70 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ive and too far separated from the rest of the cultivated ground of the 

 farm to yield any profit in farm crops; in 1896 it was planted by Dr. 

 Beal to White pine. During the fifth and sixth seasons the leaders ran 

 up twenty-four to thirty-six inches in most cases making the total height 

 at the time from ten to fifteen feet. At the same time a few White and 

 Norway pine, hemlock, White cedar and locust were planted in suitable 

 places in the woods where trees had been removed. The White pines 

 have grown nearly as tall as those in the open. The Norway's do not 

 seem to enjoy the close companionship of Hard maple and beech. The 

 hemlocks are coming on slowl}', but fast enough that one of them was 

 stolen for a Christmas tree last December. The White cedars are slow, 

 as is usual. The locusts have done well. 



The first plantation that Dr. Beal made was a small piece of land a 

 part of the college campus. This was started in 1875 and we can now 

 see results. Among the best here are the locust, chestnut, basswood 

 and bitternut. 



At Grand Eapids, Mr. Charles W. Garfield has an experimental plot 

 planted in 1892 in which are American elm, birch, basswood, White ash, 

 catalpa, box elder, Norway, Hard, and Silver maple, mulberry and 

 others. This plantation affords an example of how trees planted four 

 by four each w^ay develop. Some have entirely died, and others are in 

 flourishing condition. These few plantations show us more clearly what 

 can be done with our cut-over lands than any amount of theorizing. 



In any forest the aim should be to grow the most profitable trees pos- 

 sible. There is no more reason for growing scrub trees than for growing 

 scrub live stock. For lumber White pine is probably the best. For 

 posts and poles, locust, catalpa, chestnut, and Red cedar. 



The time to begin reforesting the cut-over lands is now. 



BENEFIT OF FORESTRY RESERVE TO CONTIGUOUS COUNTRY 



AND POPULATION. 



BY F. E. SKEELS_, HARRIETTA. 



The amount of benefit to be derived from the Forestry Reserve by 

 the contiguous country will depend largely upon the future development 

 of this surrounding territory. It has been fully demonstrated that 

 there is no use trying agriculture over any considerable area, and the 

 small successes that are made are on small places protected from the 

 winds by growths of Jack pine or the young pines, oaks and poplars that 

 form dense thickets, wherever the fire has not destroyed them. 



The grazing business is carried on somewhat extensively by one or two 

 individuals who graze their herds of cattle over thousands of acres upon 

 which they pay no taxes and, by bringing their cattle into the Reserve 

 after the supervisor has made his assessments, and by disposing of 

 them in the fall, they are able to make a small profit. 



The north shore of Higgins Lake has two very pretty resorts kept up 

 by people from Saginaw and Bay City. The cottages are nicely located 



