152 



THE GEKESEE FARMER. 



There is another consideration -which renders an 

 attention to our forest trees of high importance. In 

 various Euroi^eau countries, not only individuals 

 but governments themselves, have bestowed great 

 care upon the cultivation of useful and ornamental 

 indigenous and foreign trees. Their destruction 

 has been guarded by the most rigid enactments, 

 and the highest favors have been conferred upon 

 their most successful cultivation. Without wish- 

 ing to see such examples in all respects imitated in 

 our own country, it is worthy of attention whether 

 we are not too prodigal of the abundance which we 

 now possess ; whether it is not time to cultivate 

 instead of destroying, and thus to keep open one 

 great avenue to national wealth and indepenence. 



For the great purposes to which timber is applied, 

 a large part of Em-ope must be tributary. We, 

 on the contrary, possess within our extended 

 domain, timber for about every use. With care, 

 the supply can be continued. The forest can be 

 pruned like the vineyard or shrubbery. That man 

 would be deemed a mad man, who should destroy 

 the young and thrifty trees of his nursexy; and 

 yet, where is the place in which the same madness 

 is not exhibited with respect to our forests^? The 

 effect is already sufficiently evident in our populous 

 towns ; and if the practice is continued, it will soon 

 become general throughout our country. 



A great peculiarity in the vegetation of the 

 United States, is the number and beauty of its 

 forest trees. The number of these at present 

 known, is about 200, which have a more or less 

 extensive range of distribution. "The oaks com- 

 prised under the Linnaian genus Querciis,'''' says 

 Beck, "are by far the most mimerous and important. 

 Botanists are at present acquainted with more than 

 one hundred and forty species of this genus, of 

 ♦which upwards of one-half belong to America. In 

 the State of New York there are fifteen native spe- 

 cies, viz: Mossy-cup Oak, Post Oak, White Oak, 

 Swamp White Oak, Swamp Chestnut Oak, Yellow 

 Oak, Rock Chestnut Oak, Dwarf Chestnut 0;ik. 

 AViUow Oak, Black Scrub Oak, Black Oak, Scarlet 

 Oak, Pin Oak, Red Oak. The trees are chiefly 

 valued for their timber and bark, and the shrubs 

 for their fruit." 



Of all the arborescent species found in our State, 

 the White Oak is most deserving of notice, and its 

 cultivation may be recommended as an object of 

 primary importance. It is extensively employed 

 in sliip-building, and for strength and durability it 

 holds the very first rank. It is well fitted for sKfives, 

 which constitute an important article of export. — 

 Time would fail to enumerate the various other 

 uses to which this timber is applied. 



Considering the remarks made concerning the 

 White Oak as applying also to the White Swamp 

 Oak, the next of importance is the Rock Oak, which 

 may also be converted to most of the uses of the 

 White Oak. 



The Black Oak is highl}^ valuable for its bark, 

 which furnishes the quercitron of commerce. 



Should this country continue to be a commercial 

 one, the cultivation of the more strong and durable 

 species of this genus, wiU eventually become a mat- 

 ter of necessity. In England, the price of ship- 

 building advanced 100 per cent, in less than one 

 Jiundred years, and until some pro\asion Avas made, 

 it was computed that there was not timber enough 



in the island to keep the navy in repair. In the 

 United States, too, according to Setbeet, the price 

 of ship-building increased on an average 10 per 

 cent, from 1800 to 1810, 



The immense amount of timber used for ship- 

 building, may be judged of by the fact stated in 

 Sixclaie's Code of Agriculture, that a 74 gun ship 

 requires 3000 loads of wood, the produce of 50 

 acres, each tree standing 33 feet apart. 



Suffi3ient has now been said to show the impor- 

 tance of an attention to the cultivation of our useful 

 species of oak. We have neither the time nor the 

 ability to point out the details of the manner in 

 which this subject should be pursued, but we trust 

 it will ere long receive the notice of patriotic indi- 

 viduals, and of our national and State legislature. 



There are two distinct objects to be regarded in 

 the cultivation of forest trees — their pecuniary 

 value as fuel and timber, and their uses as orna- 

 ments, screens and shades. The cultivation in the 

 two cases must be quite difterent ; yet we suppose 

 the first steps must in all cases be the same. The 

 land on which the seed is to be sown, or the young 

 trees planted, must for many years be cifitivated 

 while the plants are growing, in order that they 

 may make any show at all, even in 20 years. — 

 Without cultivation they will grow but very slowly. 

 After the acorns are sowed, or the tree planted, the 

 plow can go early between the rows, leaving the 

 subsoil beneath the rows unmoved. The best time 

 for sowing the acorn is in the autumn, immediately 

 after they have fallen from tlie trees, and they 

 shoiild be planted just below the surface. The 

 plants for some years should be kept free from 

 weeds. The most profitable way to do this is to 

 plant potatoes or bash beans, which will pay the 

 expenses. o. n. bement. 



Springside, April, 1858, 



ANECDOTE-INCREASE OF A POTATO. 



Editoes Genesee Faemee : — Some years ago, a 

 gentleman visiting a farmer in Tolland, Connecticut, 

 took from his pocket a small potato, which some- 

 how had got in there at home. It was thrown out 

 with a smile, and the farmer taking it in his hand 

 to look at it, a curious little boy of twelve, stand- 

 ing at his elbow, asked him what it it was. "Oh," 

 said he, " nothing but a potato, my boy ; take and 

 plant it, and you shall have all you can raise from 

 it tiU you are of age." The lad took it, and the 

 farmer thought no more about it at the time. The 

 boy, however, not dispising small potatoes, care- 

 fully divided it into as many pieces as he could find 

 eyes, and piit them into the ground. The product 

 was carefully put aside in the fall, and planted in the 

 spring, and so on till the fourth year, when, the yield 

 being good, the actual product was four hundred 

 bushels ! The farmer seeing the prospect that the 

 potato field would, b^'' another year, cover his whole 

 farm, asked to be released from his promise. * 



Hollow Hoen. — In the Farmer for February, 

 Mr. MoEEHEAD requested a cure for the hollow 

 horn. I will give him a very simple one. Take 

 huld of the hair at the i^lace called the Cuppling, 

 and give it a smart jerk. The skin grows fast to 

 the spine and thence extends to the horns and tail. 

 Try it, and report to the Genesee Farmer. C. W. P. 

 — La Fayette, Ind. 



