48 FORESTATION, SAND HILLS NEBRASKA AND KANSAS. 



TABLE 14. Height growth of yellow pine at various ages. 



1 76 per cent of leaders attacked by pine-tip moth in 1911. 



2 45 per cent of leaders attacked by pine-tip moth in 1911. 



3 25 per cent of leaders attacked by pine-tip moth in 1911. 



It is thus quite evident that yellow pine is going to make excellent 

 height growth hi the sand hills when once established. The deep- 

 green color of the trees and the long needles are other evidences of 

 thriftiness. The well-established trees have more the appearance 

 of those growing in the moist Black Hills region than of those in the 

 Rocky Mountains proper. 



The few examples given are sufficient to indicate the feasibility of 

 growing forests in the sand hills. It is impossible to foretell the size 

 that will be attained by yellow pine, or at what age the trees will 

 produce merchantable timber. While the jack pine, because of its 

 habitually scrubby character, may never attain to a size sufficient 

 for saw timber, there can be little doubt but that the yellow pine will, 

 and possibly, the Scotch pine. YeUow pine might well be grown as 

 the major product, with jack pine as a secondary tree, in mixture to 

 stimulate the height growth of yellow pine, and to be cut at an early 

 age for fence posts and other small material. 



Jack pine, in 20 years, should make one first-class and one second- 

 class post per tree. These may safely be valued at 8 and 4 cents, 

 respectively, or 12 cents per tree. Suppose, then, that 2,500 trees are 

 planted per acre, at a cost of $8 per thousand. Of these, 80 per cent 

 are jack pine and 20 per cent yellow pine. Suppose again, that 80 

 per cent of the jack pines and 60 per cent of the yellow pines succeed. 

 The 1,600 jack pines, cut at 20 years, give a gross income of $192 per 

 acre. This is sufficient to cover the cost of plantation, with 4 per 

 cent interest, and protection at 10 cents per acre per year, and leave 

 a net annual income of $4.87. The 300 yellow pines per acre are 

 left, and being freed from interest-bearing debt, may be grown to 

 almost any age with reasonable assurance of profit. While these are 

 rough calculations and subject to error, it is not difficult to see that 



