242 



for fence posts and beams of cellars, or sills of exposed buildings ; it has been known to 

 last forty to sixty years as fence post — the writer knows of posts not over three inches 

 in diameter that have been in use thirty years. Hough's Report on Forestry mentions 

 its lasting fifteen to twenty years as railroad ties, while oak lasts only five to ten 

 years, and chestnut six to eight years. The timber is used very extensively by carriage 

 builders, and in some instances in preference to hickory. Brewster & Co., of Broome St., 

 New York city, using it, and paying higher prices for it than for hickory, 



On Long Island, near New York city, this tree is the most valuable grown. After 

 thirty years' growth the tree will make posts eight, ten, and twelve feet long, three to five 

 inches in diameter at the small end. In New York city the posts are worth, for 8 feet in 

 length, 4 inches diameter, 48 cents ; 10 feet, 4^ inches diameter, 77 cents ; 12 feet, 4| inches 

 diameter, 95 cents; 6-| feet fencing post, 4 inches diameter, 28 cents. The trees will often cut 

 one piece or stick 12 feet, 1.10 feet, 1.8 feet, 1.6| feet, making $248 per tree; these are 

 the wholesale prices. In the most famed localities, and with five or ten years more growth, 

 the tree will make, say one stick, 16 feet, 36 inches girth ; 1.12 feet, 30 inches girth ; and 

 1.10 feet, 25 inches girth, this making the tree worth $500 to $700, on the basis of 60 

 cents per cubic foot ; it has sold in the past as high as $1.50 per cubic foot. As to 

 value in other localities, Dr. Warder states that he is cutting trees having a growth 

 of 24 years, averaging 12 inches diameter, and 60 feet high, trees making eight to ten 

 good fence posts, 7 feet in length, 6 to 8 inches face at the top end, trees standing 400 

 to the acre. 



Ezra Sherman, of Preston, Ohio, states that locust seed planted in 1830, three years 

 afterwards the trees were planted in a grove of 15 acres, also an avenue of 200 rods. In 

 1870 two-thii'ds of these last were cut, 180 trees making 1,500 posts, worth 35 cents 

 each, or $525, and Mr. Sherman says that the fifteen acres will furnish fence for the 

 farm of 1,500 acres for all time, and that the pasture, together with stakes and poles for 

 fencing, furnished from time to time, will pay as good interest as the open land would. 



Waldo F. Brown, of Oxford, Ohio, states that the planting of locust is the best in- 

 vestment a young man can make, that the seeds should be planted in rows, and the seed- 

 lings transplanted in rows four feet apart, when one year old. When large enough for 

 fences, stakes, and bean poles, cut out three-quarters, leave them, when five to seven 

 years old, eight feet apart ; as soon as the trees are out of the way of cattle, sow blue 

 gz-ass, as this does not injure the trees, and grows well, the pastures paying interest on 

 the investment after five years. 



As the trees send up suckers as well as sprouts from the stump, the growth is always 

 increasing, and is thicker after such cutting. In France it is much grown for vine sup- 

 ports, and is sometimes cut every four years ; the leaves being used for cattle food same 

 as hay. In 1826 premiums were offered by the Massachusetts Society for Promotion of 

 Agriculture for the promotion of its growth, and the extirpation of the borer. 



The Nev) England Fanner states the growth to be 300 to 600 posts to the acre, 

 worth 50 cents each, besides the growth of pasture, and that the G-overnment pays 76 

 cents per cubic foot at this time, 1826. 



The New York Cultivator says, "1,210 trees grow to the acre, and that trees grown 

 28 years produce two to four posts each, and that trees grown from suckers or shoots are 

 •not so much inclined to seed, nor do the borers affect them as severely." 



Allen Furnas, of Danville, Indiana, states " that he has grown the black locust over 

 20 years, and has had very little trouble with the borers ; that it grows tlirifty, making 

 good fence posts in 10 or 12 years, and three to six posts in 18 to 20 years, growing 1,000 

 to the acre at eighteen years ; the trees are worth 75 cents each. The timber will last an 

 average of 35 years ; grows well on poor soil." 



In the years of 1828 to 1838 Joseph Hicks planted at Westbury, Long Island, on 

 each side of the highway leading through his farm for about a quarter of a mile, locust 

 trees, about eight to ten feet apart. The trees were gathered from different parts of the 

 farm, where they had grown up from the roots of other trees ; thus grown and planted with 

 but little expense. . When first planted the top was entirely cut off, tliey grovving much 

 better from this treatment. After thirty years of growth, and at least fifteen years of 

 the most beautiful shade in the heat of summer, and an abundant growth of grass be- 



