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yield a revenue to their owners and to the Commonwealth by 

 planting trees upon them. 



When it is deemed advisable to plant any part of the farm to 

 trees, there are several points which should be carefully considered 

 before even the variety of tree to be used is thought of. First, it 

 should be determiued whether the owner desires to realize from his 

 labor by an actual harvest during his own lifetime, or merely to 

 increase the value of his farm that he may sell it thus improved 

 a few years hence with a promising growth of timber trees upon 

 it, or to make the plantation in the nature of an investment for the 

 benefit of his children. Having settled this phase of the problem 

 in his mind, his next move is to study the character of the soil, to 

 ascertain what varieties of trees it is best adapted to grow. It 

 would then be well to write to the forester of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, stating the ultimate purpose in making 

 such a plantation, what the general soil conditions are, and some- 

 thing about the lay of the land, its area, and to what use adjoining 

 lands are put. He will thereby secure the best of professional 

 advice as to his best course, and without charge. 



As a rule, it is good policy to make use of native varieties when 

 planting ; and, on the whole, it is cheapest to use seedlings rather 

 than seed. There are a few trees other than natives which will do 

 well here under proper soil conditions ; and among them may be 

 mentioned the European larch, which is a more rapid grower than 

 white pine, and which makes a fine, straight-grained and light 

 building timber. The western hardy catalpa {Catalpa speciosa) is 

 another tree which it is believed has great possibilities in this 

 region. This again is a rapid-growing tree, making good railroad 

 ties, posts, etc , in sixteen years from the seed. It has already 

 been demonstrated by a western railroad that catalpa ties outlast 

 all others, their life in mud ballast being over thirty years. 

 In low, wet places the white willow (salix lucida) is a valuable 

 tree. A growth of eight years makes charcoal stock, and anything 

 up to four inches in diameter is available for the powder mills. 

 White or swamp maple (acer dasycarpum) is another good tree for 

 low ground, and its wood is in demand for last making. Both the 

 willow and the maple sprout vigorously. 



While it is much to be desired that the waste places on the farm 

 should be made to yield a wood crop, it is hoped that the existing 

 wood lot will not be neglected. It is most important that it should 

 be improved and perpetuated. It would be a needless waste of 

 space to enter here upon a discussion of the methods of planting 

 or cutting, since the Federal Department of Agriculture has pre- 

 pared an excellent little pamphlet of forty-eight pages on these 



