Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-10-20
COTTONWOOD rs GOOD LUMBER.
Has stood for over 80 Years in Kan.
sas Barns and Dwellings.

for farm buildings is well illustrated
in barn in Pottawatomie county
Kansas. This barn which is 3Ox70
feet, was built in 1877. Every stick
Of material in this building is native
lumber. The siding is cottonwood,
said to have been sawed from single
tree. The lumber was thoroughly
seasoned before 1t was put in the
building and the siding was painted
as soon as put on, hut has never
been painted since. The building
stands today in almost a perfect
state Of preservation and has been
In constant use since 1t was built.
without doubt this is an excep-
tional case where the cottonwood has
withstood weathering. However, It
takes the exceptions. to prove sha
value of any material, and this in
stance proves the value If cotton
wood for building purposes when
handled. The cottonwood
ia more satisfactory and serviceable
for interior purposes than for use
on the exposed parts of 4 building.
The lumber is light when seasoned,
strong and tough. 1t wears well
when used for barn flooring. IT IS
exceptionally serviceable for parti-
lions between stalls, cribs and other
like purposes, 1t is an excellent
wood for dimension stuff, planks and
beams when used in the dry.
Another feature about the cotton
wood that increases its import
ance as a tree in this state Is that
Il grows more rapidly than any other
native species. In Is years from the
time the one-year-old seedlings are
the trees have reached mer-
size, often measuring from
90 to rs inches in diameter at the
utumpsJ When planted in groves
where the trees crowd one another
they develop a straight clear trunk
tall enough to permit cutting logs
Of any desirable length up to 20 to
"a inches.
The cottonwood is well suited Tor
planting on land that cannot be used
for agricultural purposes. 1t reaches
lts best development on low ground
where the water supply is not more
than five feet below the surface. This
planting on ground that IRE
overfIows and of practically
no worth for other purposes than
growing timber. AS a tree 1t is not
fastidious in respect to the kind OF
soil 1t grows in, growing practically
as we'll on sandy river channels as
on the richest bottom lands.
There are thousands of acres o.
waste lands along the creeks ant
rivers within the state that can d.
very profitably utilized for the grow
ing Of cottonwood trees.
Another feature Of the hardines
of the cottonwood is its ability =
withstand the driest weather. IL
tree that in its natural range
found from the Atlantic coast ives
to the foothills Of the Rocky noun
tains. In the semi-arid regions 0
Western Kansas and Eastern COLO
RADIO It is found growing only aion
the creek and river channels. unde
cultivation it grows well in the dry
er situations, but does not reach s
large a size.
The amount of lumber that can b
cut from a 25-year-old grove OF &C
tonwood is much larger than the az
erage cut of our native pine forest
of the Southern states. One hur
dred trees per acre yielding one 10
each 16 feet long and 16 inches l
diameter at the small end will CIV
a weld of $4,000 board feet boar
measure per acre. If valued on IN
lbasis of the price of lumber nj GU
local yards this gives handsome r.
lturn for the use OF the land after a
lowing liberal discount for culttui
logging and saving the lumber.
Cottonwood lumber, like all har'
wood lumber, warps badly unless
lis thoroughly seasoned in the log b.
fore It is sawed. the logs shonI
be peeled and piled on skids that WI
keen them from touching the grcun
and permit a free circulation of q
around them. When piled in tn
way II requires from ~ to Is month
for the logs to thoroughly seasol
II the lumber is saved from gree
logs. It should be piled straight an
even, with two or three inches
snona between each tier shd STR