Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-10-08
UTILIZING WASTE LAND.

Rochester Chronicle and Democrat:
Every man who owns a farm has
fields that ct doesn't pay to cultivate"
Barren of any useful growth, they
do not yield rent" Economics does
not recognize them, and they are tru-
ly waste lands
According to circular called
Waste Lands and Forest Growth
just issued by the forestry service
of the United States department of
agriculture, such unfertile country.
without much outlay, can be convert
ed into profitable. and useful land.
Turn every acre of unproductive
land into young forests" the forest
ry service in substance advises, and
proceeds to show very clearly how
the owner of unused lands can obtain
a handsome profit for himself and
benefit the country at large by. grow
ing timber. .s...... ,........z.r,. ....,.
VI Years ago people felled and burn
ed forests to make pasturage. Porta-
ble,;sawmills have stopped such terri
BILE waste. But7the neglect of lumber
ed wood lots has greatly reduced the
quality of young timber. 1t is said
that there are thousand of acres of
land that once grew pine and might
still 8be growing pine, than produce
nothing better than birch or maple.
Pines as rule do not "sprout," and
when forests have been cut over with
out leaving trees for seed, birch and
maple, for which mankind has no par
ocular use, scatter their lighter seeds
and take full possession. Those who
have taken proper care of their tim
bered lands find it profitable to sell
second growths of hardwoods, only
six inches in diameter, SO great is the
demand for lumber. With such con-
ditions prevailing, there is, every rea-
sol for the farmer to make part Of
his crop timber. How he Will go about
this will depend upon the quality of
the available land q,
Black walnut, hardy catalpa, white
oak and other hardwoods, require
rich, well watered and drained lands. .
Most Of the other hardwoods and the
cone-bearers will grow in soil of less
fertility, but white pines appear to
be hardy and useful trees. Planting
may be done by seeding, transplant
ing wild seeding. and, best of all, by
getting two and three year old trees
from the nurseries.
The forestry service has. convinc.
ing answer for those who protest that
they will not live long enough to en-
joy the returns from their labor and
the expense of forest. planting. Sta
:istfcs show that land well covered
at good figure. 1t is not necessary
to wait until the trees are merchant
able timber. A few years should at
least yield from five to seven percent
en- the Investment.
From every standpoint 1t is most
desirable that the farmers should
give their most earnest and discern
able attention to timbering their
lands. The farmers of the west have
entered enthusiastically into the pro-
ject, and have found it financial gain
and q great amount OF satisfaction
in seeing worn out and barren Hand
serving an imneasurably useful pur-
pose.
BY addressing the forest service at
Washington, anyone can get exhaus-
tive information concerning trees,
soil and all phases of the forestry
question. President Roosevelt's en-.
support OF the forestry ser
vice has done much to give it the
strength and admirable efficient adj
that enables It to carry
on the effective work It il now do ]
Inc.