THE FOEEST. 385 



ATOod was in beautiful -waves. It was made into veneering. Mr. J. W. King, 

 of Lansins:, bous-ht a black walnut tree seven feet through in Brookficld. He 

 sold it for nearly $1,200 to be cut up into veneering in New York. Mr. H. D. 

 Post, of Saugatuck, Allegan Co., tells me of a blistered walnut, very dark in 

 color, wliicli lay for some years in tlie water near Grand Rapids. The owner 

 cut it into veneering for his own use, after refusing $2,000 for it. 



Doubtless many a valuable log has been cut into fire-wood, or rolled into a 

 log -heap and burned, or sawed uito boards for a hog-pen by ignorant people not 

 knowing its real worth. 



At Grand Eapids I learned of a black cherry with very dark wood which was 

 shipped to Central America, and from there shipped back to this country as 

 good mahogany. 



In the north part of the State, as at Otsego and Petoskey, there is some very 

 fine curly and bird's eye maple. Considerable quantities are going to Europe. 

 Some choice trees of rock elm, white oak, and white ash are also going to 

 Euroi)e, besides to nearly all parts of our own country, either in the unfinished 

 state or after being first manufactured into some articles of furniture. 



NATUEAL GRAFTING 



is very common with various kinds of roots, and not uncommon with the 

 branches of trees and shrubs. 



We send one or two small samples of root grafting and some of top grafting 

 as found in the natural state. 



In Branch county stand two trees, twelve feet apart, each about twelve inches 

 through. They run up tv»'elve feet, when one starts ofE horizontally and strikes 

 the other, when they grow together in one body. I heard of a specimen, per- 

 haps not now standing, two pines, about four feet apart, diameters twenty-six 

 and twenty inches respectively. About sixteen feet from the ground they are 

 joined by a tie six inches in diameter. Above the point of union the smaller 

 tree becomes the largest, 



Mr. George Howell, of Bennington, Shiawassee Co., writes of two beeches 

 now growing on his farm. They are about eighteen inches in diameter near the 

 ground, thrifty and straight. Aliout twenty feet above the ground they are joined 

 together. The trunks are nearly covered with the names of persons who have 

 made them a visit, some of them dating back thirty years. I should say of 

 these beeches, which go to tlie Centezinial, ''united we stood, united we fell." 



Mr. L. B. Peck, of Muskegon, writes: "On the farm of William H. Hub- 

 bard, in the township of Ferry (Reed P. 0.), Oceana county, is a specimen of 

 natural grafting. Two trees, standing some fifteen feet apart, are united 

 together some ten feet high, forming from thence upward a perfect single top, 

 with a smooth, round, natural trunk. Having seen it but a few moments, I am 

 not able to give a very precise description, — not even to name the variety of tim- 

 ber, but I think the two are of tlie same." 



Mr. E. J. Shirts, of Shelby, Oceana Co., sends a drawing and description of 

 two sugar maples in his section grown together. The larger tree stands up 

 straight, and is about two feet in diameter. The smaller tree is fifty feet from 

 the larger one, and is about one foot in diameter. Tlie small one, some eight 

 feet from the ground, is bent over and touches the larger one where the graft 

 occurs, thirty feet above the ground. At the point of union the large tree is 

 twenty inches and the small one six inches in diameter. 



I have looked many times at forest trees of different genera which had appar- 



49 



