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AMERICAN FORESTRY 



Singularly enough, the oldest and most thickly popu- 

 lated portion of the country and that within which the 

 greatest number of edible species of nuts are indigenous, 

 is today practically without pomological varieties for 

 planting. Within this area individuals have made tests 

 of species and varieties for many generations, yet little 

 progress has resulted. The obvious need is for further 

 test on a large scale. A better opportunity for the mak- 

 ing of such a test could scarcely be imagined than that 

 of highway planting. 



Pomologists are firmly recommending the exclusive- 

 ness of budded or grafted trees. But this advice applies 

 only to orchard planting for purposes of commercial 

 production. Until more and better varieties are known 

 and their merits established, that portion of the country 

 lying north of the pecan belt and east of the Rocky 

 Mountains must await the development and trial of new 

 varieties. Seedlings must be planted in large numbers 

 from which to select varieties. The process is too slow 

 and the percentage of varieties which may be expected 

 to be worth while too small for it to be possible for the 

 individual to make much headway during an ordinary 

 lifetime. Our present system of national highways liy 

 which all parts of the country are being connected is per- 

 fecting the opportunity. The general planting along 

 these great national highways of elm, oak, poplar, tulip, 

 cedar, hemlock, magnolia, pine or any other species 

 which, unless cut, are capable of producing no crop other 

 than that of shade, would hardly be in keeping with the 

 present need for utility. It would be giving a question- 

 able degree of thought to the welfare of future genera- 

 tions. 



To the list of nut trees as utility trees there might be 

 added the sugar maple, and certain species of prolific- 

 bearing oaks. The former could be drawn upon for the 

 making of syrup and sugar, and the acorns from the lat- 

 ter could be put to good use as hog and turkey feed. In 

 wet sections, willows might prove useful from which to 

 cut material for furniture or tying bundles. 



A way of overcoming the objection of slow growth of 

 some of the nut species might be the alternate planting 

 of quick-growing species which would furnish shade in 

 a minimum length of time and which covild be cut for 

 pulp or other purposes by the time the nut trees reach 

 maturity. 



A practical objection to highway planting of nut trees 

 is that unless cared for, such trees ave in danger of be- 

 coming breeding places for disease and insect pests 

 which would quickly spread to nearby orchards. How- 

 ever, such planting in numbers too small to be worth 

 caring for is not to be considered. Already the country 

 is agreed that the maintaining of the middle of the road 

 in such condition that it can render maximum service is 

 a paying investment. The suggestion here made is 

 only as the next step in highway investment. It is a 

 proposition to make more comfortable and attractive 

 the present system of roadways, and at the same time 

 to help develop new varieties of nut trees for orchard 

 planting. Unless new varieties are soon to become 

 available, a large part of the country will find itself de- 



pendent upon outside sources for its principal substi- 

 tute for meat and its main supply of vegetable fats. 



A little thought should be able to work out a sound 

 program for the planting of utility trees on practically 

 every highway in this country. 



THE TOTEM TREE 



By H. . Zimmerman 



A Civil War vebran of Union Springs, New York, 

 made this unique totem tree, which is eighteen feet high 

 and six feet in circumference. Thirty-four figures are 



carved on it. Unlike the idea in an Indian totem pole, 

 this was not intended as a family tree. The gentleman 

 made it after his own fancy, spending two summers in 

 decorating it with animals, birds, portraits and other 

 figures. At the top he built cute little bird houses, and 

 to heighten the artistic (?) effect, he painted the objects 

 in a variety of colors. 



