65 Vermont AGEicuLTURAt JIepori). 



This area of a round two and one-half milUon acres,* rough- 

 ly exploited and uncared for as it is, produces still over $6,000,- 

 000 worth of saw material and perhaps $4,000,000 of cord wood, 

 altogether $10,000,000 worth. But without any systematic at- 

 tempt to secure valuable reproduction or even to protect the 

 natural volunteer growth, leaving it to the ravages of fires when 

 the virgin timber is cut out, little more than firewood will be 

 produced, while under proper care it would be capable of pro- 

 ducing by the annual growth at least half the amount of what the 

 present exploitation derives from it. Such a property represents 

 at 3% a capital of $16,000,000 dollars. The State of Bavaria, 

 which is climatically and topographically very similarly located,, 

 owns about the same acreage of forest and under conservative 

 methods derives from it an annual net income which has grown 

 from year to year until now it amounts to over $5,000,000 or 

 over $2.00 for every acre annually on the average. This hand- 

 some revenue from the poor mountain soil i^ secured by an ex- 

 penditure of $4,500,000 and by cutting only the annual growth 

 which amounts to about 300 feet of saw timber and over half 

 a cord of fuel wood on each acre. Why could not Vermont 

 enter upon such a rational forest policy so as to secure similar 

 benefit from its forest area? It is for your Association to edu- 

 cate your people to see the advantage of such a policy and to 

 secure the necessary legislation. 



GRASSES AND CLOVERS. 



BY PROF. CHARLIES S. PHELPS. 



Our common grasses and clovers thrive best in a rather 

 moist climate and on somewhat clayey tenacious soils. The New 

 England climate is especially adapted to promote the growth of 

 these forage crops. The rainfall is generally ample, in the early 

 part of the growing season, to produce a vigorous growth on 

 most meadow-lands, and the intermittent rains of the summer 



*The land area of Vermout, according to the federal census of 1900, 

 is divided as follows: 



Totallaud surface 5,846,000 acres 



Within farm boundaries 4,724,000 acres 



Improved farm lands, including pastures 2,127,000 acres 



Forest and waste lands within farm boundaries 2,597,000 acres 



Forest and waste lands not within farm boundaries 1,122,000 acres 



From the last figures should be deducted the amount of land used for 

 manufacturing, quarrying, mining, etc., and the land in cities, villages, 

 etc., used for residence purposes aside from farm homes. After all possi- 

 ble deductions for these reasons and omitting lands incapable even of sup- 

 porting tree growth, Dr. Feruow's estimate is well within the facts. 



