222 ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE 



210. Forest Trees Are Now a Profitable Farm Crop. 



Neglected as they are, the farm wood-lots of many farms 

 in northeastern United States produce $2 to $10 worth 

 of wood per year from each acre. 



As an example, a farm on the hill lands of southern 

 New York consists of 100 acres, 30 acres of which is in 

 timber. This wood-lot was cut in 1907 for the third time 

 in 90 years. Each time it has been cut with entire disre- 

 gard for the future. The third cutting on the 30 acres 

 sold for $2,100, standing. In spite of the present high 

 price of lumber, no attention is given to the future in this 

 cutting. Young trees that are scarcely worth cutting, 

 but that would be valuable in 10 to 20 years, are cut. Those 

 that are too small to cut are broken down. This is the 

 almost universal practice, in spite of the high profits that 

 come from such a wood-lot. 



After "skinning" the wood-lot, the entire farm of 100 

 acres, with buildings, was sold for $1,400. This farm 

 would not rent for $1 an acre, as indicated by the selling 

 price. But, in spite of the owners, it has grown $70 worth 

 of wood per acre since the last cutting 30 years ago. If 

 the $1 per acre rent were placed at compound interest 

 it would not amount to $70 at the end of 30 years. In 

 other words, the wood land pays better than the farm land. 

 If the wood land were given a very little attention in 

 cutting, so as to maintain a stand of the best kinds of 

 trees, the returns could easily be doubled. This instance 

 is typical of large areas of land in northeastern United 

 States. 



211. The Farm Wood-Lot. Many farms should make 

 a business of raising lumber, railroad ties, telephone 



