Profitable Tree Planting 



Lakes at a lower transportation rate than was expected." — 

 Bulletin 45, Bureau 0} Forestry, 1903. 



It will be noticed that pine planting in New England has 

 been going on for almost a century. The Bureau of Forestry 

 has made careful investigations of various tracts, and publishes 

 facts and figures which prove that land that is worthless for 

 ordinary agriculture has yielded valuable crops of timber, and 

 this in from thirty-five to fifty years after planting. Individual 

 plantations in various states have furnished the data embodied 

 in the bulletins, published for the guidance and encouragement 

 of landowners who are uncertain as to the best way of employing 

 unproductive tracts. 



The planting of pine has proved profitable on five types 

 of land: (i) watersheds, (2) sand barrens and dunes along 

 the seashore, (3) bare and worn-out land, (4) cut-over forest 

 land, and (5) woodlots. Water companies and the state at large 

 are benefited by the planting of trees at the headwaters of streams. 

 Shifting sand held by tree roots and accumulating the leaves 

 and other debris of tree growth, is converted into good soil. So 

 is worn-out land of any kind. Growing trees enrich the soil 

 that feeds them. These types of reforestation are justified, 

 even if the trees do nothing but hold the soil and restore it to 

 fertility. 



The raising of a crop of trees has been the main object in 

 planting the last two types of ground. In the three species 

 before mentioned examples are numerous to prove that trees 

 set out for other purposes have served these purposes well, and 

 yielded a valuable lumber crop beside. There have been failures, 

 many of them, but they are traceable in most cases to ignorance 

 or neglect. White pine grows in a white-pine country if it has 

 half a chance. 



An encouraging fact for the planter to contemplate is that 

 he may reap the harvest of his own sowing. It takes only thirty- 

 five years to grow marketable pine. If the land is good and well 

 prepared the trees grow faster and are of better quality in a given 

 time. Better timber is produced by pruning the trees, thinning 

 them and cutting when the trees are big enough for first-class 

 lumber. For this they must grow sixty years or more. The 

 father must plant for his sons to reap this harvest. No 

 better legacy, no more judicious investment could be made 

 476 



