THE TIMBER RESOURCES OF NEBRASKA. 209 



aggregate. It is probably not too much to say that in eastern 

 Nebraska the forest has occupied new ground to the extent of 400 

 square miles. This is not a net gain in forest area, for it has~})een 

 partly offset by clearing and pasturage. But with all losses consid- 

 ered the gain has been large. Nor is the growth now confined to 

 streams and ravines as it was once. It appears in every protected 

 place. The following species in that region, the forerunners of larger 

 growth, are coming up in dense thickets along fence rows and road- 

 sides: Hkii-s glabra, Ribes gracile, Rubus occidentalis, SympJioricarpus 

 vulgaris, Pmmis virginiana, Cornus asperifolia, Rliamnus lanceolata. 

 The tendency is for timber to occupy with more or less rapidity all 

 land in the extreme eastern part of Nebraska not devoted to farming 

 and grazing, and the transition is taking place more rapidly now than 

 ever before, because of improved soil and moisture conditions and 

 augmented seed production, due to the increase of bearing trees. 



GAIN IX DENSITY. 



There has been a gain also in the density of the forest. Originally 

 it consisted of a sparse stand of mature trees with no } 7 oung growth. 

 (See PL X.) The change has been wonderful. With the absence of 

 fires, seedlings grew up densely among the mature trees. Oftener 

 than not the latter were cut out, giving the 3 T oung timber undisputed 

 possession. 1 An instance of this is to be seen on the farm of Mr. J. O. 

 Lansing, 2 miles west of South Bend. When this farm was purchased, 

 sixteen years ago, all the mature timber had been cut for fuel and 

 posts. The land was fenced and fires excluded, and now there is a 

 dense growth of } T oung timber, all under 20 years old. Nearly all the 

 timber of eastern Nebraska consists of just such vigorous, thick growth 

 under 40 years of age. While it has not reached size for lumber, it is 

 valuable for fuel, posts, and poles. It is probable that the gain in 

 density is even greater than the gain in area. 



GAIN IN QUALITY. 



The removal of old timber was after all the best course. The mature 

 trees out of the way, the young timber had opportunity to occupy the 

 ground in a dense, even stand. In consequence, its growth is straight 

 and slender; much of it has cleared itself of side branches, and before 

 many years will be of size for saw timber. 



The increase and improvement in the natural timber are direct 

 results of settlement and cultivation, and have taken place in the exact 

 ratio with the protection given. Wind, water, birds, and animals 



1 So rapidly were the mature trees cut that in many places the last vestige was 

 removed in a few years. It seemed that the small supply of timber was to be exter- 

 minated, for at that time there was no indication of the wonderful reproductive ten- 

 dency apparent in recent years. 



