The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-01-20

Eight Hundred Thousand viii BE
Set out This Year on Two Thou
sand Acres = How the Trees Are
Planted : yellow Locusts Furnish
Most DurabIe and Lasting Material
For Crossties.
The Pennsylvania Railroad has I'M
dertaken the task of cultiyating tim
Der to furnish its crossties and will
plant 100000 trees this year, says the
Philadelphia Public Ledger. The task
Of setting out 2s0,530 Seeding trees
was finished recently The manage
ment Of the company was prompted to
raise trees by realization Of the APP
preaching scarcity Of timber 1t Is the
first railroad IN the United States to
provide for future ties.
Acting under recommendations Of a
special committee Of officers Of the
transportation department a corps Of
men is preparing to plant 100000 trees
In the spring aud 100000 next fall.
This win require 1000 acres Of land,
which has already been selected along
the principal divisions Of the system.
1t Is estimated that it will require
thirty years for the trees to attain
their full growth and that to supply
| the roads demand it will be necessary
TO plant 30,000,0O0 trees.
The magnitude Of this undertaking
was revealed in an address by !. 7.
Richards, chief engineer Of mainte-
nance Of way Of the Pennsylvania rail-
road, before the American Forestry
Association Of the United States and
the forestry congress, recently in ses-
sion at washington Mr.. Richards said
/ that his company had undertaken the
task after mature deliberation. The
management does not contemplate sup
plying all Of its needs but hopes to en-
courage others to engage in the bust
/ ness.
Mr.. Richards said that the number
| of crossties in use on all railroads in
| the United States is estimated to be
about 620.000.000 The number used
annually for extensions and repairs is
estimated to be from 90000000 to no.
100000, requiring annually the entire
product Of 100000 acres or woodland.
Each year the supply Of timber is far
Their from the base of transportation.
many Of the former sources Of supply
| having been exhausted The Pennsyl-
vania railroad is now compelled to get
its supply from inland Virginia, West
4 Virginia. Kentucky and other southern
states.
The annual consumption Of erossties
i on the Pennsylvania railroad east Of
i Pittsburg and Erie for repairs only il
! estimated BY Mr.. Richards to be 3.o00,-
600 About 100000 additional are re-
auired annually for new work. It Il
/ evident, therefore he asserts, That all
railroads must prepare for the future,
for the supply Will be exhausted soon
Especially is this true Of white oak
and yellow pine. The Pennsylvania
road has experimental with the yellow
locust trees, and it's paintings have all
been of that kind Ties made Of this
material are more durable and lasting.
Chief Engineer Richards said that
the trees planted have been seedlings
two or three years old and cost, includ
ing labor, about cents each. They
were planted ten feet apart, ayerag
ing about 400 to the acre, although a.,
s7I trees planted recently were placed
six feet apart aud ss,127 were set eight
feet apart. The total number planted
by the railroad company in Pennsylva
MIA is as follows: Newton Hamilton
1850; Conewago, 6s,4G0; Pomeroy, 20,
$50; west Of Atglen, 1887 Atglen
BIOS: Juniata Bridge, 20,T30i New
port, 29.5o5; Vintage, 10000, and alonG
the Atglen and Susquehanna branch
$4,000, total Of 2s0,530 trees.
The land. except a tract Of fourier
acres at Newton Hamilton. Is owned
by the railroad TO supply the inereas
ing needs Of Pennsylvania alone MT
Richards estimates that 1t win be nee
essary to plant 100000 trees eacl
year for a period Of thirty years, th'
{ time required for q tree to mature \
] planted ten feet apart, or 400 to iii
I acre, it win entail the continuous u.s.
. Of 1880 acres, or 152 square miles, Q