Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-10-14
FORESTS FOR RAILROAD TIES.
Pennsylvania Company is GROWING
Tress by the Million for Future
Supply,

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Supply.
More than a million trees have
been planted by the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company this season, max
ing total of 100000 trees planted
by this corporation in the last three
years to provide for the future com.
mand for timber and cross ties. This
work constitutes the most extensive
forestry plan undertaken by a PR.
yate corporation in line with the
American Civic Associations cam
paign for the conservation of the tim
Der supply.
No better evidence can be given
of the practical value, from the util-
itarian viewpoint, of the efforts OF
the American Civic association for
"a more beautiful America" And,
while the Pennsylvania Railroad com
pany's forestry operations are a pri-
yate enterprise, the policy of the COM
pany is to encourage public reforesJ-
alton. Upward of ISL, 900 trees have
been supplied virtually at cost dur
ing the present season to other cor
porations and private individuals. In
addition, 5000 privet hedge plants
were distributed among individuals.
In general way, the conservative
numbering and the forest planting by
the company are serving as object
lessons for farmers and others in
terested in the cultivation of the lana.
By way Of experiment, the com,
pany's first forestry operations were
confined to wood lots and farm lands
between Philadelphia and Altoona.
These tracts were planted mainly in
locust trees. In its work in the pres
ent season, $4,000 trees were set out
near Metuchen and New Brunswick
New Jersey.
OF all the trees planted this year,
$4,000 were red oak, and $4,000 pin
oak. There were planted 10000
Scotch pine $4,000 locust, $4,000
hardy catalpa, 5000 European Iarcn
5000 chestnut, 5000 yellow poplar,
1000 black walnut and 1000 white
pine.
To facilitate its forestry work, the
Pennsylvania Company established a
forest tree nursery near MorrisviIle,
Pennsylvania, last year. This place
was selected because of the favorable
soil conditions and it's accessibility.
1t consists of thirteen acres of sew
enty-acre farm, all of which is suit
able for the extension of the nurs-
cry AS the soil had been worked
out, it was necessary to develop the
fertility.
During the present season, the
Morrisville nursery supplied 1850
600 trees, and plants. AS soon as
the trees had been removed, the area
was ploughed, ferttIized and replanC-
ed with acorns. Half million con-
ferrous seedlings, which we're grown
in 1908, were transplanted and Will
be ready to be set out permanently
next season. From the 100 pounds
of pine and spruce seeds, it is ex-
pected to produce a million new
plants
1t is the idea of the officers of the
railroad company that, in the event
no substitute for the wood cross tie
shall be found in the next quarter
century, the corporation will have
available an enormous supply of tim
Der.
AS a means of econ0mizing in the
consumption of lumber, the company
has decided to treat cross ties with
creosote for the purpose of prolons-
ing the life of the wood. This plan
was prompted by the increasing scare
ity of timber and a thorough inquiry
into the conditions of the timber sup
ply of the country.
A creosoting plant has been estaD-
lished in Mount Union, Pa, ana this
is equipped to treat 100000 ties a
year. 1t is expected that the creo-
soting will increase the life of cross
ties two and three fold. The Penn
sylvania Railroad Company's demands
are 100000 to 100000 ties yearly
for renewals and new work. To sup
ply. these and Other lumber needed,
the timber is stripped from $4,000
acres yearly. By preserving the tim
Der, it is hoped to reduce the cutting
to $4,000 acres yearly.