The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-12-02
EXPERIMENT HAS
PROVED A SUCCESS
Pennsylvania Officials Salts
fled With Results on
Tree Farm.
THE TIMBER SUPPLY,
WILL CAUSE NO UNEASiNESS TO
THE PENNSY OFFICIALS GEN.
ERAL NOTES OF THE SHOP AND
RAIL.

1t is just becoming generally known
that the Pennsylvania officials are
making active preparations looking
forward to a supply of timber when
the forests play out or the price scars
to such figure that its use will De
completely out Of the question. Fig
ures compiled by the United States for
estry bureau show that at the rate the
forests are being consumed at the pres
ent day they will be entirely exhausted
within fifteen years. With these
facts before them, the Pennsylvania
officials decided to make some prOVts-
ions for the future. A forestry e>.-
pert formerly in the employ of the gov
eminent was employed, and although
but few of the local employees are
aware of the fact, a tract of land COM
prising slightly over fifty acres, locat-
co near WinOna lake in koscius D
county, was bought and experiments
in timber culture were Immediately be-
gun.
Catalpa trees were seIeCted as the
/ first to be experimental with, as the
wood makes the hest material Obtaina-
bic for ties or telegraph poles. and
! it is in this class Of timber that the
shortage is becoming more acute. Seed
linGs were planted and after about a
I years Erowth tie small trunks were
( cat off at the ground level. Several
! healthy shoots appear and 2roW rapid
! j. from each OF these stumps, and the
/ hardest appearing is selected, While
! the others are cU. III an incredibly
short time the shoots grow to a height
of probably twelve or fifteen feet. Upon
reaching this height the upward
growth is slackened and the small
trunks begin to expand. Those plant
ed near WinOna have been growing for
about four years and it is expected will
be ready for use about nine years after
| planting.
1t is stated on reliable authority that
the experiment has proven highly sat
! isfactory and that the Pennsylvania
officials are so greatly satisfied with :.
that arrangements will Immediately be
made for the purchase of tracts of land
at many different points along the line,
where the trees will be planted. II IS
known that the northern section Of
Indiana is TO be selected as the place
! for the largest of these tree farms. rs
the soil and climatic conditions are pc
culiarly adapted for the best growthof
catalpa, At the same time that he
tract was planted near Winona laige
number of trees of different spedes
were planted along the right-of-way be-
tween Richmond and indianapolis.
From the time of planting until jut
few weeks ago no attention was aid
10 the trees and they received aso-
iutely no care. This was done toas
certain which species would show the
greatest degree Of hardihood under the
conditions. Upon examination it vas
found that out OF over four hunred
trees planted. but about twenty-five
had died, and there was not tref IF
the catalpa species among the ntn-
Der. The catalpa trees had thriveeas
il they received the best of care ar
ing the entire time and the growth fas
just as satisfactory as that of the tees
planted In Kosciusko county. Which
had been under the guidance of he
forester. This has shown that Ie
species can be planted and receiveab-
| solutely no attention from thereonhn
til the Tina thas are ready to he Flt