Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-04-13
Profits In Pine Growing.


cussion at the present day great ant
pressing demand from all parts of ou
country for the protection and propaga
ton of our wood and timber supply
which also controls our waterways ant
lakes. There are three kinds or grades
If you please, Of forestry talked of ant
needed. Nation and state come first
then owners of large private tracts o
lands, and last, but not least, the owner,
of small pieces. of wood and timbe
lands, and other lands that this same
class of owners own, that ought to grow
forest trees.
shall not attempt to discuss how II
manage timber lands on townships al
the class of men who own them hav,
learned few things for themselves
within a few years, and some of then
are on the right track. Township own
ers are generally quite gamey fellows
and quite capable of taking care of them
selves, but can or ought to learn more
about small trees, and will.
The question of how to manage the
white pine lands appeals to me the
strongest, so shall talk along that line
My experience and observation has beer
more in the southwestern part Of the
state than elsewhere, consequently or
different small tracts. 1t appears to mt
that owners of small tracts of wild land.
should or ought TO handle them on 9
more advanced plan than they have il
the past. often hear men say: "Had
bought, what would have been con
sidered hard trade in cut-over pine
lands, not cut very close, ten years ago,
or young standing pine even, it would
have brought afterward, in most cases
400 per cent on the money invested, or
four dollars for each dollar invested and
ofttimes more on those two classes. "
The growth of the trees represents more
than the increase in the price Of lumber
in the ten years. Owners of small tracts
should look over them and see what the
land will produce the best. Getting il
TO market comes in for consideration.
II near lakes and streams, that will float
logs, then black growth is in order, and
the land should be given over to grow
ing pine or other black growth, if suit.
able.
The first thing to do is to stop reck.
less cutting and the destruction wrought
by the tramp saw-mill. The owner who
sells, and allows the small trees to be
cut, is the man to call halt on, for bis
own protection as we'll as for the users
of manufactured lumber.
1t is very strange that SO few have
taken notice in the past. When l look
back to my own reckless cutting, before
| commenced to think, some Is years
ago, it makes me ashamed to look at the
pine trees that escaped my axe when
they were small, now standing as a liv-
ing witness against me, and not only
seem to say, but do say, "You could
have had more like us if you had come
to your senses sooner"
Now, it is up to you, gentlemen of the
forestry committee, and the Legislature
of Maine, not to allow the cumberland
owners to run such a mad course as has
been run in the past by most every land
owner, who has cut at all. The owner,
who let's his growth stand too long, is
not getting profit for himself nor aid
ing the public. His growth becomes an
encumbrance to the next generation OF
trees, and itself diminishes in value.
Systematic cutting will produce the
largest returns. The removal of the
largest trees in a systematic manner,
even if not mature, if crowding out and
killing smaller ones, should be done.
Even small trees, though quite tall and
with but little tops or few limbs, will
grow a new set of limbs or top crown.
When the larger trees are removed by
systematic cutting, it not only relieves
the small trees, but keeps seed trees on
hand all the time. How long the same
piece of land will produce white pine,
am unable to tell you.
To keep a three-acre tract of white
pine as an ornament, in the year 1870 l
cut and removed all the hard wood and
broken topped and crooked pine from
the lot The growth was then about 30
years old. Beginning from that time,
every ten years, namely, in 1880, 1890
and 1900, | removed the largest trees
down To ten inches, two feet from the
ground. The yield for each of the three
cuttings was about alike, ten thousand
feet per acre. have been more careful
in removing the trees each succeeding
time, and now it will cut more thou
sands than at any previous cutting and
has more small trees left to stand and
grow. don't let the hard wood bother
it. How long it will continue to pro-
duce pine, shall have to tell you later.
NV experience and observation has
been that when the small trees have
been left, the owners always congratu-
late themselves, after a few years, but
where a clean sweep has been made,
self. congratulations have not been in or
der, and never will be. have in mind
20 acre lot which, ten years ago, was
cut down to ten inches and was again
sold this winter for $500. Now, how
much could it have been sold for II
every pine had been cut that could saw
three feet at the first cut ten years be-
fore?
An owner of land need not despair be-
cause there may be little or no growth,
or that he is advanced in years and not
time to wait for wood or logs to mature.
Lands that can be planted to trees or
that have seed trees on them will, with
proper care and fire protection, very
soon prove that the land has value, on
account of the prospective growth. Had
owners who had such lands, even 70
years ago, thought of and understood
the matter as we should and ought to
have done the result would be far differ
ent from what II Is to-day.
/ herewith hand you some white pine
blocks, showing how the butt-log in
creases each year and call your attention
not to the one that shows the largest
growth but medium, sawed from the top
end of l2-foot log % years old. When
II years old it would make one board
with one and one-half feet, then in the
next five years it has gained to such an
extent that three boards can be sawed
alive that will scale II feet.
Can the owners afford to cut IL? III II
continues with the same growth for the
next ten years that it has for the last
five, the butt-log will scale Is 1-2 feet by
the scale rule and overrun the scale, y
sawed alive, that is, through ano
through, not edged. We now have an
other log in the center OF the tree whict
is a new log, as q new top has grown u
offset the one of the ten years before, 81
the new log can be added to the increase
made on the butt-log. The time to cut
this tree is when ripe or crowdipg othe
trees so as 20 lose more than it will galI
itself. Forestry men don't seem Il
agree about thinning and trimming
They will think nearer alike on that sub
iect later. Trees must have light ano
room to grow and to produce seed ant
rapid growth Of wood. :.
Old men and middle aged men ough
to practice forestry not only for proh
m thamselves but as an example Il
Young men. A young man just comini