Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1912-07-18
WOODS WORTH MORE
THAN Iron MINES


ado you know that the timber land
in Sank county is worth more than
the iron mipes?n said O. L. Sponsler
of the State Board of Forestry as he
dropped into a chair in the News
office after travelling about the county
for a week or more Mr.. SpOnsler
was sent TO Sank county to make
survey of the woodlots and he was
beaning with surprise at what he
had seen in his travels around Bara-
boo.
Back to Indian Days.
Mr.. Sponsler learned that half
Ger fury ago there was not much tlm-
Der on the bluffs about Baraboo. When
the Sacks and Foxes resided at Prairie
du Sac they would set lire TO tae
bluffs somewhere in the vicinity OF
Leland and the flames would spread
to the eastward as far as Durwards
Glen or more. This great tract was
burned over year after year and when
the early settlers came they found the
bluffs comparatively bare. In the
early days the land was pastured but
as the fences appeared this could not
be done as there is but little water.
This gave the tree plants chance TO
grow and the result is a fine tract OF
timber of a half century or more.
A Cord a Year Per Acre.
Timber grows on the bluffs at the
rate of a cord year per acre. Ten
acres will grow ten cords of wood.
This is the first generation to enjoy
the timber growing and Mr.. Sponsler
says that if it is let alone there will be
fine tracts ofstrees for the next two
generations.
If the timber is oak, the expert says
it is just as we'll to cut it all off and 1t
will grow up again from the stumps.
In other cases it may be best to re-
move only that which has reached a
stage of value. On most of the tracts
about Baraboo it islbest to let the
timber alone and let it grow. To dig
potatoes when half grown is to obtain
but a portion of the crop and IL is
the same in cutting young timber.
Counting the interest and taxes Mr..
Sponsler says many can make more
from their woodlots than If they un-
dertook to farm the land.
Ohio and Indiana have culled tim
Der lands but Sank county will have
in time the first growth of fine tim
Der. He hopes the day will soon come
when the state will send a district
forester to look after the go, 900 or more
acres in the Baraboo range.
Hickory Worth Money.
He was surprised to find so much
hickory growing in this section. The
timber will soon be ready for spokes
and handles as there is great demand
for this timber. This will be source
of much income soon.
The forester says some are making
mistake in trying TO make a pasture
field of their woodlots. Trees will
grow faster without sod. The growth
of the trees is worth more than pas
ture.
Prosperity Written Everywhere.
Mr.. Sporsler says pros perity is
written all over the county. He
came from Nebraska and studied in
Iowa. The farming in Nebraska is
extensive and in Wisconsin it is in
tensiye. He never saw such crops
and so many we'll to do farmers as
around Baraboo. He says they are
rolling in wealth, have fine buildings,
all the comforts and seem to be enjoy.
ing life.
Mr.. Sponsler left Baraboo for TRIP
to Reedsburg, Plain, Spring Green,
Prairie du Sac and back to Bara'
boo.
He was greatly assisted at Baraboc
by Henry Erswell who knows every
inch of territory in this region.