449 



the past few years. These plantings have been made by individuals and by 

 corporations. The tree plantations run up into the hundreds and the num- 

 ber of trees into the hundreds of thousands. A careful inspection of sixty- 

 nine of these plantings, embracing two hundred fourteen thousand (214,- 

 000) trees was made in 190S-09 by Messrs. U. C. Allen and H. C. Kennedy. 

 The plantations examined covered the state with the exception of the 

 southeastern counties and represented practically every type of soil and 

 drainage conditions. Supplementing their records by my own observations 

 and those of Secretary C. C. Deam of the State Board of Forestry, I am 

 led to the conclusion that afforestation operations in the state have been, 

 in a large measure at least, unsatisfactory. While there are occasional 

 instances of successful and apparently profitable tree culture in the state, 

 it is very certain that, taken as a whole, the results are not of such char- 

 acter as to give promise of any relief from present conditions in the im- 

 mediate future. The plantings have been chiefly catalpa and black locust. 

 Only in exceptional cases, and then rather as the result of chance than a 

 definite purpose have other species been tried. A very few small plantings 

 of black walnut and white ash practically represent the attempt in growing 

 trees of high grade. 



The reasons for these unsatisfactory results are not far to seek. They 

 may be grouped under three categories: 



1. Ignorance of the silvical qualities of the species. 



2. Poor seed or seedlings which were not of the species desired. 



3. Ignorance of the cultural requirements for securing rapid and 

 healthy development. 



Apparently in many of the plantations no question as to the fitness 

 of the soil, or drainage, or exposure entered. In another large series of 

 catalpa plantings the larger number of the trees were not the hardy ca- 

 talpa (speciosa) but C. bignonioides or some hybrid. In more than one- 

 half of the cases absolutely no attention was given after the planting, to 

 cultivation, to pruning or to coppicing. A study of the conditions in these 

 plantations is sufficient proof that afforestation operations will not be suc- 

 cessful in Indiana until a much fuller knowledge of the silvical qualities 

 and requirements of the species selected becomes common property. 



Bad as the existing conditions are, the case is far from hopeless. The 

 aggregate timbered area of the state is still large and while the stumpage 

 is not heavy nor the quality all that could be desired, yet these areas 



[29—23003] 



