The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-06-29


OF every pcrsoa w4o cont@mplates
adding to the value 81 his lands by
growing fo-es.t trees. i is only
question of tine when these aIGi-
! tons to the farm viii largely in
crease its value. The aim CT the
pamphlet is to instruct Intending
PLANTERS in the most economic man
ner obtaining the desired result.
| Much work has already been accom-
plished as a result OF recognition OF
] its importance by the national gov
eminent and much more is sure to
be accomplished. In Nebraska alone
| an area of some 2S6,O00 acres have
! been planted in the last few years.
The writer says:
Many mistakes were made by the
early tree planters, and much OF the
timber now standing is of little com.
mercial value, because the primary
desire was for quick effects, which
were secured by using rapid-growing
species of poor quality and short life.
: From the standpoint CT protection
very satisfactory results were OBJ
tanned, but in future planting the use
of trees which Will lot only serve
| for protective purposes, but also pro-
| duce timber of higher value for posts.
fael and lumber, is strongly urged.
The farm windbreaks and shelter
! belts, and the small planted groves
which furnish fuel, fence posts and
| 0ta:, 81
stitute one Of the less striking
phases of American forestry today.
! Considered, however, from the stand
point of the greatest good to the
greatest number, their value to the
vast host of citizens who follow agri-
cultural pursuits becomes apparent,
and their contribution to the pros.
perity of the west is realized.
| Practically every section of the
country can be helped by more in
! telligcnt ard extensive forest plant
Jag by small landowners By this
means the abandoned farms Of New
England can be made productive, the
/ best kinds Of shclterbelts and wood
| lots secured in newly irrigated Sec
! tons, the needed protection given to
field crops and necessary wood ma
! terial produced On the treeless plains
and prairies, and the whole country
made more attractive as a place OF
| habitation With the development OF
the semi-arid west through the recla-
nlaticn of large areas by irrigation
| and dry farming, an entirely new
field for forest planting as farm
| crop is opened up. One of the f1nc-
lions of the Forest Service is to en-
courage this work by determining the
! species most suitable for every s!tua-
ton and region, and by giving advice
as to the most economical and eifec-
tive methods of planting and protect
| ing the young trees.
One of the most potent influences
which retard forest planting on farm
lands is the difficulty experienced In
securing suitable planting materlai
| save al almost prohibitiye cost. I'm
! til recently very few nurserymen at
tempted to raise forest tree seedlings,
and tho demand was SO uncertain that
| high prices were charged as an OF
set to the uncertainty attendant upon
the disposal Of the stock. The hlgn
initial cost of nurserygrown seedlings
the expense of shipment, and the I'M
certainty of receiving the young trees
when wanted have had very dis
couraging effect On the small planter,
and the establishment OF plantations
has been curtailed in consequence.
/ On the other hand, home production
| of young trees has seemed too diff
cult a task for the novice; while the
rush of farm work at the time seed
beds should have the most attention,
together with the lack of reliable
information as to how to grow for
est seedlings, has generally checked
all efforts along this line.
POPPIEs GROWN FOR OPIUM.
Poppies are grown for distil!ation
into laudanum and opium in Lincoln
shire, England. The industry, how
ever, owing to the great risks and
low prices, is declining and this year
not more than twenty acres OF pop
pies have been grown. If the weather
should chance to be wet when the
heads are ripe, the crop is ruined
and becomes valueless 1t is the husk
of the poppy and not the seeds that
yields the drugs. When gathered the
ripened heads are carried to dry
ing shed, spread thinly on the floor.
| and frequently turned over with
brush. which imparts the brightness
OF polish to the heads.
On an acre Of ground good crop
! Yields from 10000 to 10000 poppy