98 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



features that meet our view, outside of the villages, is the vast 

 amount of waste or unproductive land. On every hand we see 

 rouo-h, stony hill-sides, almost barren plains, brush-covered 

 pastures, and swamps that produce little but brush and coarse 

 weeds. In many sections much of the land is becoming dotted 

 over with forest trees, and showing unmistakable signs of total 

 neglect. 



In looking over the census of Massachusetts, for 1875, I find 

 that at that time there were in this State alone 1,469,988 acres 

 of unimproved land, exclusive of that so covered with trees as to 

 be classed as woodland. This land is devoted principalh* to 

 pasture ; but the income derived from this source must be very 

 small, for I find that five acres, on the average, are required to 

 support each farm animal pastured for six months, including sheep 

 and calves. The average value of such land is given as 827 per 

 acre, and probably ranges from $5 to $50. The question then 

 naturall}' arises, What can we do to improve this land, and how 

 can we get a larger income from it? Since the use of chemical 

 fertilizers has become general, much of the smooth land that can 

 be cultivated has been taken up and made to produce paying 

 crops. 



Throwing out the 469,988 acres as being free from stones, so as 

 to be easily cultivated, which, I think, is a fair estimate, we have 

 left 1,000,U00 acres, that, in its present condition, cannot be profit- 

 abl}' cultivated. It is generally conceded among farmers that 

 pasture land cannot be profitabl}- improved by the application of 

 special fertilizers and seed without cultivation, or at least very 

 few follow in that line of improvement, so that we must look for 

 other means for an increased income. Two ways present them- 

 selves by which such land can be made more profitable : First, by 

 planting forest trees ; and, second, by planting with fruit trees. 



When I began this paper I had in mind the title, " Methods of 

 Forest Plantitig and Fruit Growing in Turf," and j'ou will pardon 

 me, I know, if I touch upon the matter of forest tree planting in 

 turf before I consider the methods of Iruit culture adapted to such 

 land. 



Probably all of the gentlemen present can recall instances where 

 the native White Pine, the Austrian and Scotch Pines, the Norway 

 Spruce, the Larch, the Elm, Maple, Ash, and other trees have 

 been planted in turf, and have made a satisfactory, and in some 

 cases a remarkable, growth. One or two examples will suffice to 



