Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-07-10
Farm Woodlot Problems.

rarm W00dl0t Problems.
In his lecture on Farm Woodlot Prob
lems at Farmers Week, Professor Briscos
called attention to the importance Of
having the wooded area of the farm in
a. productive condition a. the Other
acres. With the present prices fol
ssumpage and for forest products In gen.
eral, there is no reason for neglectine
the woodlot. There are many acres or
most every farm that will not pay to
cultivate, at least for some time TO come
and these should be growing forest
crops. They will then be Increasing In
value every year, and will be decided
asset to the farm, no matter whether the
ownership changes or not.
One OF the important problems for the
woodlot owner 10 to find suitable mar.
ket for his particular products, and dur.
ing the past year cooperative work has
been carried on In Maine by the United
States Forest Service, to collect and pre-
sent data on this important subject.
This Information is now being assem-.
bled and being prepared for publication,
so that within very short time bulle-
tin will be available showing the markets
In all parts of the state for every kind
Of forest product; what Il can best be
used for; and where the best price may
be obtained for 1t; the best sizes into
which to cut the product so as to get the
highest price; and classified list OF
dealers and manufacturers interested in
different species Of wood and other for
est products. This will be OF great
value to the owner of q small woodlot
in finding the best market for his
product.
Attention is also called to the fact
that red pine, sometimes called Norway
Pine (Pinus resinosa) Is recommended
for forest planting either in pure stands
or in mixture with white pine. This is
on account of the possibility of damage
from the white pine blister rust. This
disease does not attack the red pine, 80
it can be safely planted even within the
diseased territory.
With planting stock now available
from the State Forest Nursery at prices
ranging from IS to 80 per 1000 plants,
the owner of cut over land or abandoned
pasture can make no better investment
than BY planting such trees as red pine,
or Norway spruce for the production OF
lumber and pulp wood. The total coat
of planting should not exceed from 80
to S12 per 1000, which means from 1c to
l 1.4c per tree. This Investment will
pay q rate of compound interest that
will compare very favorably with other
long time investments, and will produce
a handsome profit as well at the time OF
cutting.
In making sales, he strongly advised
selling at q fixed price per thousand
board feet, or by the piece or tree, and
not In lump sum, without having any
very definite idea of what the acreage
contained, or the value Of the product.
Trimmings and cleanings were also
strongly advised for the stands that have
become too crowded to produce the best
growth, and examples were shown OF
stands before and after such trimmings,
and cross sections of trees showing the
increase in growth due to such trimmings
and cleanings.
Forest crops pay better returns with
less original investment and less care and
expense of maintenance than other
crops. They will moreover succeed in
many places where other crops would
fail. The woodlot owner should take
advantage of these facts.