GROWING A WOODLOT FROM SEED 407 



with either the outlook table or a sub- All maps, including the pocket ones 



table, of the wardens, are supplied with a 



Substations, with no regular ob- thread fastened at the location of each 

 sewer, have a subtable, eight inches in station within its bounds and a four- 

 diameter, fixed in position, with divided inch protractor surrounding such sta- 

 circle, and a pin-and-thread aledade. tion. The fire is recorded on the map 



All stations are connected with each by description ; by one hearing and the 



other, fire wardens and officials. distance; or by two hearings indicated 



The dispatcher (who may be in the b the inte rsection of threads. 



District Chief s office or an observer at m , . , 



a main outlook station) has the dis- rhe ad Pt lon of such a comprehen- 



trict map on a large table. He is the Slve s y stem for the ^ Ulck and accura te 



central officer to whom fires are re- locatlon of forest fir es will be one more 



ported ; who gives orders ; and in a big ste P toward obtaining the control over 



fire, till superseded by a superior them which all recognize as a neces- 



officer, directs the general movements sary preliminary to the practice of sci- 



of firefighters, apparatus, and supplies, entific forestry in this country. 



GROWING A WOODLOT FROM SEED 



By J. A. FERGUSON 

 University of Missouri 



'VERY farm should have a wood- trees that will give the product desired 



lot to furnish fuel, fence posts in the shortest possible time, and that 



and other wood material needed, will be suited to the particular condi- 



Especially is this true in the less tions of soil and moisture of the tract 



wooded regions like the prairies, where to be planted. Because a tree grows 



wood products must often be trans- well in deep, bottom land soil is no 



ported long distances at considerable reason to believe that the same tree will 



expense. Nearly every farm contains grow well when planted on high dry 



some land that is too poor for raising uplands with thin soil. Trees vary 



crops or that is not available for graz- greatly in their demands. Some are 



ing or other purposes, which usually naturally hardy and will grow under 



lies idle year after year. This land is many conditions of soil fertility and 



a burden to the owner because it brings moisture. But most trees are fastid- 



in no returns, yet must bear its share ious in their demands and will not 



of the taxes. Such land ought to be thrive unless they receive the amount 



devoted to the raising of forest trees, of nourishment they need. So in se- 



When we consider that an acre of land lecting the trees, the site to be planted 



planted to fast growing trees will pro- must be considered first and trees 



duce from one to three thousand fence chosen that are suited to that site. The 



posts in twenty years, and that with trees growing thriftily on situations 



some species fence posts can be se- similar to the one to be planted should 



cured in less than ten years, a farmer, be noted, and such trees selected for 



by allowing waste places to stand idle, the planting. Often a tree not native 



is losing a return he could secure by a to the region can be found that will 



slight effort. It is not a difficult matter produce better results than native trees, 



to start a woodlot, neither is it an ex- Nearly all trees grow well on deep, 



pensive one. It can be done without moist, fertile soil, so it is only when a 



any cost to the owner except the time planting is to be made on poor soil that 



and effort necessary to grow and plant the choice of species becomes impor- 



the trees. tant. 



In starting a woodlot the selection of One reason why farmers do not start 



the kinds of trees to plant is an im- forest plantings is because they believe 



portant consideration. They must be large trees are necessary which can be 



