62 



more elaborate discussion of the whole matter. But we have 

 neither the time to devote to it, before this Report must go to the 

 press, nor the means at hand for pursuing those investigations, 

 without which this object could not be accomplished. Happily, 

 no discussion of ours is necessary, as none could approach that 

 already before the public, in the admirable Report on the Trees 

 and Shrubs of Massachusetts, by the Hon. Commissioner of the 

 Commonwealth, George B. Emerson, Esq., of Boston. We earn- 

 estly invite attention to this Report, which offers at once the most 

 extensive and reliable information, and the most gratifying occu- 

 pation to every reader. It is greatly to be desired that a new 

 edition of this work should be published, at a cost which will en- 

 able every farmer and every citizen in the Commonwealth to pos- 

 sess and examine it. 



For the Committee, 



CHARLES C. SEWALL, Chairman. 



Note. Since completing this Report, we have learned from a perfectly 

 reliable source, facts which lend much support to the encouragement there 

 is for greater attention to the growth of forest trees in our county. 



A member of the Societj', who has devoted a long life to the labors of the 

 farm, and whose good judgment and industry are proved by the result of 

 his labors, has informed us that, just forty years ago, he planted a field of 

 two acres upon his father's farm with corn and potatoes ; that since that 

 time there have been cut from the same field two separate growths of ex- 

 cellent birch wood, of at least twenty cords per acre, and that there is now 

 standing upon it a third growth of the same kind of wood, for part of which 

 he has just been offered six dollars per cord for mechanical uses. The field 

 had received little care and attention after the cultivation mentioned above. 

 Around the walls of it white birches were suffered to remain at that time, 

 from the seeds of which, scattered by the winds and the birds, the whole 

 grove, it is supposed, has sprung. 



The same gentleman also states that he once had in possession another 

 field, of like soil and dimensions, which was overgrown with small brush- 

 wood of birches, which he wished to destroy. He attempted to accomplish 

 his purpase by cutting down the young trees, in the month of June, — a 

 process which, he had been assured, would certainly kill the roots. The 

 attempt was given over, after cutting down the growth on one half the field. 

 But, in the month of September following, he found there, to his astonish- 

 ment, a new growth of young birch trees, nearly or quite as large as that 

 which had remained untouched on the other half of the field. He is now 

 done with cutting young birch trees, in the month of June, in order to kill 

 their roots. 



