MOORE’S RURAL MEW 
^rkrimltaral. 
APRIL 20 
FULLER ON FORESTRY. 
The New York State Agricultural Society 
submitted certain questions to Ajtorew S. 
Fuller for answer. The first was:—“ What 
kinds of timber yield the greatest profit to 
foresters? ” 
Mr. Fuller said, in a paper read before 
the Society, to answer this question in a 
general way I would say deciduous trees, 
evergreens requiring greater age before be¬ 
coming available for the purposes for which 
the timber is used. The next question 
which would naturally arise would be, 
for what purpose the timber was re¬ 
quired ? Hoop poleB in some portions of 
the country would yield a greater profit 
and be produced in less time than any 
other kind of timber. In other localities 
where this article is not in demand, tim¬ 
ber required for railroad ties might be 
the most profitable, such as larch and 
chestnut, both being among our most 
rapidly-growing and durable timber. The 
locust tree should certainly be added in 
regions where the “locust borer” does 
not attack it. 
“ What length of time elapses between 
the planting of the seed and maturity of 
the tree for cord wood? and how long 
between the planting of the seed and 
maturity of the tree for timber? ” 
Maples. — to these the reply isThe 
Silver Maple (Accrdaay carpum) is oue 
of the most rapidly-growing trees we 
possess, and is adapted to the climate 
and soil of this State. Its seeds ripen in / 
June, and if sown immediately and cov- f 
ered lightly, seedlings two or three feet 
high may be produced the first year. The 
following spring they should be trans- , 
planted into nursery rows about four I 
feet apart, and the trees twelve to eight¬ 
een inches apart in the row. At this 
distance eight to ten thousand trees can 
be set on an acre. The trees should be 
thinned out annually until those remain¬ 
ing have sufficient room to mature. I 
have raised this species of maple, from 
seed, which at four years old were four 
inches in diameter at the base and fifteen 
foot high; at ten years of age a foot in 
diameter and sufficiently large to be cut 
into cord wood. It is true that the wood 
is not so valuable as the sugar maple or 
hickory, but it cau be produced in less 
than one-half the time. 
Jt will require fifteen to twenty-five 
years to produce frees large enough to 
be hewn or sawed into lumber which will 
answer for the frames of barns or other 
buildings. Another merit of thiH species 
of maple is its adaptation to dry as well 
as moist soils, growing rapidly even on 
sandy plains. 
The Red Maple (Acer, rtthrum) ripens 
its seed at the same time as the Silver 
Maple, and both need the same treat¬ 
ment, but the former js not so rapid a 
grower, and requires a rich, moist soil. 
The timber is similar, but of the two 
trees the Silver Maple is far preferable 
for cultivation. 
The Sugar or Rock Maple (Acer sac- 
charinum) is certainly one of our most 
valuable forest treoe. The seed ripens in 
autumn, and although they may be sown at s 
this time, 1 have found that mixing them q 
with sand and keeping them in a moist, f 
cool position until spring is a better way. t 
If sown in autumn the earth is likely to be- 11 
come so hard and compact over them that 
a portion at least will fail to break through, a 
They should be sown in nursery rows and n 
transplanted when one or two years old 11 
o 
To avoid repetition allow me to bo a little h 
more explicit in regard to transplanting 
seedliugs. All seedling fruit or forest trees ^ 
should bo transplanted while young as a 01 
a hastening process, as well as to insure safe ci 
removal in later years. Transplanted seed- a1 
lings grow more rapidly than untransplant- 
ed, and when the operation is properly per- ] v 
formed a tree will be ns large in ten years ct 
as it would hare been at twenty if allowed 
to remain where the seed was sown or nat- in 
urally grew as it fell from the parent tree. 
I do not know of any exception to this rule 
for the hickory, butternut, and black wal- ^ 
nut, whioh are generally considered difficult U j 
trees to remove. If traueported when one as 
or two years old, and deprived of the great- aa 
er portion of their tap-root, they will throw ^ 
out numerous side or lateral roots, which v a 
not only causes vigorous growt h but insures irn 
success iu transplanting. One of the most a ? 
erroneous theories ever promulgated is that 
a tree will grow more rapidly and remain %ni 
healthy longer if it is never meddled with eai 
from the time the seed is placed in the 
earth. Such a theory belongs to the bar¬ 
barian and non-progreBsive ages, and not to 
the nineteenth century. 
But to return to the tree under consider¬ 
ation. The Sugar Maple is comparatively 
a slow grower during the first half dozen 
years from seed, hut after it. gets well es¬ 
tablished it makes a rapid growth. If cul¬ 
tivated for fuel or for sugar the trees should 
lie given an abundance of room, because the 
roots will naturally extend to a considera¬ 
ble distance laterally. From my observa¬ 
tion and acquaintance with this tree 1 think 
that twenty-five years are required to pro¬ 
duce 8pocimouB largo enough for cord wood 
or available for sugar. 
Hickories,—There are such a number of 
[ The trees grow more rapidly than the hick¬ 
ory. and arrive at an available, size in less 
time. 
The Elm.—The two most valuable North¬ 
ern species of the elm are the white, or 
weeping (Ulmm Americana ,i and corky 
white elm (Ulimis racemosa ). These tree's 
are more valuable while youug, in compari¬ 
son to the amount of wood produced, than 
when old or very large. When small the 
i rees are valuable for hoop-poles, and at the 
age of ten to twenty years their stems are 
Su great demand for wagon bubs and other 
purposes where a very tough timber is re¬ 
quired. The seeds ripen with the silver and 
scarlet, maple, or a little earlier, and should 
be treated in the same manner. There is 
no tree more readily propagated or more I 
satisfactory iu growth than our common I 
T3 E ^A_TT C_A_IRT\r E A —[bee Next Page.] 
species of the hickory, all of which are not 
adapted to the same kind of soil, that some 
care will be necessary in making a selection 
for plantations. Some of the species appear 
to succeed best upon a rather light or open, 
porous soil, such as sandy or stony ridges 
mid deep declivities; while others, like the 
common shell-bark hickory (Varya alba) 
and the bitter-nut. (Varya dmara) prefer a 
moist, rather compact soiL They are all 
naturally very slow growing trees; but with 
cultivation and proper pruning, timber 
large enough for making-farm implements 
cau bo produced in fifteen or twenty years. 
There is quo thing to be said iu favor of the 
hickories which is applicable to but few 
other uative trees, and it is, that the first 
cutting of a hickory forest may be made 
available for hoop-poles; and 'if they are 
removed at the proper season, the stumps 
throw up sprouts which will grow so rapid¬ 
ly, that the cheek in growth is scarcely per¬ 
ceptible after a few years. 
The Ash.—The remarks that I have made 
in regard to the hickoriaB are equally appli¬ 
cable to the different species of the ash. 
The white ash (Fraxlnus A mericana) and 
blue ash (F-yuadranyulata) are the two 
most valuable native species for cultivation 
upon moderateiy dry soils, while the green 
h.sh (F-verdia) and black or water ash (F. 
sambucifolia) are more suitable for low, 
wet soils. two are trees deserving: 
of special attention, on account of their 
valuable timber for all kinds of agricultural 
implements. The seeds ripen in autumn, 
and should be treated the same as other 
kinds whioh ripen at this season. The 
young geedlings produce a great number of 
small fibrous roots, and consequently are 
easily transmuted without danger of loss. 
weeping elm, as it will flourish on almost 
any soil which is not too dry. 
Black Walnut.—Thi6 is a valuable tree, 
but. its timber is not available until of great 
age, at least not for t he purpose to whioh it 
is generally applied. From thirty to fifty 
years are required to produce black walnut 
lumber suitable for cabinet work. The 
tree, however, should not be neglected even 
if uo immediate profit can be expected from 
its culture, for a few specimens, interspers¬ 
ed here and t here among other species, 
would always cuhauoe the prospective value 
of a plantation; and I am not oertftiu but a 
black walnut plantation would bo a good 
investment, and, like Government bonds, 
payable many years hence at alow rate of 
interest, would always command purchasers 
at par, if not above. 
There are several other species of native 
forest trees that might be placed in this list 
of trees chiefly valuable when of large size, 
such, for instance, as the white wood (Llri- 
odendron tulipifera), basswood or linden, I 
beach, birch, and butternut. But. if we are 
to cultivate trees it is useless to spend time 
upon inferior kinds. 
The Chestnut.—I might hare placed this 
tree higher up on the list of valuablu trees, 
but it is so well kuowu that there Is little 
danger of any one mistaking its position. 
In rapidity of growth upon dry- soils it has 
few equals. Ten to twenty years are neces¬ 
sary to produce trees from the seed of a 
size large enough for fence posts or rails, 
and about twenty to twenty-five for rail¬ 
road ties. 
The European Larch. — Considerable 
attention has been given to the culture of 
this tree iu the past few years, and from | 
ck- present indications it will prove to be as 
ess valuable here as in Great Britain, where 
many thousands of acres are now covered 
.. wjth larch forests. The tree grows so ra- 
nr p - - v tbat t,mber large enough for railroad 
ties can be produced within twenty vaars 
zZ from planting. For the first, few years the 
seedlings require careful culture. 
an Trimming Trees. —“Should trees be 
he trimmed or loft untrimmed on plantations? 
he It they should be trimmed, what is the best 
j, re method ? 
loi I should as soon adopt the system of non- 
r(> * cultivation as of lion-trimming of trees, 
nrl Branches that, are carefully cut off close to 
i. V' 0, main strm, we not nearly so liable to 
decay and disease the whole tree, as when 
ire left to die and drop off naturally. Besides 
on . tnis, when a proper system of pruuing is 
pursued, all the vital forces of the tree 
can be directed into chaunols leading to 
desired results. 
It would bo difficult to lav down any 
set of rules ns the best method of prun- 
nig, because different species as well as 
individual specimens of each may re- 
qu're special treatment. For instance, 
certain specimens may become stunted 
and dwarfed lu growth, and the best 
method of restoring vigor would be to 
cut the stem down to its very base, de- 
pending upon a chance shoot, from the 
root for the future tree. In cultivating 
or in restoring plantations of oaks, 
l hickories, and chestnut, t his is often 
\ practiced with the best, results, Prun- 
itt ing will often dp more toward increasing 
\ the growth of a tree than the best of cul- 
\ ture. Again, the method of pruning 
i \ would have to be varied in accordance 
i \ * , fcirm desired iu the trees. If 
U \ a tail, slender stem was of more value 
\ \ thun i on « bight and greater di- 
,i 1 ameter, then the trees should be planted 
l nearer together, and the lower branches 
U removed us rapidly as possible without 
checking growth. A slight acquaintance 
B \ w ‘ th . {Control principles of vegetable 
l\ physiology. and a little Observation and 
practice will usually be sufficient to en¬ 
able any one to do what little pruning is 
necessary in a plantation. 
How to Renew Woodlands.—Is it 
more profitable to renew woodlands by 
!i planting, or by leaving them to grow up 
naturaUy by sprouting, or otnerwise ? 
f ins would depend very much upon 
\ circumstaucee. If the natural growth 
\ were trees of a valuable kind, and of those 
\ species which readily produce healt hy 
\\ sprouts from roots or seed, it might be 
more profitable in i he end to encourage 
such a second growth than to replant 
\ with °ther kinds. There are thousands 
I . a ® rei ’ pf uncultivated lauds now occu- 
\ pied with choice timber, and with such 
it would be poor policy to destroy all 
and undertake to replant. There are few 
of our natural forests which do not con¬ 
tain more or less valuable species which 
might be encouraged, and the less valu- 
able destroyed. 
There is,* certainly, a great lack of 
proper discrimination among farmers in 
regard to the preservation of valuable 
timber trees. Whenever a certain tract 
is sot aside as permanent woodland, the 
greatest care should thenceforth bo 
given, not only in removing trees that 
have arrived at raatnrltv, but in pre¬ 
serving the more valuable of the young 
growth. It may also be well to intro¬ 
duce valuable species not native of the 
locality; but this, as a general rule, will 
be found quite difficult in old forests. 
If it is desirable to remove all Lhe tim¬ 
ber from land easily brought under cul¬ 
tivation, then it would be better to make 
thorough work of it, and after subdu¬ 
ing the laud, plaut it with the most de- 
Birable species. 
Our people do not as yet fully realize 
the importance of this subject, but the 
time is not far distant when the restora¬ 
tion, cultivation, and preservation of for¬ 
ests will rank among the greatest of our 
many very important industries. 
--- 
ARBORICULTURAL N0TE8, 
American Beech in the West,—I think 
your advice, iu the Rural New-Yorker, in 
regard to propagating the Beech in the 
Northwest for a timber tree, will not bo 
well received by those who have tried the 
experiment. After a residence of many 
years west of the Mississippi, and having 
tried the experiment, 1 should not advise 
any one in the section referred to to depend 
upon the Beech. I believe the roots spread 
too near the surface to withstand our cli¬ 
mate. If any one has succeeded in this vi¬ 
cinity, I should be glad to hear of it.—G. O. 
H., Keokuk, Iowa. 
Early Flowering Willow.—If F. W. 
R. of Ohio will Bend us some of the cat¬ 
kin s when fully developed, also leaves of 
the willow referred to in his letter, we may 
be able to give him the botanical name. 
| Persons desiring names of plants should en- 
[ deavor to send good specimens of both 
flowers and fully developed leaves. It is 
sufficiently difficult to name plants from 
dried specimens without having these im¬ 
perfect. 
Malionia from Colorado. — Enclosed 
find flowers and leaves of a plant from Col¬ 
orado. Please give the name through the 
Rural New-Yorker. — R. H. P., Nebras¬ 
ka City, Vol. 
It 5s, probably, Mahonia repens, a low- 
growing, evergreen shrub, which is quite 
common on the Rockv Mountains, There 
are also two species which are found on the 
west side of the Mountains, viz.: M.Aqui- I 
Jalium, and M. nervosa; both are hardy. li 
