AND GARDENER' S JOURNAL. 



RUSHED BY JOSEPH BRECK^^^^iyiy^. -a,, NOKTH MARKET ^^i^i^^^^i^;;;;:;;;;:;;^^^ 



VOL, XVI. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 16, 1S38. 



A<3a2<swmi?w2a^s,a 



CIRCULAR FROM THE BOTANICAL SUR- 

 VEYOR. 



We take imicli pleasure in laying before our 

 agricultural friends the subjoined circular letter of 

 the learned gentleman, appointed to collect infor- 

 mntion concerning the Forest Trees of the State. 

 The inquiries are full, hut all of them adapted to 

 elicit valuable knowledge; and we hope will 

 bring out numerous and full answers from observ- 

 ing minds in every part of the State. The sub- 

 ject is by no means one of mere curiosity but of 

 p-eat practical value and application. 



Boston, April IS, 1838. 

 biR— Havmg been appointed by the Executive 

 me of the Commissioners for the Botanical and 

 Zoological Survey of the State, and havin- in the 

 lubdivision of its duties, taken charge of t'hatpart 

 )f the survey which relates to forest trees and 

 hru:.s, and, from the trial of one season, havin" 

 ound It impossible to obiaiu, without assistancr^ 



knowleilge of the forests of the Commonwealth.' 



take the lilierly to ask information from inteDi^ 

 ent and public spirited individuals in various 

 arts of the State, and, among otiiers, to address 

 lyself to you. 



I shall feel obliged by an answer to any one or 

 ) all of the following questions. It was my in- 

 :ntion, if possible, to make a general survey of 

 le forests in every section of the State ; and the 

 iswers I may receive will aid me in judging 

 hat parts it will be most desirable to visit, and, 

 I it will be impossible to visit all, will, 1 'mist' 

 rnish much of the information I should <^ain' 

 om personal inspection. " 



1. What kind of forest trees are chiefly found 



your neighborhood ? 



"2. What grow to the largest size .' On what 

 ndsof land do particular trees flourish best? 

 high or low, wet or dry, sandy, loamy, or 

 lyey ? 



3. What trees in your vicinity are very remark- 

 le for size .' How situated and how old ? 



4. Are there any trees not commonly known ? 



5. What portion of the county or town, do you 

 ow or suppose to be in forest ? 

 B. Have any attempts been made to cultivate 

 I of the forest trees, from seed or by trans- 

 nting .= Witli what success .= 

 7. What kinds of wood are used in building or 

 my branch of manufactures .? In what quan- 



38 ? 



What kinds of wood are used for fuel ' 

 lat quantity ■ What is the average for a fam- 



NO. 45. 



In felling for timber or for fuel, is it the 

 nice to thm out the forest, or to cut it entirely 

 'n and leave it to spring up from the stumps 

 tools.' Which is considered preferable.' 

 ). How soon will a wood which has been cut 



entirely down, renew itself so as to he profitably 

 cut again .' 



11. Stumps of trees of what ago, when felled, 

 will shoot up most vigorously ? [s there any age 

 at which they cease to shoot .' What trees will 

 not shoot from the stump .' 



12. Whal season of the year is found most fa- 

 vorable for felling a forest, when the object is to 

 have It renew itself speedily from the stumps.' 



13. What, when the object is to destroy it.' 



14. What effects, farther than aff'ording shade 

 for animals, are found to be produced on pasture 

 land, by allowing single trees or clumps of trees 

 to stand .' What ill effects, if any, by allowing 

 them to stand by roadsides or enclosures .' What 

 trees are best to let stand ? 



I 15. What circumstances do you consider par- 

 ticularly unfavorable to the growth of trees? 



16. What instances liave come to your knowl- 

 edge, of a forest of one kind of trees "having been 

 succeeded by the spontaneous growth of trees of 

 another kind? 



17. What kinds of wood are most profitably 

 converted into charcoal ? Young trees or old ? 

 What is the value of charcoal • 



I 18. What kinds of bark are used for tanning ? 

 Is the bark usually stripped for this purpose, from 

 all trees to be used as timbel- or as fuel ? At what 

 age are trees considered as yielding the best bark ? 

 What is bark worth, her cord ? 



19. Is wood imported into your town or county 

 for fuel? Forany other purpose? What wood? 

 In what quantities? Whence and at what pri- 

 ces ? ' 



20. Have any attempts lieen made to form 

 hedges? With what success? Have native or 

 foreign plants been tried for the purpose ? 



I can hardly hope tliat any one gentleman will 

 give an answer to eabh of these questions. I shall, 

 however, be glad to receive any information, re- 

 specting the forest trees and native shrubs, wheth- 

 er embraced in these questions or not. 



May I solicit your favorable attention to the 

 suliject, and if circumstances prevent your giving 

 your personal attention, may 1 request you to in- 

 terest in it some individuals in your neighborhood, 

 able and willing to give me the desired informa- 

 tion. 



If you will give me your aid, in tliis matter, 

 you will confer an additional favor by letting me 

 have your answer, by mail, before the middle of 

 July next. 



I am, respectfully yours, 



GEORGE B.'eMERSON. 



For an efl%ctiial and satisfactory mode 

 of extirpating the Worm that attacks the 

 locust tree, jqq ^^ 



l-or anew, effectual, and satisfactory 



mode ofextitpating the IJorer which attacks 



the apple tree, gg ^g 



J:- or any newly invented Agricultural Im- 

 plement, or Machine, superior to any de- 

 signed for the same use, a reward not ex- 

 ceeding twenty dollars, according to the 

 importance of the invention, 20 00 



To the person who shall prove, to the 

 satisfaction of the Trustees, that his mode 

 of rearing, feeding and fattening neat cattle 



''l'''' 20 00 



tor the greatest quantity of raw unman- 

 ufactured Si!k. not less than ten pounds, 

 raised by the claimant, and presented bel 

 fore the first of December, 1838, oq 00 



PREMIUMS OF MASSACHUSETTS AGRI- 

 CULTURAL SOCIETY FOR 1838. 



tContinued.) 



Experiments, Discoveries and Inventions. 



For the experiment of turning in Green Croj.s 

 as a manure, on u tract not less than one acre, and 

 proving its utility, giving a particular account in 

 writing, of the process and the result, $50 00 



Trees and Live Hedgks. 

 For the best plantation of White Oak 

 trees, not less than one acre nor fewer 

 than 1000 trees per acre— raised from the 

 acorn—not less than three years old, and 

 which shall he in the most thriving state 

 on the first -hiy of Sejitember, 1838," 50 00 



For the best plantation, not before offer- 

 ed for premium, of White Ash, Larch and 

 Yellow Locust trees, each not less than 

 one acre, nor fewer than 1000 trees ],er 

 acre, to be raised from the seeds, and which 

 trees not less than three years old, shall be 

 in the most tloiirishing condition on the 

 first of September, 1838, 25 00 



For the best Live Hedge, not less than 

 50 rods, and which shall be irt the mo.st 

 thriving state in 1838, 30 qq 



Claims for the best plantation of trees above 

 mentioned, together with the proper evidence 

 must be delivered to Benjamin Guild, E.-^q. in 

 Boston, free of expense, on or before the 'first day 

 of January, 1839. 



Claims for the premiums on veffetable and 

 grain crops, and experiments and inventions, to- 

 gether with the evidences required, are to be in 

 writing, and sent free of expense, to Be.mjamin 

 GciLD, Esq. in Boston, Assistant Recording Sec- 

 retary, on or before the first day of Dec^ember 

 next, and they will be examined b"y the Commit- 

 tee, previous to the 6th day of December. 



It is understood, that whenever, merely from 

 want of competition, any of the claimants may be 

 considered entitled to the premium, under a literal 

 construction ;— yet, if in the opinion of the judges, 

 the object so offered is not deserving of any re-' 

 ward, the judges shall iiave a right to reject such 

 claims. Persons to whom premiums shall be 

 awarded, may, at their option, have an article of 

 plate, with suitable inscriptions, in lieu of the 

 money. 



In cases where pecuniary premiums are offered 

 the Trustees may, having regard to the circum- 

 stances of tlie competitors, award either the So- 



