Forestry and Farming 



Much attention is being given to forest trees and woodlands in planning for the 

 best use of all farm lands. On many farms timber and other forest products are 

 an important income crop. 



The uses and commercial value of different kinds of trees, the management of a 

 tract of woods, and the action of trees in checking soil erosion and modifying 

 climate should be common knowledge. If the subject of forestry is properly 

 understood, the interest of rural young people and their parents can be aroused 

 in the farm woodlands which in the aggregate constitute a considerable part of our 

 forests. Much can be accomplished in getting the general public to recognize the 

 importance and value of farm woodlands through 4-H Club work. 



Forestry has a definite and valuable relation to farming (fig. 1). 



Timber is required on the farm for building and repairing, as well as wood for 

 fuel. Trees are needed on farms to protect the soil against erosion, to shelter 

 livestock and crops against dry winds of summer and cold winds of winter, to 

 beautify the farmstead, to furnish homes for game animals and birds, and in gen- 

 eral to contribute to man's comfort. 



A knowledge of farm forestry, applied along simple lines, should make farming 

 more profitable. The outlines (pp. 5 to 34) are designed to furnish 4-H Club 

 members and other rural young people with a guide for study of some of the funda- 

 mental facts concerning farm-forest lands. They present the subject of farm 

 forestry with respect to the important local forest trees and their uses, the proper 

 location of woodlands on the farm and their economic value to the farm, protect- 

 ing and improving woodlands, planting young trees, the different farm-timber 

 products, measuring and marketing timber, and utilizing timber rightly on the 

 farm. 



Sources of Information 



The best use can be made of a publication of this kind only when accurate 

 references are available. Almost every State agricultural college has one or more 

 bulletins on some phase of forestry, and, when available, they may be obtained by 

 writing to the county extension agent or the dean of the agricultural college. 



Farmers' bulletins and other publications of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture to which reference is made in this publication cover many of the topics 

 to be studied. As long as the supply lasts Farmers' Bulletins will be sent free to 

 any resident of the United States. Application should be made to the Chief of 

 Publications, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, or to your Senator, 

 Representative, or Delegate in Congress. Because of the limited supply, appli- 

 cants should select only those publications which are of special interest and order 

 but one copy of each. When the free supply is exhausted, these bulletins may be 

 obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, 

 Washington, D. C, usually at the price of 5 cents. Other publications of this 

 department are also for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, but they are 

 more often technical bulletins which may be of interest only to those who wish to 

 specialize in the subject. 



Publications on various phases of forestry may be obtained directly from the 

 Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Textbooks on forestry 

 may be procured from book companies, or consulted in some libraries. 



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