The farmer and mechanic., 1909-12-14
MUST GROW FENCE POSTS.
Black Locust and White Mulberry
Trees Recommended for Reason
ably Quick Growth.
(By Thomas w. Cisel. }


Farmers of the central and eastern
States are now seeing the need of
placing the timber lands that were
SO needlessly destroyed in order to
secure more land for cultivation and
as method Of securing money by
cutting into lumber and other mate
rialS.
Now this same timber is wanted
to replace farm buildings and in the
building OF fences.
Throughout the central west good
fence posts can only be had from lum-
Der dealers. who sell cypress and &C.
da- posts at prices almost beyond the
reach of the small farm owner.
Many farmers do not like concrete
and steel posts. as they are expensive.
Some farmers are turning fields out
and farming without fences.
But to do this much valuable pas
ture is lost, and crops are often dam
aged by trespaSSing stock.
Many are now planting timber for
a future supply. In planting many
plan the catalpa. thinking it the best.
True, it is a lasting timber, and of
quick growth when planted on low,
rich soil. but on hilly land or dry.
sandy soil it is very slow, requiring
from ten to fifteen years to get posts
large enough for fence building.
Others are planting Usage orange,
but it is also a slow growing tree and
has the fault Of growing crooked
with short trunks and OVermuch top.
The true that gives the best results,
with little care after planting, is the
black locust. 1t does we'll on any soil.
wet or dry. and when painted thick
say six feet each way-the trees will
grow tall with but little top. and will,
at the end of five years, be ready for
the first thinning out.
All this time, all stunted trees
should be worked up and from this
time on ground thus planted will fur
nish material for posts as each year
more thinning must be done.
IN fifteen years the trees will be
large enough to make four posts to
the cut and many Of them Will make
three to five post cuts, with some
round posts in the top.
Tie black locust is also fine tree
for planting about the house and
barn. When planted in the open it
forms a beautiful tree. having thick,
heavy foliage, retaining its leaves
throughout the summer, and in early
spring has an abundance OF sweet
smelling white flowers.
When young it is we'll protected by
thorns, making it a tree that can be
grown in a pasture or stock lot with
out being damaged by stock.
Next to the black locust for quick
returns is the white mulberry. With
this tree on rich SOIL only 1Our TO TNe
wears are required to grow them large
enough for use. but they seldom make
over one post length to the tree and
should all be cut at the end of the
seventh year. as they will soon replace
themselves. from two to five shoots
sprouting from the stump.
If left to grow longer than seven
years they will commence putting out
limbs near the ground, spelling the
growth already made.
All land owners should plant some
kind Of trees. There is always some
waste land about the farm-some
hillside or swamp that is not Guilt
waited, which, if planted to some KIND
Of timber. would soon return a pront
anr would also improve the looks OF
the farm. AS nothing adds more to its
beauty than a well-kept or woods
pasture.