FOREST EXTENSION IN THE MIDDLE WEST. 149 



extensively as a hedge plant in eastern Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and 

 Illinois. Hedge rows sometimes turn out as many as 25 posts to the 

 rod. It has seldom been planted except in this way, but will grow 

 well in plantations. Its durability in contact with the soil is greater 

 than that of any other wood commonly used, and it justly ranks high 

 as a post timber. It requires from twelve to fifteen years to reach 

 suitable size for posts. 



Locust (Black Locust) is a well-known post timber. It grows 

 rapidly, is well adapted to hard, stiff soils, and stands more drought 

 than any other timber used for posts, These properties make it very 

 popular in many parts of the West. 



The Hard} r Catalpa has been more abundantly planted as a post tim- 

 ber than any other tree. It is especially popular, and deservingly so, in 

 eastern Kansas and Nebraska, where several large plantations have been 

 made. It does best on deep, porous soils. Its durability in the ground 

 has probably been overestimated by some but not fully appreciated by 

 the public generally. When cut at the proper season its durability 

 nearly equals that of the Osage Orange, but if young wood be cut 

 when full of sap it is subject to attack by a fungus which destroys it 

 rapidly. If to its durability we add its rapid growth, good form, 

 lightness, strength, elasticity, immunity from checking or becoming 

 unduly hard, we have an arra} T of good qualities that to many men of 

 experience place it first among post timbers. It requires from eight 

 to twelve years to become large enough for use. 



Red Juniper (Red Cedar) is a durable and valuable post timber, com- 

 manding good prices everywhere. Its main drawback is its slow 

 growth, and it may never become popular as a domestic post timber 

 except in limited areas. Twelve or fifteen years are required to 

 grow it. 



Mulberry, especially the Russian type, has made a good record in 

 some sections of the West. It grows rapidly, is usually more or less 

 crooked, but lasts well in the ground. It does best in porous, sandy 

 soils, and when grown thickly in the row. It can be used in ten years 

 after planting. 



Black Walnut posts are used extensively in some localities. Posts 

 from the old wood last a long time, but those from the young wood 

 soon decay. It is of slower growth than Catalpa and Locust. (PI. 

 XIII, fig. 2.) 



Oak, principally White Oak, Bur Oak, and Post Oak, has furnished 

 more posts in the past than any other timber, the native trees being 

 used. As the supply is exhausted in various sections its use will 

 largely cease; it grows too slowly to be planted extensively. 



Ash, principally White Ash and Green Ash, has been planted 

 throughout northern Nebraska and South Dakota. Its growth is rather 

 slow, from twelve to fifteen years being required to produce a post of 



