82 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ure, which when cut into veneers, 30 to the inch, would be equal to 138,000 

 feet, wortli at 20 cents per foot, Sv7,000. The estimated cost of cuttinj^, 

 carting, and storing for sale was $;700." And aaain, though I c;innot give 

 the author of this item: ''A man in Wisconsin planted a i)icce of land with 

 black walnut, 23 years ago. The land Hooded spring and summer and was 

 unfit for ordinary cultivation. Tlie trees are now from IG to IS inches in 

 diameter and have been sold for §27,000." As we are all aware, tliese are 

 exceptional cases, but that walnut lumber now commands from $75 to $100 

 per thousand feet in this city, and that, too, located as it is right in the midst 

 of former groves of which any country might have been proud, is a fact beyond 

 controversy. But this noble forest is gone, and we, whose immediate ancestors, 

 a stalwart band of pioneers, toiled long and faithfully to remove the almost 

 worthless cumberers of the ground, are to-day carefully engaged in gathering 

 up the once accursed stumps for their commercial value. Not only this, but I 

 to-di,iy stand before this association of farmers, many of whom, like the speaker, 

 have spent weary days contributing to the destruction of tliese monarchs of the 

 forest, without one word of apology for advocating the claims of this noble tree, 

 as preeminently the most worthy variety for artificial groves and timber belts. 

 Although addressing myself to people residents of a once densely forest-covered 

 region, whose business for a half century has been the destruction of our noble 

 forests, I shall reiterate the warning, " Woodman, spare that tree," and with it 

 urge upon you the propriety oO devoting a few spare acres to the cultivation of a 

 walnut grove. I know it has been sneeringly said by our prairie neighbors on 

 the west that they could raise corn and have it manufactured into whisky and 

 glucose, for which they could barter us Hoosiers out of our timber, cheaper 

 than they could raise it. However true this may have been in the past, I am 

 satisfied that it cannot long bo practiced, unless we defeat ''prohibition," or 

 plant groves at an early day, since we are so rapidly learning the true value of 

 our timber. Before presenting my subject in detail, I will briefly allude to 

 the fact that horticulturists, rather than agriculturists, have been the first to 

 advocate the claims of artificial forestry. This is but natural, since their 

 occupation leads them directly to this result, the propagation and care of 

 young trees being to them a source of revenue, and in view of the fact that 

 their tender and precious crops are more susceptible of unfavoi-able influences 

 hy climatic changes incident to the removal, or partial absence of forests and 

 groves. But after all, the farmer has the greater real interest in this subject. 

 In the first place he has the broad acres on which to grow timber ; he, too, is 

 greatly interested in the preservation of moisture and the amelioration of cli- 

 mate incident to the culture of timber; his herds and Hocks receive comfort- 

 ing shelter, both winter and suuimer from his groves, while fuel and timber 

 for his own comfort and profit result therefrom. Having thus briefly argued 

 a few of the points of interest to the agriculturist, in the subject in hand, and 

 assuring you that this is a work that must be begun in anticipation of a period 

 of absolute necessity, if we would provide against a timber famine in the 

 near future, I will proceed to lay before you a few of the many arguments in 

 favor of the black walnut, which in my judgment give it preeminence over all 

 other varieties. In point of quality, as relates to the actual value of the tim- 

 ber, I could not add to the testimonials quoted at the head of this paper. It 

 is doubtful whether any tree of any variety has ever proved of more value 

 than the one cited, and the quality of the timber is such that no fickle whim 

 of fashion can seriously depreciate its value. It is true black walnut is not 

 celebrated on account of its durability when brought in contact with frequent 



