154 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



year to year, and it is believed to be possible in this way to make them 

 fully successful and profitable to their owners. Most of them are 

 small, ranging from 5 to 50 acres, but many will be extended over 

 larger areas in the future. (PI. XV.) 



FUTURE PLANTATIONS. 



It may be expected that the plantations to be first established will 

 be small. On individual farms such tracts will be planted to timber 

 as can be spared from annual crops, usually from 5 to 20 acres. Some- 

 times men of large farms and ample means will afforest 100 acres or 

 more. Larger operations than can be handled with ease and thorough- 

 ness should not be attempted. The main object of such plantations 

 should be the production of materials required on the farm and in the 

 immediate locality. 



While operations will be carried on generally in small plantations, 

 the time has come when men of means can get large returns from the 

 development of plantations on extended areas. There are reasons for 

 believing that the work can be carried on more successfully by com- 

 panies than by individuals. The long-time nature of the investment 

 adapts it more especially to company control. The life of a company 

 is permanent, while the life of an individual may cease at any time 

 and throw the investment into hands that fail to carry it out. Com- 

 panies are also likely to operate on a larger scale than individuals, and 

 large operations will give better returns than small ones. All planta- 

 tions of this class should be extensive enough to warrant the perma- 

 nent employment of a resident forester of skill and ability, and should 

 be carried on in sections most suitable to the work. To find such 

 sections is the first step, to fail in which is to fail utterly. 



RAILROAD PLANTING. 



The question arises, Since the railroads will be large consumers of 

 timbers that will have to be grown, why should the} r not establish 

 plantations along their lines ? The question has been considered by a 

 number of companies, and operations have been attempted by a few. 

 There is no reason why they should not undertake the work and carry 

 it out successfully. Most of them hold land that is well adapted to 

 forest trees, and by planting tracts of sufficient size to meet their 

 demands, they will greatly reduce their future expenses. It is as prac- 

 ticable for railroads to produce their own timber as it is to mine the 

 coal they use. 



WORKING SYSTEM. 



While men may be convinced of the profits in forest plantations, 

 those not familiar with their nature and requirements will find many 

 obstacles to surmount if they attempt, unaided, the work of develop- 

 ing them. The subject is yet too new for men generally to have given 



