Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-12-14
Nut Trees Growing Fewer.


in Lancaster and vicinity has forced
our citizens to realization that our
splendid groves are fast disappearing.
of course this may be considered an
off year" for home grown nuts be-
cause of the freezing weather we had
late last spring, but nevertheless the
decrease in the quantity on the market
the past few years has kept pace with
the destruction Of the woods.
1t is difficult, almost impossible. to
buy nuts that have been picked this
season and the price of those left over
from last year has increased surpris-
ingly.
Black walnuts have been selling in
Lancaster at 81 rs bushel while
hickorynuts may be purchased at So 20
a bushel Hazel nuts and butternuts
are minus quantity in the local
markets at least.
Apropos of this subject an article
in Sundays Dubuque Times Journal
contained the following, The con
ditions and scenes described are
Identical with those that have obtain
ed hereabouts in the past:
That home grown nuts soon will
disappear altogether is invitable
Iowa land is too valuable to be left to
grow trees and brush that serve most
ly to take up valuable space in the
pastures and fields It may be fairly
stated that there are no longer any
woods in the state, Most of the land
that is not cultivated has been turned
into pastures, and every year the
farmer cuts down many trees to make
more grazing room, and to add more
space to the cultiva ted acreage.
The rapidity with which the woods
have been disappearing in this county
is astounding. Men who have only
attained their twenty fifth year can
remember the times when. as boys,
they gathered hazel nuts and climbed
walnut trees on what is now inside
the city limits.
The woods were so thick with hazel
brush. crab apple bushes, goosberry
bushes and trees that it was difficult
for boy to pass from one end Of the
wood to the other.
Those times afforded great SPORT for
inquisitive and sport loving "kids. =
There was not better enjoyment than
to don a pair of old overalls, old
jacket, put on fathers old shoes, and
go to the woods. To traverse the
shaded, almost gloomy paths, which
the cattle had made through the brush
was satisfying to the appetite of an
explorer To crawl among the bushes
in search of young rabbits was
satiating the love of a hunter. To
come to the dilapidated remains OF
some old wooden hut or log house was
all that the imagination Of the book
worm could desire. At such places
the gang of young explorers made
long stops. There were speculations
as to whom that ruined palace of the
woods belonged. The imaginative
ones recalled romantic tales that
might have happened at the very spot,
the romantic associated the ruins with
stories of Indian massacres, and the
eager ones carefully investigated every
nook and crook in tho dilapidated
wreck of a log cabin, arguing as to
where the old hunter, who occupied
it, hung his rifle, where was the fire
place, and from which window he shot
at the Indians.
With such wrecked huts the woods
were replete. They are gone now,
however, and with them has disappear
ed many a grove of walnuts and
butternut trees, and many stretch Of
hazel brush. Taking into considera.
tion with what rapidity these dense
woods went out of existence in short
time, and considering what little is
left of them, it seems that the days of
home grown nuts are dangerously near
their end. The Iowa farmers do
not plant nut bearing trees any more,
and it is doubtful if they ever will,
for the cultivation of nuts brings but
email Profits