40 



shed water. The necessary outlay for the plantation would be 

 $30 an acre, or $10,800 for the entire 360 acres, not necessarily 

 spent in one year, and at the end of eight years it would be pos- 

 sible to reap a harvest of at least $5,000 each succeeding year 

 for a long time to come. Already the more progressive planta- 

 tion managers are beginning to see the wisdom and economy of 

 this policy, and it will not be long before most of the planta- 

 tions will grow their own fuel supply. 



2. When there is much land available unfit for any better 

 purpose, a good return may be obtained on an investment in 

 forest planting on this waste land for the purpose of producing 

 lumber and timber. In this case most of the fuel wood necessary 

 for the plantation may be obtained practically without cost by 

 thinning out the main crop, and by using the tops and branches 

 of the trees when eventually cut for lumber. It may be neces- 

 sary, however, to devote at least a portion of the land to raising 

 firewood exclusively, unless a very extensive area is planted in 

 forest. The first thinning at the end of eight years will yield 

 probably 3 cords to the acre; subsequent thinnings should yield 

 more. On an average it may be figured that 5 cords to the acre 

 can be obtained every eight years through thinnings. When 

 the annual demand is 1,000 cords of wood, it will be necessary 

 to thin 200 acres annually, and to allow for a rotation of eight 

 years it will be necessary to have a planted forest of at least 

 1,600 acres. Here the firewood would be incidental, since the 

 main crop is the production of valuable lumber trees. The prac- 

 ticability of this plan will depend on the amount of money that 

 is available for investment in forest planting. There is little 

 doubt that a good market can be secured for the product when 

 the forest finally matures. 



On many plantations there are already more or less extensive 

 planted forests, some of which are in excellent condition. In a 

 number of places, however, the planted forest is not in the best 

 producing state and can be greatly improved with a little at- 

 tention. These latter plantations are faulty in one or two par- 

 ticulars : First, the trees are planted too wide apart, and, second, 

 inferior trees are planted in places capable of supporting a more 

 valuable forest. The following remedies are suggested : 



Where the spacing is very w r ide, or where the trees already 

 planted are not large and their shade will not interfere with the 

 growth of new trees on the same area, then plant additional trees 

 between the trees already growing, in order to form a fully- 

 stocked forest. In this case shade-enduring trees should be se- 

 lected for the new planting. The Japanese cedar or sugi 



