1903 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



309 



Many farmers and ranchmen have estab- 

 lished plantations to supply the posts 

 and poles required in keeping up fences 

 and sheds, in this way saving themselves 

 a very substantial amount annually. 



The Locust is propagated easily from 

 root cuttings and from seed. The latter 

 is the most common method. The seed 

 retains its vitality for a number of years 

 if kept in the pods or buried deep in the 

 ground, in the latter case having been 

 known to grow after seven years; but 

 seed out of the pods will not germinate 

 well after two years. The pods ripen 

 about July or August and the seed can 

 be sown immediately, when it will gen- 

 erally come up and make a considerable 

 start the same season ; if kept for spring 

 planting it is advisable to keep the seed 

 in moist sand in a cool place during the 

 winter. Old seed and that kept dry over 

 winter is best handled by soaking in 

 warm water for a day or two immedi- 

 ately before planting. The seed when 

 once soaked should not be allowed to 

 dry out, but should be planted immedi- 

 ately while in a moist condition. 



The seed should be sown in well- pul- 

 verized, rich loam soil in early spring. 

 If hand cultivation is to be given, the 

 seed may be sown in drills 12 to 15 

 inches apart in a bed, but if horse culti- 

 vation is to be practiced, it should be 

 sown in rows 3'- feet apart. The seed 

 should not be covered more than ^ to ; 4 

 of an inch deep. A pound contains 

 about 28,000 seed and is sufficient for 

 a row 900 feet long. The seedlings 

 will be large enough to set out in their 

 permanent sites the following spring 

 or fall. 



The method of management adopted 



in a plantation of Locust largely deter- 

 mines its usefulness and value. Thick 

 planting should be the rule in order to 

 force the tree into straight, tall growth. 

 In most cases 4 by 4 or 3 by 6 feet are 

 suitable distances. 



If the trees are planted in a solid 

 block and surrounded by a few closely 

 planted rows of other trees, there will 

 be no difficulty from sprouting. Sprouts 

 do not grow where the ground is shaded. 



Every effort should be used to keep 

 the trees in thrifty growth for the first 

 12 or 15 years. Borers seldom injure 

 the trees that are growing rapidly, but 

 confine their attacks to those of less 

 vigor. If damage from borers is appre- 

 hended, the trees should be cut for use 

 before they cease rapid growth. Sprouts 

 from the stumps will at once renew the 

 growth. By this method of cutting, a 

 crop of posts can be produced even- 10 

 or 12 years. 



The best success usually results when 

 the Locust is grown mixed with some 

 other heavy-foliaged tree, as its own 

 shade is not dense enough to keep out 

 grass and weeds. As accompanying or 

 nurse trees, the Osage Orange, Russian 

 Mulberry, Hardy Catalpa, and White 

 Elm do well, as they cast heavy shade 

 and do not grow rapidly enough to 

 overtop the Locust. The associate tree 

 need not occupy more than one-third of 

 the spaces in the mixture. The Locust 

 is a good tree to plant with the Black 

 Walnut, where the latter is desired as 

 the permanent stand. The two may 

 be planted alternately in the rows. 

 Within 1 5 years the Locust may be cut 

 for use as fence posts, leaving the Black 

 Walnut for the final stand. 



RECENT FOREST FIRES. 



THE CONTINUANCE OF SPRINT. FIRES CAUSES 

 IMMENSE DAMAGE IN A NTMRER OF STATI S. 



THE most severe forest fires of May 

 have extended from Maine and 

 Canada on the northeast, along the re- 

 gion bordering on the St. Lawrence and 

 the Great Lakes, to the forests of Min- 



nesota west of Lake Superior. Aecora- 

 ing to press reports received by FOK- 



KSTRV AND IRRIGATION, not O116 of tilt 



New Kn^land States was exempt fron. 

 fires during the past month, and at the 



