BLACK WALNUT '. ITS GROWTH AND MANAGEMENT. 31 



approximately the diameter of the first 12-foot log inside the bark at 

 the small end and the clear length will indicate whether the tree is a 

 field or a forest grown walnut and will show to a certain degree how 

 many logs may be expected. The size of the upper logs may then 

 be estimated on the basis of the butt log. This method is simple 

 and well adapted for the use of the walnut owner who wants to know 

 approximately how much walnut he has. 



WALNUT PLANTATIONS. 



Walnut has always been a popular tree for planting on account of 

 its attractive appearance, the value of its wood, the production of 

 nuts, and the ease with which it may be propagated. Walnut has 

 consequently been planted in every State in the country as single 

 shade trees, as windbreaks, as open, orchardlike stands planted for 

 nuts, or as closely planted stands for log timber. The last are found 

 chiefly in the prairie regions from Ohio westward. There are 126 

 stands on record in Iowa alone, which is probably the leading State 

 in this respect. Most of the plantations of this kind were estab- 

 lished in the period of the great popularity of the wood, from the 

 close of the Civil War to 1890, although at least one, in Missouri, 

 dated back to 1836, and another, in Illinois, is said to have been 

 planted in 1823. These plantations have improved the general ap- 

 pearance of the farms and have served excellently as shady groves 

 for cattle. 



FACTORS AFFECTING THE SUCCESS OF PLANTATIONS. 



Many owners take special pride in their walnut plantations and 

 maintain that these add to the market value of the farm. In most 

 cases this is undoubtedly true, and the reasons are those mentioned 

 above ; but, because of lack of management, unfortunately many 

 walnut plantations have not been successful as producers of valuable 

 wood. The following table shows the average breast-high diameter 

 growth in plantations, in comparison with the average for the natu- 

 ral stands of block walnut measured (Table 13), and with the 

 slowest growth observed in a natural stand (see description of forest- 

 grown stand in Fayette County, Ohio, on p. 23). The figures for 

 growth in plantations are based upon measurements of 90 planta- 

 tions. 



This comparison of artificial with natural stands is not very favor- 

 able to the artificial. After the planted trees reach 50 years of age 

 the growth is slower than that of the slowest observed in natural 

 stands. Furthermore, the mediocre quality of the planted but un- 

 managed trees was in marked contrast to the clean, straight, very 

 tall boles of the forest-grown trees. Two reasons may be assigned 



