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number of locust trees, scattered over ten acres of ground ; 

 and as these looked rather unpromising, the generous premium 

 must be considered to have been awarded rather to the labor 

 of making an experiment, than to any promised success. 



Mr. Webster says in his statement, that in 1835 the land 

 was covered with birches, and some white oak and maple ; and 

 on examining the lot a few years afterwards, I was fully of the 

 opinion that the growth of wood would have been quite as 

 valuable, had nothing been done but to exclude cattle from 

 browsing upon the trees and under-wood of native growth. 



I again examined the lot on the 13th of the present Novem- 

 ber, twenty-two years after the first visit and the premium, 

 and I now consider the experiment rather more successful than 

 I had previously expected, so far as the locust is concerned. 

 About one acre, in one corner of the lot, is well covered with 

 locust trees, thirty to forty feet high, and six or eight inches 

 through, and in rather a thrifty state. There was a thin scat- 

 tering of locust in other parts of the lot ; and if locust timber 

 is as lasting for fence posts, and other uses requiring durable 

 wood, as has been supposed, I should think the experiment 

 might encourage the planting of the locust. The quantity and 

 value of wood for fuel would probably have been larger had 

 nothing been done. And if the acre so well stocked with 

 locust is the acre which had been previously "ploughed, and 

 planted with potatoes," it gives a valuable insight into the best 

 mode of preparing the ground and planting. The white birch 

 has now re-assumed its native rights over a large part of the 

 ground, and the white oak and maple are, in a few instances, 

 resuining their places. 



I am not aware that any premium has been claimed or paid 

 for the raising of forest trees since the one alluded to ; and 

 were it not that the law of the State requires the offering of 

 them, I should suggest the discontinuance of the offer, as 

 without effect, and, so far as fuel is concerned, quite un- 

 necessary. 



I am not aware that a single acre of open field, or pasture 

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