ELEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI 603 



WEBSTER COUNTY. 



This plantation is on well drained rich prairie soil. It occupies about 

 four acres of ground and the general appearance of the plantation indi- 

 cates that the trees were well planted and cared for when small. The 

 growth of the trees has been remarkably good, the stems are straight and 

 clear of limbs for a height of from 20 to 25 feet. The average height of 

 the trees is between 25 and 40 feet and the average diameter breast high 

 is 6 inches. The class I trees in this plantation will cut four posts per 

 tree while trees in classes II and III will cut two posts each. 



The stumps in this plantation show that half the trees were cut out 

 when twelve years old, leaving the stand 6x6 feet. Since that time the 

 cutting has been haphazard. In some places only the best trees have been 

 cut and in others all have been cut. At present only about one-fourth of 

 the original stand is left. The figures given are based on a stand of 604 

 trees per acre. 



There is no reproduction by sprouts from the stumps, the shading hav- 

 ing been too dense. The ownership of this plantation has changed hands 

 several times in recent years and the trees have received no attention 

 whatever since the first transfer. The fungus disease mentioned is quite 

 common in this plantation and unless the trees are cut in the very near 

 future the loss from it will be serious. 



MAHASKA COUNTY PLANTATION NO. 1. 



This plantation occupies an area of .55 of 1 acre. The soil is rich 

 black upland loam. The drainage is good and the trees have made an ex- 

 cellent growth. The average height of the dominant trees is about 40 

 feet and their diameter breast high varies from 6 to 15 inches. The aver- 

 age diameter is 7 inches. The trees in class I will cut four 6y 2 foot posts 

 and the Class II trees will cut two posts each. The boles of the trees are 

 straight and clear of limbs to a height of 25 feet. This plantation received 

 good care during the early years of its development, but in recent years it 

 has received no attention whatever, except to keep out live stock. 



Ten years ago about one-third of the trees were cut out and used for 

 various purposes. Fifty of the posts from this cutting were used in a 

 division fence on the farm on which the plantation is growing. A close 

 inspection of each post in this fence showed that after nine years of serv- 

 ice only two of the fifty have rotted off. Some others are failing but the 

 majority of them will last for several years yet. These posts show from 

 six to twelve rings of annual growth at their upper ends. This indicates 

 that they were cut from trees that were from nine to fifteen years of age, 

 figuring that it took three years for the tree to grow the length of the 

 post. The fungus is common in this plantation and unless the trees are 

 soon cut the entire crop will be a loss. 



MAHASKA COUNTY — PLANTATION NO 2. 



The area of this plantation is .38 of 1 acre. The soil is a rich black 

 prairie loam, well drained, and the site slopes gently to the north. The 

 plantation has received the best of care and cultivation at all times and 



