ARBORICULTURE 



425 



Ohio Experiment Station, Wooster. 



The city of Wooster is a gem, nestling 

 among a forest of shade trees, possibly it 

 may be somewhat old-fashioned, yet 

 comfortable and home-like residences 

 abound. It is strictly an educational 

 city. The university is one of which 

 Ohio as well as Wooster may well be 

 proud. 



The experiment station has quite ex- 

 tensive grounds, partly wooded, and a 

 portion in cultivation. Much good taste 

 and excellent judgment has been dis- 

 played in the arrangement of* the 

 grounds and in the trees which have been 

 planted for ornament and for experi- 

 mental purposes. The forestry experi- 

 ments, while not extensive, are enough 

 to show the relative growths and advan- 

 tages of several varieties of timber. 



The first block of catalpa, three years 

 planted, some of which have made phe- 

 nomenal growth, is shown on opposite 

 page. They are twelve feet high and 

 some are Si/o inches diameter. The dis- 

 tance, 4x4- feet, is much too close. While 

 it is the intention to thin them out to 

 8x8 feet; yet, as such experiments are 

 for the education of the people and not 

 one planter in ten thousand would ever 

 thin them in time or before they are 

 seriously injured by crowding. It is not 

 a desirable method of instructing farm- 

 ers. 



The next block of catalpas is of the 

 present year's planting, and are 4x6 

 feet, still too close. The stand is good, 

 and trees healthy and vigorous. All 

 should be cut off at the ground and a 

 new trunk formed. There are a few 

 double trees which are always monstros- 



ities. No tree should have two heads; 

 start them right and fine trunks will fol- 

 low. 



The block of Osage oranges has made 

 many vigorous shoots, and demonstrate 

 the futility of securing good trees from 

 the how cV arc The thorns make it dif- 

 ficult to cultivate, prune and work 

 among, while the extreme hardness of 

 the wood soon dulls edge tools. There 

 are places where the osage may be grown 

 to advantage, but other trees are far 

 more valuable. 



The block of black locust is doing 

 finely. For the Ohio river hills there 

 is no better tree, and it should be more 

 extensively planted by farmers. 



There is no subject of greater impor- 

 tance to the people of Ohio than the for- 

 ests, and the experiments might well be 

 extended greatly by planting ash, ma- 

 ple, the oaks, etc., in blocks to show the 

 rapidity of growth and mode of manage- 

 ment. As an object lesson, a block of 

 walnut would be worth far more than 

 its cost to the State. 



This is one of Ohio's best native trees, 

 and its value and importance is well 

 known. How to make its culture profit- 

 able, how to cultivate, how to manage it 

 in plantation, with trial plots, would be 

 of inestimable value to Ohio farmers. 

 There is no farm crop grown in Ohio 

 which has a greater importance to the 

 State, and it would be well to return a 

 share of the worn lands to forest for fu- 

 ture manufactories and industries of the 

 State. Wooster is the proper place for 

 such experiments and teachings. 



