FOREST PLANTING IN EASTERN NEBRASKA. 123 



has a smaller proportion of heartwood than black walnut, but even the 

 heartwood of cottonwood decays quickly. Heartwood is not formed in 

 silver maple for some years, and then it develops more slowly than in 

 cottonwood. 



COTTONWOOD. 



Cottonwood deserves a prominent place in Nebraska tree planting. 

 It grows very rapidly and can be propagated easily and cheaply, and 

 the wood is coming into wide use. It is planted principally for fuel and 

 lumber, but in the sand hills, and sometimes elsewhere, it is used exten- 

 sively for fence posts A cottonwood post lasts about three years, or five 

 in exceptional cases. Posts are usually set out when green, with the 

 bark on, which in part accounts for their short life. 



The fuel value of cottonwood is relatively low, but owing to its rapid 

 growth it is doubtful whether any other tree adapted to Nebraska con- 

 ditions will produce as many heat units per acre in a given time. Under 

 average conditions a plantation, on bottomland, will produce three cords 

 per acre annually for the first twenty-five or thirty years. The majority 

 of the bottomland groves reported run below this figure, but a large 

 amount of cutting had been done in them before these measurements 

 were taken, and none has been under the most favorable management. 



Cottonwood grows best on rich, well-drained bottomlands. On up- 

 lands it will succeed in low situations, such as ravines and valleys, 

 but on high, dry land is very apt to be killed by drought, and at best 

 will yield considerably less than on bottomlands. The trees may do well 

 for one, two, or several years, and then suddenly die. In the season, 

 of 1894, one of the driest in the history of the state, a very large pro- 

 portion of cottonwood on the dry upland was either badly damaged or 

 killed altogether. 



The yield table for cottonwood is of interest as showing the relative 



value of saw-log and fuel-wood products. The table shows a total yield 



of 53,514 board feet of saw logs. These saw logs contain 260.1 cords of 



fuel wood. The common stumpage value of saw logs is $10 per thousand, 



and of fuel wood $2 per cord. 



53,514 board feet, at $10 per thousand $535 14 



260.1 cords, at $2 520 20 



Difference $14 94 



In other words, unless saw logs command at least $10 per thousand 

 on the stump, it is more profitable to sell the wood at $2 per cord. 



Though the average of saw-log yields is low, the growing of cotton- 

 wood lumber under proper management would pay good returns. It is 

 coming more and more into use as a building material. From its ten- 

 dency to warp, it cannot be used where it is exposed to the weather, 

 but for rough interior woodwork it is excellent. The lumber is also 

 used locally for bridge planking, and gives excellent service. Elsewhere 

 cottonwood is sold for the manufacture of paper pulp, boxes, furniture 

 backs, and washboards. 



