The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-05-11
AGRICULTURE.
The Farmers Woodlot

| With The ncrtsse In the price OF lumber,
which for white pine fas been h'ty per
cent 10 the past four years, one Of the chie'
needs OF New England agriculture Is more
attention TO the wood lots. Our brighter
farmers are everywhere recognizing this.
Instead OF going into the woods whenever
posts or timber are wanted on the farm and
cutting out tho be Unfortunately eav.
Ing the poorest species to occupy the
ground and reseed II, people who realiz, lite
importance are now takiog account OF the
trees, favoring the more valuable ones, and
cutting out the crooked and poorer speci-
mems II they will serve the purpose, Thin
ming Is more widely prscticed. Some ere
even planting white pines and chestnuts,
80 different plantations having been started
in New Hampshire, three or four OF them
on q large scale, and an equal or great num-
Der In other New Eoglsnd states.
A very important item is to know when
and how to sell ones timber advanta-
glously. II the mill man comes around,
attracted by your youpg growth and says;
"Now is good time to sell timber; there
is boom on the market"-and this Is a
common saying just now-tell him that
you expect the present prices to continue
and 20 still higher. You are perfectly safe
In saying this for the following reasons ::
White pine lie our most valuable timber tree
the great supplies Of this timber in the
middle west are exhausted Except limited
amount 10 northern Michigan ard Mime
sofa. its reproduction on the sander, dryer
plains OF the northwestern states is not as
good as on our hills in New Eogand, and
| the MAJ ket Of the country is beginning to
turn to our second growth, for instance,
the Diamond Match company. II alzng
Its Importance the bureau OF forestry at
Washington has recently cent on. party
Of foresters through New England to make
a study Of cur second growth pines.
Most Of US cut our woodlands b fore
they are mature and thereby lose one Of
our most profitable investments. A thrifty
woodland, properly thinrei SO every tree
has q chance to grow, Increases at rate
far above that given by savings banks.
Like the savings bank interest It Is com.
pounded, eace years Increase being per
cent. upon al the PRECEDING When trees
have attained good 81, they are making
money for the owner more rapidly than at
any previous time. IL should be his bi CT
to keep them growing by proper thinning
Pine trees on a good situstion under rs
years old should average five feet apart
each way; from % to 80 years, eight feet
apart; from so to rs years, II feet apart !;
100 years or over l6 feet apart, or one
square rcd TO each tree, lG0 to the acre. As
a forest grows, its thinning, have an la
creasing value, amounting to more than the
total value Of the forest In its earlier years
and leaving the forest always In better
condition As far as hi, is realized the To-
come from this woodlot is more than
doubled.
poplar tree comes to maturity at about
40 years, a maple at 80 TO 100, an elm 100,
and white pine, II 1t has space, will h)urish
until pts. its 2OO.h year.
In Gu ting forest be sure TO retain oil
be young ard thrifty trees Of small s'z'
and good species. 1t will amply repay you
to do so The mill msn will nowadays
listen to your suggestions to leave every.
| Liug below ten inches or eight inches 10
diameter breast high or four feet from the
ground. This IL q recent concession on his
part, but you must watch that the terms OF
he contract In this respect are carried
oit. A farmer in Ossipee, N. T., had to
get an IL junction to prevent The contractor
from eating under the sgrt ed diameter,
Protection from Are is one Of the most
important items In the care OF woodlands
|, they are kept free from slash and dead
material this danger Is greatly decreased;
but II one has large area In timber, he
must keep out campers, hunters ard fisfe'-
men In the dry time Il April and now AID
hen OF September. II debris must be lef'
the woods to decay, lop It with the sxr
20 that /; lie. close to the grourd IL will
nus decay more qaick'y
Each town should have forest fire wsr'
ten to pest notices ard Ia1oi the woolsh
ny times. Nes YoIk, Asinc. d othu
states ard 01tsrio have fte1 With msIlec
benefit.