69 



but hope that others may be incited by them to give to the sub- 

 ject all the consideration it deserves. 



Mr. Whiting Metcalf of Franklin, presented for our inspection 

 a plantation of pines and birches, covering three and a half acres. 

 This plantation was begun about twenty years ago, — when its pro- 

 prietor was nearly three score years old, — and he now lives to 

 reap the mental satisfaction, as well as the pecuniary returns, of 

 an entirely successful experiment. Upon the western border of his 

 large and valuable farm, a swell of land, with a soil of light, sandy 

 loam, and a subsoil of pure sand had been sown, for many alternate 

 years, with rye and grass seed, without any fair equivalent for the 

 labor and expense of it. This land was now sown, — one half of 

 it with seeds of the pitch pine tree, which grew rapidly, and en- 

 couraged the attempt to sow the other half, some years after- 

 wards, with seeds of the white pine tree. For some reason these 

 did not germinate as uniformly as the others had done, and seeds 

 of the birch tree Avere then sown in every vacant spot. The re- 

 sult is that Mr. Metcalf now has, on the half of this land first 

 sown, one acre and three-quarters of pitch pine trees, from among 

 which he has thinned out, last spring, ten cords of small wood, 

 leaving, on a careful estimate, not less than fifteen cords per acre 

 of good merchantable wood. Probably these trees have grown 

 more rapidly than usual, in consequence of the previous cultiva- 

 tion of the soil. But, judging from their past growth and present 

 vigorous appearance, we think they will increase at the rate of a 

 cord per acre, at least, for every year until they are of sufficient 

 age and size to be felled. Allowing this to be not less than forty 

 years from the time of sowing, there will then be thirty cords per 

 acre on the ground. The increased value of the wood, at that 

 time, will probably bear due proportion to the increased quantity 

 of it. If the price of such wood in the market to-day is four 

 dollars per cord, it may then be seven dollars, and the whole lot 

 would be worth two hundred and ten dollars per acre. 



This may appear, at first sight, to be no very large return for 

 so long an investment of money. We have heard it said that it 

 were far better to abandon such acres, and seek a more profitable 

 investment of capital in the fertile prairies of the West. And 

 we confess that, for an immediately gainful return, the prospect at 

 the West may be far more inviting ; but, in addition thereto, must 



