Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-14
HUGE CONSUMPTION OF POSTS.
Where Trees are Scarce, It VIII e,y
10 Grow a Supply.

The difficulty of obtaining fence
posts at reasonable prices has given
an impetus scarcely realized to forest
planting in the middle west. News
papers farmers institutes, womens
clubs, and boards of trade throughout
the region are pointing out the neei of
such material and dwelling on the
profit realized by the few men who
planted trees years ago and whose
plantations have been successful. The
local supply of all forest products is
insignificant and timber. if not grown
at home. must be imported. With the
continuous retreat Of the sources OF
supply under the attack of the vigor-
Gus demand, the length of the haul in
creases and the cost of transporta-
ton rises higher and higher. Yet the
fields and pastures must be fenced.
The posts must be had.
The annual production Of fence
posts in the regular logging camps of
the country. as reported by the last
census is Sis Gel How many times
greater than this IS the annual cut
from the home woodlot no figures ex-
list to show; but by taking the total
number of farms and their acreage
and making a conservative allowance
for posts for he fences inclosing each
farm it has )een estimated that up
wards of 10, ,G0c,600 posts are set
each year. -pch figures are too vast
to mean an thing. Even the nine
million posts of the census. a mere
drop in the bucket with the unreported
production, would. if set Is teet apart
girdle the earth, or would bud a solid
pile So feet wide 40 feet high. and
mile long.
Durability and at least moderate
strength are the desirable Qualities for
fence posts The use of species which
are not durable is expensive, both on
account of the more frequent renewal
which is necessary and because repair
ing is constantly called for. Timber
of the required quality is produced in
the middle west by hardy catapa,
black locust. and Usage orange.
&dkdlDd iIldhtS dtl tAttliFltA ~ LOW III
on deep. porous. fertile soil. but only
on such soil. Five or six inch posts
should be ready to cut in about ten
years In regions immune from the
locust borer black locust will yield
satisfactory returns from soil in which
catalpa would fail. and for this reason
it is adapted TO a wide area where the
rainfall is light Under ordinary CON
ditions, locust should produce fence
material in fifteen years.
Usage orange also is not exacting
in it's soil requirements. It is being
extensively planted for hedges and
wind-breaks. from which a consider
able yield of fence posts may be OBJ
tanned. 1t makes satisfactory growth
on dry soils and reaches post size in
from fifteen to twenty years.
Several other species. such as white
willow, European larch, Russian null
berry. and red cedar. are also being
grown with good results. but none OF
them is better fitted TO supply fence
posts than those first named
The forest service fully recognizes
the Importance of fence posts in farm
economy and the great demand for
suitable timber. Studies of the growth
and durability of various species have
been made, and the limits of The com
mercial planting range of each mas
been more closely defined. Rapid
growing species which are not durable
have been studied to determine some
form of preventative treatment which
will increase their durability, Further
work along this line will unaoubtedlv
add largely to the list Of species which
can furnish the desired product.