MASSACHUSETTS TREE PLANTER 



21 



So much for the amount expended. Now the question 

 arises as to whether the value of the merchantable crop, at 

 the end of 40 years, will be equal to the investment. In 

 Table II. the returns per acre, at the end of 40 years, which 

 may be expected from plantations of the five species con- 

 sidered, are given. If the values in any case seem excessive, 

 it should be remembered that the tendency of wood prices 

 is ever to advance, and that 40 years hence the values now 

 given (in many instances existing at the present moment) 

 will be too low rather than too high. 



TABLE II. Returns at the End of Forty Tears 



1 The range in amount is due to the widely differing stnmpage values of cordwood 

 in the various parts of the State. 



To the stumpage value per acre, given in Table II., must 

 be added the value of the land (which can now be sold or 

 used for other purposes) in order to arrive at the total 

 returns from the plantation. Comparing the figures in Table 

 I. with those of Table II., it is apparent that plantations of 

 white pine and white ash will be profitable investments, 

 yielding more than 4% compound interest for 40 years. 

 Chestnut plantations will give similar returns, except where 

 land is worth $20.00 an acre and $10.00 must be expended 

 in planting it. But even in this case returns of practically 

 4% compound interest are insured. 



Plantations of red oak and sugar maple are not so profit- 

 able, when cut at the age of 40 years, due largely to the fact 

 that these trees cannot produce saw-lumber within that time. 

 They should be allowed to grow a decade or two longer, when 



