ADAPTATION OF SOILS. 483 



This proposition of course involves a very important modifi- 

 cation of the management of land in this section. You have 

 comparatively but a small proportion of that vrhich is naturally 

 fertile, or of that which can easily be kept in a highly produc- 

 tive state. What shall be done with the poorer and greater 

 portion? Devote it to wood. Fuel for your dwellings, as 

 well as for carrying on various manufactures, and timber for 

 many purposes, will always be wanted. 



Much of your land which is valueless for cultivation, will pro- 

 duce trees without any labor but that of planting, and in some 

 instances merely by a spontaneous growth. The subject of 

 planting forest trees is one of great moment to many parts of 

 this country, and especially to those sections which have much 

 poor soil. Within a few years it has attracted considerable 

 attention, and encouraging results have been obtained. This 

 is not the proper occasion to go into details on this subject, 

 and there is the less need of doing so from the fact that it has 

 already received your attention. A word as to the kinds of 

 trees best adapted to different situations may not be out of 

 place here. 



The white birch will flourish on the poorest soil. Even the 

 most sterile gravel affords it a home in which it grows rapidly. 

 I believe it is the opinion of a distinguished and venerable 

 father of -your society, that the poorest land in your section is 

 worth ten or twelve dollars an acre for the growth of this 

 species of tree. In other situations, as the common plain land, 

 the pitch and white pine might be more suitable. The Scotch 

 larch has been found to grow admirably in various parts of this 

 State. It is a tree of great value. It will grow rapidly either 

 on gravelly knolls and plains, or rocky, bleak hills, and makes 

 timber only second in value to oak, and for a variety of uses is 

 even superior. In forty years' growth, in Europe, it answers 

 many purposes in ship-building. On the farm formerly occupied 

 by Col. Timothy Pickering, in Wenham, in this State, is a plan- 

 tation of Scotch firs, set out by Col. P. about fifty years ago. 

 They are now beautiful trees, and are very valuable for timber. 



The young trees may be had at most nurseries, or may be 

 imported, when small, at about two dollars a hundred. The 

 chestnut is easily produced from seed, and in moist, strong soils 



