510 



readily as our native oaks. The English oaks and our white oaks very- 

 much resemble each other. These oaks are furnished for the English 

 navy. For this purpose they are probably superior to ours. The ob- 

 jection made by many to planting them is, that they would not be pro- 

 ductive in their time, requiring as many as seventy or eighty years to 

 perfect their growth. Shall men act only with reference to themselves ? 

 Will they be governed by such mean and narrow principles ? Let 

 them plant them for the benefit of their grandchildren, or those who 

 shall come after them. If they do not grow to be of use in our times, 

 others will have the benefit of them. The success of the Duke of 

 Athol in his plantations is most remarkable. 



[The late Duke, John the Second, planted in the last years of his life 

 6500 Scotch acres of mountain ground solely with the larch — which, in 

 the course of seventy-two years from the time of planting will be a for- 

 est of timber fit for building ships of the largest class in the navy. It 

 will have been thinned out to about 400 trees per acre. Each tree will 

 contain at least 50 cubic feet or one load of timber, which, at the low 

 price of Is. per cubic foot, only half its present value, will give <£1000 

 per acre, or in all a sum of =£6,500,000 sterling. Besides this, there 

 will have been a return of £7 per acre, from the thinnings, after deduct- 

 ing all the expense of thinning and the original outlay of planting. — 

 Further still, the land, on which the larch is planted is not worth above 

 9d. to Is. per acre rent. After the thinnings of the first 30 years, the 

 larch will make it worth at least 10s. per acre, by the improvement of 

 the pasturage on which cattle can be kept winter and simimer. — Rep''r.^ 



It is surprising with what indifference our valuable trees are cut off. 

 Mr. E. remarked that within his own recollection, in Maine, vast num- 

 bers of acres had been laid smooth. It would requii'e two or three cen- 

 turies to restore them. The same is true in New York. The forests 

 ai'e gone and going, and it particularly behoves Massachusetts to be 

 taking care ; and by a wise foresight to supply the actual deficiency or 

 prevent its further wasteful progress ; to be providing against future 

 want. The next value of forests is as furnishing materials for furniture. 

 Our own timbers are in this respect of the best description. Pei'haps 

 few have seen a table made of the roots of the white oak. In England, 

 five pounds sterling have been given for the roots of a white oak. The 

 pieces have been taken out, and when sawed and planed present a wood 

 of extraordinary beauty. The roots of the black birch likewise have 

 )j>een used for the frames of pictures, and nothing of the kind within 



