The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1914-04-21
YELLOW POPLAR CAN BE
GROWN PROFITA6LY

| GROWN PROFITABLY.
Yellow poplar, one of the finest and
the largest of American broadleaf
trees. can be grown proftably in the
timber tracts of the Southern Appa-
| lachians. This conclusion is set forth
In report written by w. w. Ashe, of
the forest service and recently pub
lished by the geological survey of
Tennessee
/ An investment in young yellow pop
lar stands will yield 4 per cent. COM
pound interest. In addition to this
there is profitable, though indeter-
inmate, return to the natural increase
In Stumpage prices. This increase,
based on average-sized yellow poplar
/ trees, has amounted during the past
| 20 years to Is per cent. compounded
annually.
There is more lumber produced
from yellow poplar than from any
other Southern hardwood except oak.
The commercial range of the tree is
restricted mainly to the Southern Ap-
palachian Mountain of the Virginias,
| Carolinas, Kentucky and Tennessee,
! where it grows to more than 100 feet
high and over five feet in diameter.
Some specimens in Virginia nearly
200 feet high and 10 feet through.
The wood itself has the same gen.
! eral characteristics as that of white
pine, and it's range of uses is about
the same. Each is utilized for almost
anything not requiring great strength
or tOugness.
The qualities which favor the ex-
tensive use Of poplar, it's lack of odor,
are its straight grian, it's lack of odor.
the readiness with which it takes
paint, and the ease with which it can
be worked. Doors, paneling, packing
boxes, type cases, drawers, kitchen
woodenware and toys are made large
of yellow poplar. In Tennessee wood
en- mixing bowls are turned out in
sizes up to 4 feet in diameter from
one piece of wood. Yellow poplar
stands well in situations exposed to
| the weather, as in pumps, outside
steps, shingles and fencing. 1t is not
durable in contact with the soil,
though it can be readily treated with
preservatives.
From the earliest times it has been
used in making dug-out canoes, for
which it is specially suited since it is
easily worked and is light. In this
capacity the tree did yeoman service
in the early Indian wars of the South.
In 1879, an attack upon the Carolian
frontier was threatened by Indians
who assembled near Chattanooga.
Isaac Shelby, one OF the pioneer lead
ers, had 5-foot trunks of yellow pop
lar hewed into canoes, in which he
tok his $50 men down the Hudson
River to attack the tribes.
The wood lacks odor and this quail
ity, according to the report, permits OF
| its extensive use for containers for
butter, cheese and other food Stuffs,
and for refrigerators.
Its straight grain adapts it to the
making of matches, and the ease with
which it takes glue makes it useful as
a cord wood upon which more expen-
sive veneers can be placed. 1t makes
a very good paper pulp.
The tree grows best on good,
moist soil; when grown on dry soil
the wood is likely to be harder and to
consist largely of light-colored sap
wood 1t will not pay, however, to
grow it on rich agricultural bottom
lands, which will bring higher returns
from cultivation of farm crops. For
timber production, therefore, it should
be grown upon the slopes and coves
between the bottom lands and the dry
heights.
The report states that the days OF
the old trees are numbered and that,
i for this reason, it is desirable to pay
more attention to the second growth.
The second growth, thought not to be
compared with the old giant trees
which are practically all hardwood,
still makes valuable lumber. So far
as known, the tree is not subject to
severe injury either from disease or
insects. It's chief enemy is the one
common to all forest groWths ii the
Southeastern States-fire.
One important point particularly &C
cented in the report is that poplar
stands should be properly thinned.
Such Trimmings should yield money
return and at the same time increase
the value of the stand when it ma
lures. In thinning the aim should be
to give the tree plenty OF room TOT
light and growth, and this VIII mean
fewer trees, each one with a large
value, rather than many small trees
of less value. This is shown Striking
ly in the report, which says that II
will be far more profitable to nave ~
.trees on an acre with average diane
tiers of 20 inches than 16O trees WITH
diameters of Is inches. The 2O-lncf
trees have a stumpage value OF 800
each, while the 15-inch trees have
stumpage value of only 50 cents
apiece. The acre of large trees, there
fore, will be worth about $12O more