The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-07-31
WILL INVESTIGATE
ILLINOIS FORESTS
Government Experts Will Study
Trees That Help Agricul-
tural Conditions.
SEEK TO INTEREST FARMERS.
Owners of Wood Lots Who Are
Interested in Establishing of
Shelter Belts Are Invited to
Write to the Department.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Washington. July 30.-One Of the many
efforts being made by the Department OF
Agriculture for the benefit of the Ameri-
can farmer will this summer be pursued in
Illinois. Experts Of the Forestry Bureau
are now engaged in a study OF planted
timber in tina Commonwealth. with the
idea of deciding what kinds Of trees make
the most rapid growth. and are most valu-
able commercially for use as wind breaks
under the conditions Of soil. moisture and
cultivation.
This effort is in line with the ~well-knOwn
policy of Secretary Wilson to aid the farm
er Just so soon as he learns of anything
that may lead to the benefit Of agriculture.
In his matter it Is believes" that vast good
will insure to the Illinois farmer. and the
investigation and study Of the experts will
be thorough and exhaustive.
A bulletin on the subject issued to-day
by the Bureau of Forestry says:
THE topography of Illinois is such that
q forest cover Is not usually needed to
protect the soil from erosion. The lam
for the most part is rolling or level prairie.
rich and admirably suited for agriculture.
A farmer reaping large harvests from his
lands naturally will not consider putting
those lands to a less profitable use. But
belts. in protecting the lands from wind.
influence a larger crop yield.
Shelter belts are invaluable In protect
ing crops from the damage frequently re-
suiting from the full force of destructive
winds, but possibly their chief value Is in
conserving the moisture SO absolutely es-
sential to crop growth. Wind is a strong
ally Of evaporation. 1t Is established that
as the velocity of the wind increases.
evaporation is very rapidly augmented.
Shelter belts. in opposing the wind. eff
fectively retard evaporation and thereby
save to growing crops the soil moisture
necessary to keep them thrifty uring
dry. windy times. These facts are espe-
cially pertinent in a treeless. level agri-
cultural country, where the wind has an
unobstructed sweep for miles. and gets
constantly drier in its course.
The strips of land that farmers in ILL
nois might divert from agriculture in Gre
ating shelter belts, would be put to better
use than if continued in crops, because the
remainder OF the land would be SO much
benefited by the change. Nor is protee-
ton from the effects OF wind the only ad-
vantage that would be secured from the
creation of shelter belts. II composed Of
suitable kinds of trees, shelter belts can
Bile wood lots, furnishing all the fuel. fence
posts and farm repair material the farmer
may need. The two uses will admirably
go hand in hand, and between them will
materially improve the value Of the land
and the comfort of the farmer.
promote this end. the Bureau Of
Forestry has assigned to Illinois for this
summer a field party Of five experts, under
the supervision OF F.. s. Kellogg. They
will study both native and planted trees
to gain a full understanding or the rate
of growth and reproductive powers Of the
trees which are the most valuable for the
State. Data will be collected relative to
the cost and methods of plating and the
time required to grow timber to the size
required for usefulness. When the study
is completed a full report on the subject
will be published.
"Al owners of wood lots or groves in
Illinois who wish to bring them to their
highest value. and all who are interested
in the important subject of tree plantin.
for shelter belts of wood OTIS. will conrer
a favor upon the bureau by communicating
with AIR. Kellogg whose address for the
summer is RoOdhouse. III. The bureau
will greatly appreciate the fullest cooper
alton on the part of land owners in the
practical work upon which the party Is
engaged"
While this work is going On In Illinois
other experts will be engaged in making a
study Of the forests of the Dakotas, for
the purpose of asccrtaining whether the
trees now growing there are of the spe-
cies that can be most profitably planted
in that section.