VOL. LXVI
INDIANAFOLIP, APRIL 15, 1911.
NO. 15
HOW    THK    LOCUST    SHOl'LI)     BE
PLANTED.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
The question is often asked us to
what kind of locust should be planted
for fence post and poles and this same
question may also be answered as to
the two kinds of catalpa.
There are two kinds of catalpa and
two kinds of locust. The catalpa that |
is most likely to succeed is the one
called Speciosa, or commonly the Western Hardy catalpa. This tree has large
showy flowers and long seedpods from
one to one and a half feet in length,
and leaves with a single point at the
tip. There being no indication of
leaves or points along the lateral mar-
fence posts and other material than If
he had left the ground as agricultural
land, and he will do this with scarcely
any expense.
This post locust or Robinia pseudoa-
cacia, grows faster than the other locust, and yet under favorable conditions lt will require at least eight to
nine years to become a good sized post.
If planted in a pure stand it should be
planted as close as 4 by 4 feet in order
that the trees may have mutual protection and that they may grow straight
poles. In places where the locust borers exist the trees will have to be planted
close so that the trunks of all the trees
are shaded at all times, in order to keep
the locust borers from laying their eggs
As a rule tho trees do not flourish on
low mucky land, but prefer clay, sandy
loam or gravelly soil. Old pastures or
sod meadows may be planted by running furrows where the rows of trees
are to stand, and plating the trees in
the bottom of those furrows. If the
first season after planting should prove
to be a very dry season, or if a dry season is expected It would be best to cultivate around the trees so as to pre- I
serve the moisture and give the trees
a better start.
On land that is too poor to raise
other crops on it is' perhaps the best
tiling that can be done to plant it to
locust. If all other things are equal
the locust will prove a paying crop not
the best markets are, and the prices. He
may order a piece of machinery for repairs and have it in use a very short
time, saving dollars in wasted grain.
So if the 'phone Is a time-saver it is
doubly a money-maker. When you add
to a thing at both ends, it counts up
fast.
As to the convenience, the 'phone is
worth much. In rough weather one
may sit in a comfortable room and call
the doctor, speak to his friends on
business, or otherwise, and not be exposed to the weather.
As to the social value, that is incalculable. One may talk to his distant
friends with ease; enquire after the
sick, the social functions get the news
.TERREr    HAIJTE,.   .    tJVXjLIANAPO 1,5_      ... A,N V
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9' ff
^«a"-_^_»*--!»_ac.
A   modern  interurban  passenger  coach.    The development of rapid transit through farming sections marks a new  era for botli the city man and farmer.
^in. This tree grows well in Ohio and
Southward but has as yet not proven
successful in the more northern States.
The tree requires a comparatively long
season to mature its wood and it can
not stand too much below zero weather.
The proper kind of locust to plant is
that which we see most often in yards
and lawns, near residences or along
the road side. This one has two thorns
at the base of the bud, while the other
Mas large thorns placed most anywhere
and these thorns are three-pointed
which gives it the name of three-thorn-
ed locust.     If a catalogue is consulted,
( will be found under the name of
Kobinla pseudoacacia. This tree goes un-
Ur various names, such as black, yellow, green, post, honey locust, while the
"ther locust is found under the name of
'■li-ditschia tricanthos meaning three-
thorned acacia. This one also goes un-
1,1 r the name of black, yellow and
honey locust. It is further easily distinguished from the other by its smaller
leaves, Inconspicuous flowers, large
spthes and large pods. It is much less
rommonly planted. However In certain
Parts of Ohio and points south it has
'■ecome such a weed tree to certain
farmers as to cause them much trouble.
The story goes that one farmer was
driven from his farm by this locust taking up the ground so rapidly as to keep
'he poor farmer busy year out .arid
in grubbing out the locust, and
giving him no time to raise other crops.
fe sold the farm to a man who Is now
'aking advantage of the prolificacy of
*h« locust and he is now allowing the
locust full sway on this land, hoping
'hat within a short time he will reap
mnre  from   the  locust  in   the  way  of
on the trunk of the tree. Where the
locust borer does not exist the tree can
be very profitably used at filling in any-
open spaces in the woodlot or elsewhere on the farm.
The propagation of this tree is very
easy either from root sprouts, from cuttings or from seeds. When the seed
method is used it is best to scald the
seed first so as to wake them up out
of their winter' sleep and hasten the
germination process. This can be done
by using three quarts of water at 130
fahrenheit to each pound of seed, pouring the seed Into the water and stirring
the seed occasionally to keep the heat
distributed. Then allow the seed to
stand over night in the vessel and plant
the next day. The seed is usually about
50 cents a pound and upward. You can
not look for success in growing the
trees from seeds in the woods. The
trees should be sown in rows in the
vegetable garden or somewhere in the
field where they can be cultivated. The
plants may be as close as 6 inches
sometimes even closer. The first year,
they will grow from seed from 3 to 5
feet In height. These young trees must
be planted to their permanent position
or situation before they have attained
their second years' growth, or they will
grow too large to handle them economically.
If one should desire to purchase these
trees, they can be had at any reliable
nurseryman's at about $2.50 to $2.75
per thousand. There ls no use of paying fancy prices for the common stock.
The locust ls more durable than the
cedar. Even when Injured by the borer
or otherwise they retain their good
lasting qualities.
alone .is to the value of the wood produced but also in the way of improving
the soil. For the locust is a legume
and gathers its nitrogen from the air
and stores it in the soil for future
crops, and it is, therefore, a soil builder.
—C. H. Goetz, Dpt. of Forestry, University of Ohio.
TELEPHONES ON. THE FAKM.
Edltora Indiana Farmer:
The telephone is no longer a luxury,
but a modern necessity. We do not
think about doing business without it.in
fact it Is impossible to do so. Many-
rural communities cannot yot avail
themselves of this great convenience
and time-saver, and so are seriously
handicapped in all their social pursuits.
If we choose, for the sake of convenience, to divide tho social life into
religious, political, the home, and business, social Institutions I should say
that the telephone is \ery beneficial to
all; but more so concerning the last
named than the others. For man is
a social creature by nature and the
loneliness of life on a remote farm revives this latent impulse till he becomes
restless and wretched. But telephones,
along with other things, serve to put
him in touch with the world and make
him  more  content.
There is no other modern convenience that equals the telephone as a
time-saver. By means of one a farmer
may in a few minutes scour the whole
country in search of laborers, stock
that he needs or has to sell, or anything of the kind that he desires. And
this means much to a farmer, especially ln busy seasons. He may speak to
friends  in   the   cities  and   learn   where
which helps so much to make ona a
part of the world. Farmers need the
telephone more than men of the cities,
because farmers don't live close together.
I think the telephone is one of the
factors that will count toward solving
the problem of keeping good men on
the farms. WThen we can get good
prices for farm products, a few more
conveniences like good roads, mall carriers and telephones—in fact, when
we are possessed of all that is necessary to yield up to the farmer his birthright of pleasure, profit and respectability there will be no lack of efficient
men to manage our farms. E. G.
FARM LIBRARIES.
The last report of the Public Library
1 Commission of this State speaks of the
great and increasing popularity of the
a traveling libraries;     206  new    stations
had   been   established  within   the   two
| preceding years in addition to the 81 al-
! ready*in existence.     The reports from
those ordering the books are most en-
■ couraging, showing much    use of    the
j books and great appreciation of them.
! This reminds us that our Marion county
library is not patronized nearly so well
as it should by the farmer families of
the county.     It has a large list of excellent    miscellaneous books, besides a
collection  of agricultural^ books superior, probably, to any other in the State.
The book are free to all citizens of the
county,  and the library is open every
Saturday.
 1   m   .
Now Tork city keeps two million persons   busy     supplying   its     Inhabitants
I with food.