of Soilsy and of Timber. 107 



vastation far and wide, which has destroyed a vast quan- 

 tity of timber, where the settlements have been made 

 for any considerable length of time, and where frequent 

 repetitions of burnings have taken place, among the 

 young timber, which had sprung up after the destruc- 

 tion of the old. The consequence has been, that the 

 young plants, from being scorched, have become dis- 

 eased and debilitated, and appear as scrubby, when 

 growing even on rich lands, as they would have been 

 if the soil was actually poor, and nothing had injured 

 their growth. 



After attentively investigating, and duly considering 

 this subject, I have selected my farm, and fixed on 

 ground where white pine and hemlock are the prevail- 

 ing timber, intermixed with sugar maple trees, and a 

 variety of other valuable deciduous timber, although I 

 might have made my selection from extensive forests, 

 covered with timber of a contrary description. For 

 notwithstanding I do not consider any soil either bet- 

 ter or worse, in consequence of the kind of timber 

 which happens to be prevalent on it, at the present 

 time, yet I am persuaded, that after correct investiga- 

 tion has been made of the various advantages and dis- 

 advantages, arising from the different kinds of timber, 

 with which the soil may be covered, that lands where 

 white pine prevails, will be found much more valuable 

 than those where deciduous timber is predominant, 

 but as this cannot be demonstrated, until it has been 

 ascertained by well directed experiment, I will state 

 the advantages and disadvantages on each side of the 

 question, leaving every person to determine for him- 

 self. 



