75 



we generally find them stunted and dwarfed by its influence. 

 The remedy is to plant, numerously, the hardiest trees along the 

 seaward border 



Wherever trees are planted for use in the arts, it is important 

 to give them the most rapid growth possible. Of wood growing 

 on the same soil, that which grows most rapidly is strongest. 

 That of which the circles of growth are narrowest is also weakest. 



The strength of trees is proportioned to its weight. And as 

 young trees grow more rapidly than old ones, they are more valu- 

 ble as fuel. 



It has long been known that summer or early autumn 



is the season most favorable for the felling of timber, where the 



object is strength and durability Nearly a quarter of a 



century ago, Timothy Pickering showed by experiments which he 

 adduced, and by sound reasoning, that summer is better than win- 

 ter for this purpose. A writer in the New England Farmer, who 

 " has wrought more timber than most men, and for more uses than 



he knows of," is satisfied that September is the best 



time for felling trees ; and that if the tree be disbarked in June, 

 and allowed to stand till September, the timber will be stronger 



and more durable ; that timber felled in September will 



not suffer from red rot or from powder post. 



The naturalist, Bufibn, after numerous experiments 



carefully made on a large scale, and continued through many 

 years, arrived at the conclusion that nothing contributes so much 

 to the sohdity, strength and durability of timber as completely 

 stripping the trees of their bark some years, at least three, before 

 they are to be felled. This should be done in the spring, when 



the bark is most easily separable Timber, managed in 



this way, was found to be sometimes a fourth part stronger than 

 that from trees in the same forest, and in all other respects pre- 

 cisely similar, treated in the usual way ; that is, felled with the 

 bark on, and dried under the open sky, or under sheds. 



In regard to the planting of forests, Mr. Emerson remarks : — 

 All the birch trees, especially the black and the white, are so val- 

 uable for timber and for fuel, that their cultivation should be earn- 

 estly recommended. They flourish on all kinds of soil, even the 

 poorest, spring most readily from seed, and grow very rapidly. 

 " Birch seed ripens in September and October, and may 



