248 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



FUEL PRODUCTION. 



The true considerations of convenience and economy are patent incentives to the arti- 

 ficial production of fuel, in all cases where natural wood growth is scarce or remote, if 

 only they are properly considered. As to the amount of wood which may he produced 

 upon a given area, in a given time, we have fairly reliable data from the experiments of 

 the few who have tried the commoner, rapid growing trees. In 20 years from seed or 

 cutting, the following trees have obtained the growths annexed : 



Diameter of Height, Cord feet 



trunk, inches. feet. of fuel. 



Cottonwood (monilifera) 24 50 5% 



Cottonwood (quadrangulata) 28 59 6 



Lombaidy Poplar . . . .' 23 60 4}£ 



Elm (Americana) 17 44 3% 



Elm (fulvia) IS 39 3 



Maple (dasycarpum) 18 39 3^ 



Maple (negundo) 23 38 5 



Maple (niger) 11 37 1 



Walnut (cinerea) 20 38 2,% 



Walnut (niger) 14 37 2% 



Honey Locust 14 40 3 



German Pine 14 33 2 



All these samples were grown in comparatively open ground and are perhaps above an 

 average, though they are not a maximum growth, and a deduction upon fuel of about 

 50 per cent, must be made if calculating their growth in groves, and even then they 

 must not be in a crowded grove. 



Groves planted four by four feet, and as their good requires, thinned down to eight by 

 sixteen feet will at 20 years of age produce about as follows, of fuel, (320 trees per acre) : 



Cords. 



Cottonwood 70 



Elm 43 



White Maple 44 



Black Maple 20 



Honey Maple 60 



White Walnut 50 



Black Walnut 30 



Honey Locust 35 



German Pine 32 



But this calculation not being in every case based upon actual experiment, but made 

 upon such knowledge as the present limited arboricultural experience furnishes, though 

 believed to be a safe estimate, and a reasonable average of what any cultivator may ob- 

 tain if he so wills it ; may be too large or too small, and it is much more likely to be the 

 latter than the former. 



It happens that the most rapid growing of the fuel trees ordinarily produce the least 

 valuable fuel, and hence it becomes necessary for the prospective planter to carefully 

 6can all the qualities of the candidates for his favor, and after striking a balance or mean, 

 between value and ease of production, to choose the material for groves from the best in 

 the aggregate. 



Whether fuel production is to be profitable in any section, also depends upon the pres- 

 ent value of the land to be used, its increase in value if not appropriated to producing 

 fuel, and the local value of fuel. As a mere illustration of what may be, the following 

 estimated account with a fuel plantation of ten acres is submitted : 



