoots twelve feet high
and SIX inches eirth.
I 1900 TREES SET ON EACH ACRE.
Eighteen hundred trees were set on
each acre. or almost a million in all.
ION another and larger tract alternate
rows have been cut out, and made into
| fence posts, for which there is great de-
mand There are several ricks of posts
! now ready for shipment which contain
forty ear loads. $500 to 5000 being load
ed on car. Fifteen car loads have been
sent away this season. This represents
a total of 137, coo posts cut during the
past winter, while during the three or
four years since they began cutting
three times as many have been removed
and sold. The price obtained has varied
/ greatly. Some were so small as to
bring but 49, cents each, while others
sold for 121A cents. Yet a large number
were of eight foot lengths and COM
manded 25 cents each. The average
price has been 10 cents.
OF the 500 acres planted from ten tc
! eleven years ago, the land cost $40 pen
acre, or $40, 0O0 while the sum received
at wholesale for the first thinning has
been considerably more than 100000, OF
so per cent more than the cost of the
land while the plantation still remains
with 1000 healthy trees upon each OF the
500 acres.
AS the trees are yet entirely too close
extensive thinning must be made, and
there may be taken out 100000 trees
with great advantage to the remainder
for which $50 600 more will be realized.
The 1 500 acre farm. with its 800 acre:
of apples, has required large expendi
ture in it's maintenance. and, when i
d has been necessary. large bills for labor
machinery, buildings, etc. The catalps
plantation has been the gold mine which
Supplied much, if not most of the funds