THE WOOD CROP 



225 



acres in Kansas or Nebraska that has a belt of trees around 

 the outside of the farm and has four rows and one belt 

 of trees running across the farm. This requires two and 

 one-half miles of trees running across the fields, besides 

 two miles around the outside of the farm. The rows across 

 the fields will soon spoil four rods of land which amounts 

 to 20 acres. The row around the outside will soon spoil 

 two rods of land or 8 acres. This would make 28 acres 

 occupied by trees. If grass is grown next to the trees, a 

 partial crop may be secured. These trees are designed as 

 a windbreak, but it is doubtful whether the wind ever 

 will do as much harm as the trees. 



Another object of the trees along the fields is to act as 

 fence -posts. But a tree is a most unsatisfactory post. 

 The trees grow completely around the wire. The staples 

 and wire in the tree make it unfit for sawing. A fence 

 stapled to trees is nearly 

 always distorted. The 

 swaying of the trees, 

 even large trees, spoils 

 a wire fence. The sap 

 from the trees rusts the 

 wire so that it breaks. 

 Even if trees are along 

 a fence-line, it is better 

 to set posts than to use 

 the trees. 



The wood-lot should 

 very rarely be used as 

 a pasture. Stock destroy the leaf mulch that is so essen- 

 tial for the trees. They keep down seedling trees and 



FIG. 112. Trees in a pasture. The stock 

 prevent a good growth of timber and the trees 

 prevent a good growth of grass. Better re 

 move the stock or the trees. 



