130 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



or cultivating the forests before they can be expected to 

 receive that attention which the case demands. 



Travelling through parts of Austria-Hungary, I was 

 greatly interested in the instruction given at the country 

 schools there upon forestry. 



Plantations on a small scale were to be found in the 

 school-yards, where the varieties of trees adapted to the dis- 

 trict were grown, and in regard to which instruction was 

 given. These yards were partly decorated in this way, and 

 the children grew to have an intelligent interest in their 

 contents. 



Flowers, shrubs and hedges also were found in and around 

 these same yards, but not to such an extent as to prevent 

 proper out-door exercise of the children. The instruction 

 and influence of the teachers seemed to follow the pupils 

 out of doors as well as in-doors. 



In the plantations of white pine at Middleborough and 

 vicinity, in our own State, had the limbs been kept cut off 

 from the lower part of the trees, instead of being allowed to 

 remain and die upon them to form knots in the wood, I 

 believe those trees would have become far more valuable as 

 lumber, and would have made clear timber suited for the 

 nicer qualities of work. As it was, they were only fit for 

 cheap box-lumber. 



They were planted only for the purpose of growing such 

 lumber, and will perfectly well serve that purpose ; but the 

 better lumber can be had by a little more care, and the 

 trimmings can be used for kindlings, etc. In cases where 

 the land will admit, closer planting would partially take the 

 place of removing the limbs by hand. 



Cannot the vast number of railroad sleepers that must be 

 supplied prove an inducement to plant trees ? 



They must be renewed about every eighth year, and the 

 total number required is enormous. 



At the West, the railroad companies have planted large 

 tracts of trees to supply, in the future, a portion of their 

 demands. 



Plantations judiciously set out and properhj cared for 

 must command a good price when mature ; and if signs and 

 opinions do not fail, the prices of to-day can be no gauge 

 of the prices in the future. 



