FOREST PROBLEMS. 203 



of which material could be used for posts. These trees 

 should be cultivated until they cover the land well. They 

 should begin to yield some fuel within six years from 

 the time cuttings are planted, if they are set two feet 

 apart in rows eight feet apart. 



13. A farmer living on the open prairie in Northwestern 

 Iowa wants a windbreak and w T ood lot; more particularly 

 desires a windbreak for buildings and a shelter for stock. 

 Does not think of raising firewood or his own fence posts. 

 Can a windbreak be worked to advantage as a wood lot 

 in such a case? 



Answer: Under such conditions the windbreak should 

 be made somewhat wider than recommended on page 

 57 so as to include as much area as to give the wood 

 desired. In cutting under such conditions, it would be 

 desirable to cut not more than one-half of any portion 

 of the windbreak at one time, so that its value as a wind- 

 break would not be impaired at any time. Working in 

 such a way would require a rotation period of about ten 

 years. It would probably be best to plant this largely 

 with White Willow ; but if the soil is heavy or somewhat 

 inclined to be moist, it would be a good plan to put in 

 some Soft Maple and Box-elder. 



14. A has five acres in Catalpa in Eastern Kansas 

 which were planted seven years ago, 4X4 feet apart, 

 to see what could be done in growing them for telephone 

 poles. He finds that they are so very crooked and branch- 

 ing that they will be worthless for this purpose, and asks 

 what is the best treatment. 



Answer: Catalpa will seldom grow straight enough 

 for telephone poles when managed in this way. The 

 best treatment for this tree is to allow it to grow natu- 

 rally until five years old, and then cut the whole stand off 

 at the surface of the ground in winter or early spring, and 

 allow but one sprout to grow from each stump. The 



