9 



the choice of poor sites and the use of unsuitable species. The artifi- 

 cial forests of Illinois would have been worth many times what they 

 are at present if longer-lived and more valuable species had been 

 used in the plantations instead of silver maple or other trees of as 

 little worth. Species of the greatest value have often been ignored 

 because of their slow growth, and others, deserving to be classed as 

 " weed trees," have been used in their place. Successful plantations 

 of black walnutj hickory, elm, oak, and other valuable trees are com- 

 mon enough to prove that the slower-growing woods ordinarily pay 

 best. Silver maple, boxelder, and the like are valuable chiefly for 

 firewood, and it is easily possible to overstock the market for cord- 

 wood in any locality. Lumber woods, on the other hand, can always 

 be disposed of in any quantity. 



In order to illustrate the relative values of the two classes, let a 

 comparison be made between the returns from a 64:-y ear-old stand of 

 black walnut in Morgan County, 111., and a 35-year-old stand of silver 

 maple in Sangamon County. These were the best groves of each 

 species found in the State during an extended survey made in the 

 summer of 3904. The figures relating to the two tracts may be best 

 contrasted in the following table : 



Value of planted forests of hlack walnut and silver maple on the prairies of 



Illinois. 



a From trees 11 inches and over In diameter breasthlgh. 



' Lumber at $20 per 1,000 board feet, fence posts at 10 cents each, and firewood at $2 

 per cord. 



" Interest compounded annually at 3 per cent. 



It would be quite as easy to show that the returns from hickory, 

 elm, or some other wood which can be used when no older than the 

 maple would amount to more than those from the latter, but the com- 

 parison of walnut with maple serves also to emphasize the greater 



5116— No. 228—05 2 



228 



