1
8 The Conservative.
CULTIVATION OF TKKKS AS A FAKM
j 1IUSINESS.
i
The legislature of ludiana enacted the
forestry law , which practically exempts
forest plantations from taxation. With
this encouragement , farmers should se
riously consider the question of forest-
growing as a profitable investment , as
compared with grain farming.
For so many years the pioneers have
labored to dispossess the land of its tim
ber , which from its abundance had slight
value , it is difficult for them to appreci
ate the wonderful change within , one
generation , and the necessity for addi
tional forests. Timber has been rapidly
advancing in price for two decades , and
is still going higher as the area of forest
lands in the United States decreases ,
and this will continue for years to come ,
since the demand for timber and lumber
is increasing with the growth of popula
tion , requirements of builders' trades ,
commerce and wood manufacture.
In natural woods the great majority
of trees are valueless ; only a small per
cent are of high commercial value. In
artificial plantation every tree possesses
an equal value , for all are alike , and
every foot of laud is occupied.
An acre of grain will produce for the
owner about $7 per annum , and in
twenty years $140. Each year the land
must be plowed , planted and harvested ,
requiring continuous care and hard la
bor. Planted in suitable forest timber ,
the income in twenty years will be $1,000 ,
while the value of the surplus trees cut
out will far exceed all expenses of the
plantation.
The Prairie States fully understand
this subject , and for years have been
planting forest groves. Several of these
plantations cover a square mile each ,
and those which were planted two dec
ades ago are very remunerative. Tele
graph poles , at $2.50 each , are now being
cut. Each land-owner is entitled under
our law to a forest reservation one-
eighth the area of his farm , and if every
land-owner should take advantage of
the law , planting one-eighth of the state
systematically with commercial woods ,
the benefit to the remaining lands would
be so great that a much larger aggregate
crop would result in the state , benefit
ing every farmer and increasing the
state's -resources. "Walnut , in twenty
years , under favorable conditions , will
make sawing timber sixteen inches hi
diameter. Russian mulberry , in that
time , will make crossties , worth , at
present prices , $4.60 , but , at advancing
values , double that. A catalpa grove
well cultivated for a few years will give
still better results , from the extreme
durability of the wood fifty to 100
years and the rapidity of its growth.
Many railways are planting the catal
pa on their vacant lauds , anticipating a
timber famine about a quarter of a cen
tury hence. I have a catalpa crosstie
taken from the Big Four tracks that was
in use twenty years three times the
life of white oak and a post which I
sent to the New Orleans Exposition was
for seventy-five years standing in an lu
diana farm fence. All spreading trees ,
as the walnut , oak and catalpa , will
become straight-bodied , having long
trunks , when planted thickly ; 4x4 feet
is a suitable distance , three-fourths to
be removed in eight to ten years , giving
additional space to the remaining perma
nent trees.
Not only is the catalpa durable and of
rapid growth , but as furniture lumber it
has few superiors. It has a firm grain ,
takes a fine polish and compares well
with our finer woods for inside house
finishing.
Grown in a forest , catalpa is tall ,
straight , symmetrical , while the neg
lected specimens on our lawns and
streets are crooked and irregular , pos
sessing no value as timber. Being a
native of Indiana , it succeeds in every
part of our state.
The following is from the Kansas City
Star :
"Some twenty years ago the Kansas
City , Fort Scott & Memphis Railroad
began experimenting in the propagation
and growing of forest trees , looking for
ward to a probable future timber supply
for the railroad. Under the direction
and instruction of Prof. Sargent of
Harvard university the company planted
about 100 acres near Farlington , Kansas ,
of the following varieties of timber
trees : White ash , black walnut , wild
cherry , opage orange , alanthis and ca
talpa speciosa. The annual growth and
general appearance of these varieties
were carefully noted for three or four
years , and a perceptible difference was
observed in favor of the catalpa speci
osa , and the following is quoted from a
report made by J. M. Buckley , road-
master : 'The catalpa speciosa has cer
tainly proved to be the strongest grower ,
most tenacious , standing the dry
weather better than any other variety ,
and at the present rate will come to ma
turity years before any other variety is
of sufficient size to be of any utility. '
"The result was that a contract was
made with the late Robert Douglass to
plant two sections of land , 1,280 acres
in Crawford county , Kansas , entire
ly of this valuable tree. The rail
road company owned one section and
Mr. Honewell , a director of the road ,
the other. The two plantations , when
completed , contained about 8,000,000
trees. The last of these trees were set
out about fifteen years ago.
' 'A reporter for the Star visited these
plantations recently and made a careful
examination of growth with some idea
of the present value. The most import
ant fact disclosed by this visit was that
the experiment had resulted in a most
unquestionable financial success. The
trees had made notable growths , many
of them measuring twelve to fifteen
inches in diameter and forty to fifty
feet high. Counting about 1,600 of the
best trees to the acre , the average would
be about eight inches in diameter and
thirty-five to forty feet high. From
this observation it was calculated that
seventy-five to one hundred valuable
telegraph poles can be cut now from
every acre of the good land , besides
thousands of fence posts. "
If the farmers of Indiana will give
their boys a plot of ground to plant in
forest , it will be a better investment
than $1,000 placed at interest , besides
encouraging them to remain on the
farm.
JOHN P. BROWN.
Connersville , Ind. , Feb 15 , 1900.
Tra CONSERVA-
THE cmsis OF ;
has received
THE KEPUIILIC.TIVE
from its generous
and patriotic publishers this intensely
interesting volume from the pen of the
Hon. George S. Boutwoll of Massa
chusetts.
Dana Estes & Company , of Boston ,
are the publishers. Letters addressed
that firm will secure immediate atten
tion , and all the details as to the cost ,
wholesale and retail , of this invaluable
appeal to the patriotism and conscience
of the American people will be set out.
To Mr. Dana Estes THE CONSERVATIVE
is under renewed and constantly appre
ciated obligations.
FRENCH WOMEN'S VIEWS.
In reply to the question asked by the
Girl's Own Paper of France : "Shall
Women's Dress Be Reformed ? " thous
ands of young women have written to
the editor declaring that the skirt is at
once graceful and womanly , while its
substitute proposed by reformers has
nothing to redeem its ugliness. That
women should want to look as ugly as
men is simply astonishing in the opinion
of these feminine young women ; and ,
really , when considered from , this point
of view , a divided skirt is the last dress
in the world to be desired. The garb of
man is not beautiful.
"The cry that free trade between
Puerto Rico and the continental port of
the United States would injure any pro
tected industry or tend to cheapen labor.
in this country , is preposterous , " de
clares the Chicago Inter Ocean ( rep. ) .
"The republican majority in both houses
should stand by the recommendations of
the president. The republican party has
never won in the past by dodging a
troublesome question.
The Philadelphia Ledger ( rep. ) trusts
that when the settlement as to the posi
tion of Puerto Rico comes through a
decision of the supreme court "the
fundamental rights of the Puerto Ricans
will be found to rest on something more
substantial than the whim of congress
or of the executive , acting upon their
interpretations of the 'general spirit of
the constitution. ' That would be a
rather hazy and precarious foundation , "