ARBORICULTURE 



19 



The Celebrated Batchelder Pine 



A FEW miles from Reading, Mass., 

 there stood until 1890, an immense 

 white pine tree which was noted for 

 its beauty and symmetry as well as its enor- 

 mous size. The tree was cut to prevent its 

 falling when it might do harm. As it lay 

 upon the ground its actual size could readily 

 be measured. 



With the venerable Jacob W. Manning, 

 whose guest I was, I visited the locality 

 July 26, 1891. The log was 112 feet long. 

 At the ground it measured eight feet in 

 diameter. At ten feet from the ground it 



was forty-seven inches diameter. At thirty 

 feet it was forty-five inches, while at fifty 

 feet it was thirty-seven inches. The con- 

 tents in board measure was six thousand, 

 seven hundred and fifty feet. 



By counting the annual circles of growth 

 it proved to be 133 years. The average 

 annual increase in lumber 50.7 feet. Its 

 value at forty dollars per thousand, $270 ; 

 an acre, with thirty such trees, $8,100 ; 

 annual increase per acre, $60.90. Who 

 says pine will not pay as a farm crop in 

 New England? 



The celebrated Batchkluek Pine. 



