Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-04
A FOREST FROM SEEDS
Aged Man Starts Nursery Near Falls Church, Va.

and possibly one or the greatest things
he has lone, in my humble opinion, is
the calling of the recent meeting Of
governors and the conservation DELHI
eratipns, in particular to forestry"
Have you called ON the president at
all?"
mo, l have not But here is letter
Of introduction to him given me by the
governor Of Colorado when l came
here to Washington last May. You
see," continued Mr.. Gaylor, lit was
my original intention to go to South
America for the purpose of studying
and writing on the agricultural and
forest conditions of the republics down
there, but l had to give it up on ac-
count Of my age and health didn't
realize that years were telling on me
until reached Washington. And then
1t was l found out that I'd have to
! forego the tropical trip. My letter to
the president was to be presented be-
| fore l left as one probably interested
in the things which attracted me there.
Il liked the city very well. You see,
1 had never seen the capital of the ma
ton before, so l stayed. After I'd
been here q month or more the idea
occurred to me TO take advantage Of
| the many seeds from the trees here
going to waste and show in practical
way what could be accomplished with
| them"
How and where did you gather the
seeds?"
why. when they began dropping I
just went out with broom and bag.
swept them up. brought them here,
| cleaned them and put them away until
l was ready to plant them. I gathered
forty-eight sacks of about one and a
half bushels each, and twenty-five Of
these sacks planted. The others are
here now for the spring or next fall.
| 81 gathered the acorns for white and
chestnut oak at Arlington. the linden
seeds came from along Massachusetts,
avenue principally between Eighteenth
and Twentieth streets, the Norway
maple from the same locality, the ash
seeds from down between the White
House and the treasury, the honey
locust out near p and Thirtieth streets,
In Georgetown, and other seeds in diff
ferent parts of the city. 1t was very
easy, just like recreation. Sometimes
I'd get children to help me, but not
often. One or two varieties l couldn't
find here in Washington 1 picked up
near Falls Church. They We're princi-
pally hickory nuts and sugar maple"
"What seeds have you planted so
far?
about 100000 white oak. American
linden, Norway maple, ash and honey
locust. Those l have here are chest
nut, oak, sugar maple, hickory, coffee
bean. black locust catalpa, yellow
wood. sycamore and yellow poplar. AS
said before. I'll probably plant these
next spring or fall
"And where do you imagin l plant
ed these seeds? Why, in a pear or
chard with 500 pear trees. 200 small
cherry trees and several small patches
Of stra wberries and blackberries. The
trees stand from twelve to sixteen feet
apart. and in this space is where the
seeds went, four separate rows be.
tween each row of trees. That is strict
land economy
81 went out there only recently and
found the acorns sprouting and every
row in the seven and half acres
showing signs of plant life that is
very encouraging. Judging from the
present indication, l calculate that
from 10 to so per cent of the seeds
planted will run to seedlings in the
| course of eighteen months, at the end
Of which time they'll have to be re
moved to larger piece of ground, OF
, course
'From a business standpoint how
many seedlings will have to develop
to bring a profit?" Mr. Gayior was
asked.
"At the lowest so per cent" was the
D answer. Forty per cent of good sap
lings will mean big profit from 9
D mercantile standpoint"
Mr.. Gaylor said that negotiation.
!. were entered into for the land-tht
pear orchard, as he terms it--last Sep
TENDER, which is located on the farm
Of r. E. T. Shreeve, and the actua
planting Of the seeds began Nov. II
5 and lasted fer two weeks. They wer,
t planted gradually and with the assist
ance of Mr.. Shreeve, who prepared
the ground for their reception. Dur
ing any extended absence from til,
, | embryo nursery by Mr. Gaylor, becaus,
of the elements and his age. In tn,