362 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



there seems to be something very fertilizing in the decay of its 

 foliage, while its shade is not destructive to grass, which actually 

 has been known to spring up thickly, after a little time, where 

 none grew before. I have often looked with extreme pleasure 

 upon another more ancient avenue of the yellow locust trees, 

 whose stout stems and broad branches rise to upwards of sev- 

 enty feet, and whose tops in the leafy month of June are laden 

 with fragrant, snowy blossoms, tempting to bees and regaling 

 the senses of man. The generous and hospitable owner of this 

 farm is justly proud of this ancestral glory ; and who would 

 not consider it a noble crop ? 



The yellow locust tree grows readily in any light soil, and can 

 be most easily propagated by setting out the young suckers, or 

 even pieces of the roots ; but seedling trees are always most 

 advantageous. I have known this course pursued, however, in 

 covering old, worn-out rye fields, and thus inducing a rapid 

 growth of a tree, whose improving qualities are undeniable. 

 These pieces of the root, a foot or more long, could be planted 

 like potatoes, in furrows made by a light plough, and the work 

 of a few hours may tell well at no distant day. It is presum- 

 able that many farmers and land proprietors would prefer any 

 kind of vegetation, to having their barren fields covered Avith 

 mullein and golden rods. I have been informed also that on 

 such places the black, wild, cherry tree (^Prunus serotina) will 

 grow very fast. The aspens or poplars, of which we have sev- 

 eral species, spring up readily, and are also adapted to such 

 soils ; and that kind called Abele, or silver-leafed poplar, would 

 soon cover an area with its natural plantations. This is a very 

 rapid growin g tree and becomes respectable in size in a very 

 few years. Fifty years since, there seemed to be a sort of rage 

 for planting a very inferior kind of foreign tree, — the Lom- 

 bardy poplar, — happily getting out of repute ; yet even this 

 unsightl}' species is better than none ; though I should not 

 recommend its planting. As, however, no tree whose falling 

 foliage docs not return threefold more to the earth than it took 

 from it, true wisdom has learned to be patient with every sort 

 of tree which will please to grow where nothing else could 

 readily be made to thrive. 



A farm that has the misfortune to have fields once cultivated, 

 but afterwards overspread by drifts and heaps of loose sand, 



