421 



to the removal of the nest best. All the most valuable species, black wal- 

 nut, yellow poplar, white ash and the best oaks, have been cut away, leav- 

 ing only a few maples, beech, ironwood, buckeye and the like. Many of 

 these are crooked, defective and otherwise undesirable. At no time has 

 any care been exercised to protect the undergrowth of young seedlings. 

 The floor also presents a very different appearance from what it once did. 

 A dense bluegrass sod has taken the place of the undergrowth and rich 

 forest litter destroyed by constant pasturage. A heavy growth of grass is 

 in itself an enemy of trees, for it not only makes reproduction harder but 

 also smothers the roots of those already growing and robs the soil of mois- 

 ture so essential to good tree development. 



Some may ask what it matters if the conditions are thus. Are not 

 the farmers in better circumstances now than they were forty years ago, 

 yes, even ten years ago? Financially they are, but with wise and proper 

 management of their woodlots they could realize still larger profits from 

 their farms. i 



THE WOODLOT. 



There are many reasons why woodlots are valuable. They furnish 

 timber for all farm needs, protect buildings and crops, shelter live stock 

 and materially help in preventing erosion and in ornamenting ihe country. 



Firewood. — Firewood comes first in the list of timber used for farm 

 purposes. The early methods of using wood in a fireplace were wasteful. 

 The introduction of stoves resulted in a great saving of fuel. But fuel 

 production was not the only purpose served by the forest. Now lack of 

 timber and the cost of getting crooked and knotty trees cut into firewood 

 have compelled the use of a substitute. Most farmers would be glad to 

 have again a plentiful supply of cheap fuel. 



Posts. — The setting of 1,000,000,000 (estimated) fence posts per year 

 shows us another very important use for timber. According to the last 

 census S,715,661 of these posts were produced from the regular logging 

 camps of the country. The use of these posts as supports for woven wire 

 fence is very economical When compared to the former practice of building 

 rail fences, many of which were of black walnut, the most valuable timber 

 Indiana ever produced. Their gradual displacement by wire or picket 

 fences is a great step towards forest preservation. 



