restored to its former state of fertility. During this time the growing 

 trees will be accumulating a valuable product, for which there is every 

 prospect of a good market. Prof. Chas. E. Bessey, of the University of 

 Nebraska, maintains that even for fuel the growth of cottonwood timber 

 is a very remunerative business, since the cottonwood is capable of 

 producing more heat units per acre per annum than any other tree 

 adapted to the Middle West. The cottonwood makes good lumber for 

 dimension stuff, and will attain a size large enough for sawlogs in 

 twenty years. 



The hardy catalpa on rich soil will produce more fence posts per acre 

 in a shorter time than any other species. Some catalpa plantations in 

 Kansas have paid 6 per cent compound interest on the land and labor 

 invested, and $10 an acre per annum net profit, for a period of twenty 

 years. This is a much greater income than the average returns from 

 agriculture. 



With such prospects in view the owner of Kansas River Valley lands 

 need not feel discouraged, even though his valuable farm lands have 

 been rendered temporarily worthless for agriculture. 



GEORGE L. CLOTHIER, 

 Field Assistant, Bureau of Forestry. 

 Approved : 



JAMES WILSON, 



Secretary. 



Washington, 1). C., March 10, 1904. 



O 



