November 14, 1888.] 



Garden and Forest. 



455 



may be the case with a White Pine forest, and we have 1,000 

 acres under management, then we might cut every year ten 

 acres of loo-year-old wood, or periodically during every pe- 

 riod of ten years, 100 acres of such wood. After the forest 

 has been brought under this kind of management (which 

 theoreticaUy would require 100 years, although in practice the 

 process is much modified) we should then have a forest con- 

 sisting of 100 sections of ten acres each, from one to 100 

 years old, each differing by one year of age, or if periodically 

 treated, ten sections of 100 acres, each differing by an average 

 age of ten years. 



If reproduction from seed is expected, we might cull over 

 even a larger area, maldng our periods longer. But this 

 culling differs from that practiced in this country, histead 

 of taking out the best trees first, leaving the inferior or less 

 valuable ones, the culHng is done entirely with a view of se- 

 curing a good new growth, and takes the inferior material tirst; 

 the best trees are rather left to provide the seed and to gain 

 in proportions, making the most valualile material after they 

 are thus exposed to increased light influence, and they are re- 

 moved only as the young after-growth requires. The adjust- 

 ment is practically very much more complicated, since in the 

 same forest area some timbers on certain soils will come to 

 their best production earlier or later than the general period 

 of rotation, assumed at 100 years. The small owner, of 

 course, utilizes his crop when it is at the most profitable age 

 financially, and this varies greatly in different localities ; but 

 he looks to its proper reproduction by cutting, so as to secure 

 a vigorous young growth from natural seeding or sprouts, or 

 by replanting after the clearing. 



9. Neither the tiring of the woods or the browsing of cattle 

 in young growths is considered advantageous to the wood 

 crop and strict regulations in this respect are enforced with 

 good effect. 



10. The age at which the crop is utilized differs greatly, ac- 

 cording to tiie use to which it is put, the climate and soil on 

 which it is grown and the kind of trees of which it is com- 

 posed, and the need and profitableness of the market. The 

 coppice is cut in rotations of ten to thirty years, sometimes 

 even forty years ; the longest rotations prevail in Alder and 

 Birch forests in the eastern (colder) provinces. For Beech, 

 which forms the most valuable dominant growth of broad- 

 leaved trees, in the timber forest 90 to 120 years are re- 

 quired, the longer rotation in the mountainous localities 

 and in the eastern (colder) provinces. For Pine and Spruce a 

 rotation of from 60 to 120 years prevails (mostly 80 to 100 

 years), the longest period for tlie better soils of the eastern 

 provinces, which are capable of producing good building 

 timber. Alder and Birch in the timber forest will be cut in 

 forty to sixty year rotation, and Oak, which is rarely found in 

 pure or extensive growths, but is grown as prominent admix- 

 ture, is kept over for 140 to 160 years; if " undergrown " in 

 time, sometimes 120 years will produce the desirable sizes 

 and qualities. For tan-bark coppice, it is cut in rotations of 

 ten to fifteen years. 



11. Coppice management is practiced in small wood lots 

 and on thin soils, while in protective forests in high, exposed 

 mountain districts a management of culling (or selection) is 

 the rule. The State forests are, as much as possible, man- 

 aged as timlier forest, while small forest owners prefer a com- 

 bination of timber forest and coppice called " middlewald," 

 which we may render into "standard coppice." In some 

 localities the communities or small owners practice a combi- 

 nation of forest growing and agriculture. After the forest is 

 cut the ground is, for a few years, utilized for agricultural 

 crops, before or even while being replanted to forest; and the 

 economy of this system, with its good results, if properly 

 carried on, will recommend it to our forest growing farmers. 



If it is asked, "Is forest growing profitable in Europe?" the 

 answer must be, " It depends ;" it depends on what is called 

 profitable and upon the situation. Considering that the 

 European forests are now pretty nearly culled of all their vir- 

 gin timber and are relegated to the poor soils and waste 

 places, they are probably profitable enough investments. 



The German forests, for which pretty reliable data are at 

 hand, yield an annual net dividend of $57,000,000 from 34,000,- 

 000 acres of forest reserve, being considered a three per cent, 

 investment, the soil being valued at $400,000,000 and the 

 standing wood capital, from which the interest is drawn an- 

 nually, at $1,600,000,000. Over a million men find usefLil and 

 steady occupation during part of the year, at least, antl the 

 soil is utilized to its best advantage, with security against the 

 ills of disturbed climatic and hydrologic conditions. Surely, 

 to the nation, forestry is profitable, whatever it may be to the 

 single individual. B. E. Fernow. 



Washington, D. C. 



Horticultural Exhibitions. 

 The New Yoi"k Chrysanthemum Show. 



THE experiment of holding this exhibition in a large tent 

 has proved successful in furnishing a better and more 

 evenly distributed light than that found in any of the halls 

 which the New York Horticultural Society has used for the 

 purpose in former years. Besides this, the plants and flowers 

 retain their freshness longer under the cool and well venti- 

 lated tent than in the close, dry air of a hall. This is especially 

 true of the cut Roses, which were displayed in considerable 

 numbers and were of the best quality. All the standaiTl 

 varieties were exhibited by Mr. John N. May and Mr. J. H. 

 Taylor, together with the newer favorites, like the Bride, 

 American Beauty and Madame deWatteville. 



The display of single cut Chrysanthemum blooms was much 

 superior to anything of the kind ever seen in this city, and, 

 perhaps, the fifty flowers shown by Wm. Tricker, gardener to 

 Judge Benedict, of Staten Island, were the best that have ever 

 been exhibited in this country. This collection was largely 

 made up of American seedlings, many of them comparatively 

 new, and after examining them one could well believe, with 

 Mr. Robert Craig, that the best twelve American seedlings of 

 last year were superior to tlie best twelve originated in Eng- 

 land or France. Mr. Tricker's collection, which won the first 

 prize in competition with another remarkably good one 

 shown by Mr. J. H. Spalding, of Orange, New Jersey, gained 

 much in popular interest from the fact tliat every flower was 

 plainly labeled. Near these choice specimen blooms was a 

 large collection of Chrysanthemums, cut with long stems 

 and arranged in vases by Mr. John Henderson. They were 

 not entered for competition, but they attracted much attention 

 on account of their fine quality, and gave a striking illustration 

 of what can be accomplished with good garden varieties under 

 good garden cultivation only. 



Among the cut flowers were many fine seedlings, but very 

 few were sufficiently distinct to deserve mention as improve- 

 ments on existing varieties. The beautiful silver cup offered 

 by Mrs. Andrew Carnegie for the best American seedling, was 

 properly awarded to a splendid variety named ;ifter her, and 

 shown by Wm. Hamilton, of Allegheny City. The head is of 

 great size, the upper side of the incurved florets being a very 

 dark crimson, and the lower surface of the same color near 

 the base, but turning to " old gold " at the tip. The stock of 

 this plant is owned by Mr. John Thorpe, from whose collection 

 Mr. Hamilton secured the seed. Another fine 'seedling is 

 Mrs. Levi P. Morton, now owned by Mr. Robert Craig, of 

 Philadelphia, but raised by Mr. Thomas Jones, of Short Hills. It 

 is rosy p)ink with an open centre and about nine inches in 

 diameter. The florets are tubular at the base, and as they are 

 white on the under side, a distinct zone of white surrounds the 

 disc, which, together with the graceful arrangement of the 

 slightly incurved rays, make a most attractive novelty. 



Of the new Chrysanthemums of foreign origin, the one named 

 Mrs. Alpheus Hardy excites the greatest interest. It is ex- 

 hibited by Messrs. Pitcher& Manda, of Short Hills, New Jersey. 

 It has somewhat changed from its form last year, the hair- 

 like growths on the florets being more thickly set and downy 

 than in the specimen from which the illustration in the first 

 number, of this journal was taken. The head seems frosted 

 over with glittering white, and altogether in form and finish 

 it is the most striking variation from old types of the Chry- 

 santhemum that has been produced for years. 



Very interesting, too, was a group of nine specimen lilooms 

 sent by E. Fewkes & Son, of Newton Highlands, Massachu- 

 setts. These varieties came from Japan in the same collec- 

 tion with Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, and they all have distinct 

 merit. One of them, Kioto, is a fine yellow, belonging to the 

 incurved section, but with florets whorled and coiled in a 

 novel way. Medusa, another, has long white petals, so nar- 

 row that they can almost be called thread-like, which hang in 

 a disheveled way that certainly is not beautiful. The value of 

 this variety, however, lies in the fact that it is another break 

 into a decidedly novel form, and it therefore gives promise of 

 usefulness in originating a new and distinct strain when 

 crossed with other varieties. 



The specimen plants, particularly those which were tied and 

 tortured into artificial shapes, were, as a rule, inferior. Only 

 one or two of the so-called standards had any real beauty. 

 The plants naturally grown, like the half dozen for which Mr. 

 Thorpe received a prize, were altogether more attractive. 

 Those plants, too, which were rooted in summer and carried 

 a single bloom upon stems from one to two feet high, were 

 particularly fine. Any one of them, of average merit, would 

 have been considered a marvel five years ago. 



