266 BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. 



advantage ; and the profits of such an undertaking as I 

 advocate will be immensely increased, if suitable selections 

 for the various situations of soil and climate are made. 



The sugar-maple, the white elm, and the white ash reach 

 their greatest perfection in this and' the neighboring States, 

 and should be gen erall}' planted wherever the soil will permit. 

 The product of the white oak and the hickories is of such 

 value that they should also be generally planted, although 

 they require a more genial climate and deeper soil than 

 Massachusetts can now offer to develop their best qualities. 



The white cedar ( Cupressus tJiyoides, L.)^ although we are 

 here on its northern limit, where it only attains a moderate size, 

 should be planted on accomit of the value of its wood for 

 fencing and other rural purposes, boat-building, shingle- 

 making, etc., but more especially on account of its natural 

 place of growth, which is always in deep, cold swamps, often 

 near the sea, and overflowed by high tides, a situation in 

 which no other tree of an equal commercial value could 

 possibly thrive. 



The value of the white pine is so thoroughly understood, 

 and this beautiful tree grows so rapidly wherever it finds a 

 certain amount of shelter and protection, that it is needless to 

 advance its claims on the planter. 



In consideration of its market value at all ages, the rapidity 

 of its growth, and the length of time it continues to throw^ up 

 suckers, the white ash (Fraxinus Ainericana, L.) is the 

 most valuable of all our native trees for planting in this State. 

 Valuable as Massachusetts-grown white oak is, it can never 

 compete with that produced in other sections of the country 

 for purposes which call out its highest qualities ; while the 

 slowness of its growth, and the difficulties which attend the 

 early years of its cultivation, seem still further to reduce its 

 value for the general planter as compared with the ash. 

 Already there is a rapidly increasing export trade of ash 

 lumber to Europe, Australia and the Pacific coast, from 

 Boston and New York, and the possibilities of this business 

 can only be limited by the supply. The American is generally 

 acknowledged to be superior to the European ash in the 

 qualities for which it is specially valued, toughness and elas- 

 ticity, and in which no other wood can equal it. Australia 



