FOREST PROBLEMS. 207 



sissippi River. This is about four feet above the low water 

 mark. It is, however, so liable to freshets in the spring 

 that it would not be safe to use it for agricultural pur- 

 poses, and it is not desirable for pasture or meadow. It 

 is now covered with a heavy growth of White Maple and 

 Cottonwood, and some White and Red Elm. What is 

 the best way of managing it? 



Answer: It would seem quite probable that the White 

 Maple will become the most valuable wood of any now on 

 the land, and it should be encouraged by cutting out the 

 Cottonwood wherever it crowds, and also the White and 

 Red Elm. The aim should be to have a good stand of 

 White Maple, as it seems probable that this will produce 

 by far the most profit. This tree makes a very rapid 

 growth on good soil, and the Avood is used for a variety 

 of purposes. If the Maples do not thickly cover the 

 ground, there ma}' be some chance for good pasturage 

 under the trees; but under the best conditions there would 

 be no opportunity for pasturage. This land would pos- 

 sibly yield about 500 feet board measure per acre per year 

 if well stocked. Such land will probably be used for 

 meadow when the country is better settled, but this is 

 perhaps no objection to using it for growing maple for 

 the next twenty years. 



21. A has a piece of gravelly land. It was originally 

 covered with a growth of Bur, White. Red, and Scarlet 

 Oak, but was cut over about thirty years ago, and at pres- 

 ent has a rather thin stand of stunted trees, many of which 

 are sprouts from Bur Oaks. It is burned over every 

 year. The land is of very little value for agricultural 

 purposes. 



Ansiver: On such land the increase is very little, and 

 there will be no profit in holding it for tree growth if it is 

 taxed at a high rate. If, however, the rate of taxation 

 is low, it is quite likely that the trees will yield a fairly 



