FOREST PROBLEMS. 197 



and producing a fairly good annual revenue. The ad- 

 visability of perpetuating such a swamp in Tamarack 

 would depend largely on the demand for hay land, for 

 which purposes such land is generally well adapted. 



3. A has 500 acres of dry sandy land. The soil blows 

 badly, and is too light for grain. Clover does very well 

 on this land when protected with snow in winter, but is 

 liable to kill out in open winters. The subsoil is clay. 



Answer: Such land should never have been cleared 

 for agricultural purposes, and the sooner it can be got 

 into tree-growth again the better for the soil. The land 

 should be seeded down with rye or other crop, or possibly 

 with clover, until something of a sod is formed. In this 

 sod, Jack Pine might be planted, or it is very probable 

 that Jack Pine would come well from seed sown in furrows 

 made in the sod. After the Jack Pine is well established 

 about 500 Norway or White Pine per acre could be planted 

 to advantage. This should receive only a moderate crowd- 

 ing by the Jack Pine, and should be protected from too 

 much crowding until it can take care of itself. This 

 number of trees would be enough to make a well-stocked 

 acre at maturity. Since the land has a heavy subsoil, 

 the chances are that there would be a good tree-growth, 

 as trees are more influenced by subsoil than by the sur- 

 face. If such land is very accessible, it would probably 

 pay better to grow green crops on the soil, and by careful 

 rotation use it for agricultural purposes, for which it may 

 be fairly well adapted if carefully managed. 



4. B has 600 acres of Jack Pine, four to twelve inches 

 in diameter. The soil is typical of Jack Pine land, being 

 very sandy and unfit for agriculture. What is the best 

 treatment of it? 



Answer: Such land is only fit for timber growth, and 

 Jack Pine is probably the most profitable tree that can be 

 grown upon it if it can be sold as fuel. The aim should 



