. DEPOSITORY r.ssued | U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY— Circular No. 25. B. T. GALLOWAY, Chief of Bureau. THE COST OF CLEARING LOGGED-OFF LAM) FOE FARMING IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. KARRI THOMPSON, Ixpeut, Office of K\i:m Management. NGTON : GOVCHNUENT PH.NTINQ OFFICE ! IS09 BlREAl OF PLANT INDUSTRY. Pn siologist and Pathologist, and Chief of Bureau, Beverly T. Galloway. : . iologist and Pathologist, and Assistant Chief of Bureau, Uteri F.Woods. / iboratory of Plant Pathology, Erwin F. Smith, Pathologist in Charge. Fruit Diseast Investigations, Merton B. Waite. Pathologist i 1 Charge. Investigations in Forest Pathology, Haven Metcalf, Pathologist in charge. Cott m ■ind Truck Diseases and Plant Disease Survey, William A. Orton, Pathologist in Charge Pathological Collections and Inspection Mori:, Flora W. Patterson. Mycologist in Charge. I'l mi I, /li History Investigations, Walter T. Swingle, Physiologist in Charge. CMon Breeding Investigations, Archibald D. Shamel and Daniel X. Shoemaker. Physiologists in Charge. Ti.bacco Investigations, Archibald D. Shamel, Wightman W. Garner, and Ernest II. Mathewson, in Charge. Corn Investigations, Charles P. Hartley. Physiologist in Charge. Alkali and Drought Resistant Plant Breeding Investigations, Thomas II. Kearney. Physiologist in Charge. Soil Bacteriology and Water Purification Investigations, Karl I". kellerman. Physiologist in Charge. Bionomic Investigations oi Tropical and Subtropical Plants, Orator F. Cook, Bionomist in Charge. Drug and Poisonous I'l nit and Tin Culturt Investigations, Rodney II. True, Physiologist in Charge. Physical Laboratory, Lyman J. Briggs, Physicist in Charge. I that there have practically been no in< estigations o acerning the methods and cost oi r cleared land for the plow. At thi time the question tant in several regions, and \ n abundant expe rience in w.irk of I charai ter this experience has never been recorded and is not available now to those engaged in clearing land for agriculture. During the past Bummci ill'' Department employed Mr. 'I' hump- p so far as possible all the information available from the expe ieni e of th •■<■ who have in recent years put into cultivation logged-off land in th" Pacific Northwest. Tl ir is a summary of thf information th led. As the demand for this information is urgent, ii i^ thought best to publish it in the form of a circulaj B I Galloway, PI '.and Patho 3 4 i (1ST OF CLEABTNG LOGGED-OFF LAND FOE FARMING. A preliminary investigation of the situation was mad:' during the summer of 1908 to determine the extent of the logged-off land, the methods in use at the present time, and as nearly as possible the cost of clearing by the different methods used. Xo experiments were undertaken, and consequently no definite figures can he given in regard to the cost ofclearing by the different methods in use except as given by contractors and owners who had kept the cost of clearing separate from other expenses. The territory covered in this investi- gation embraces western Washington, western Oregon, and northern California. THE EXTENT OF LOGGED-OFF LAND. In the State of Washington the 18 counties west of the Cascade Mountains have a total area of 8,700,000 acres of assessed land, as Fig 2. — Stump pasture land. given by the various assessors of the respective counties. ()l this. 129,000 acres are in cultivation or improved pasture. 5,034,000 acres in standing merchantable timber, and 2,352,000 in logged-off land. From this it will be seen that 27 per cent of the total acreage is logged- off land and thai the acreage in cultivation, much of which is pasture land from which the large stumps have not been removed (fig. 2), is only .". per cent of the whole area. Table 1 shows the acreages for acb <)!' t hese ! 8 count ies. COS 1 ] OF CLEARING LOGGED-OF] LAND FOB FARMING Tabli I Counties Washington, showing tht a on, in limber, and in logged-off land. u ly. ige in merchant- able timber. 500,000 8,013 '.mip.:' 11 413.041 10,000 291,200 Ail ■I olT. '..'.■ in cultivation. 11,216 11,784 51, 570 4,657 27,915 4,000 15,605 Total acre i 807, 432 Til ,000 1,243,000 224,771 884,050 1 ■ - 1 ■".->. r.4 * suitable culture. 112,748 25,000 59, 127 I ii 000 171,364 62,720 150,000 80,000 1 120,000 - o 10 75 ( larkc 7.") 7."» || . 75 Wahkiakum 60 Total.. 9 2,352,109 128,829 8,700 -- The timber lands in western Oregon and northern California are not nearly so accessible ms those of western Washington. Neither is there nearly so much logged-off hind, nor is this land so well adapted for agricultural purposes a-~ thai in Washington. While the demand for farm hind in Oregon and California is well supplied by prairie and easily cleared brush land, the necessity lor reclaiming the logged-off land iii these States i> not pressing. On the other hand, western Washington has hut few valleys thai were not heavily timbered at one time, and the demand lot- agricultural products far exceeds the local supply. Consequently, the demand For farm land and the idle wastes of cut-over land has broughl the question of clearing this land squareh before the people. The character of the clearing ran] from the heavily timbered spruce ami cedar lowlands through the benches and side hills covered with fir stumps and a dense groA* t h of underbrush to the more sparsely covered hemlock ridges. The spruce stump is thoughl to he the most expensive to remove, owing to the fact that it is found only on the deepesl soil, where it roots deeply, it often requiring a box (50 pounds) of stumping powder to loosen a single stump ."> feet in diameter. The fir stump i^ the predominating stump of all logged-off lands in Washington and Oregon, and is removed by various methods described below. The cedar grows to some extent wherever the lir is found ami pre- dominates I'll low ground. All of the above trees have lateral rout systems and do not root deepiN except in loose or sand} soil, where the roots penetrate to a depth of m-\ era I feet. On flooded or swanipy hind the roots are often partly abos e t he surface. 6 COST OF CLEARING LOGGED-OFF LAND FOB FARMING. In the logged-off lands of the redwood district of northern Cali- fornia there has been little effort made to clear the land for agri- cultural purposes, since prairie land is plentiful and the logged-off land is rough and hilly. Some attempts have been made to clear the land of everything but the stumps and then to seed to orchard grass for cattle range. This work of clearing has been done for $10 per acre. This method of making range has proved a failure in most cases, as the great quantity of brush and the sucker growth of the redwood stumps have almost entirely covered the ground in two or three years. It is estimated that the logged-off land of California can be reclaimed at about the same expense as the fir-stump land of Oregon and Washington. Most of the clearing that has been done in Oregon was done by cheap labor until recent years. The donkey-engine method has been used in some sections of the State recently. HAND METHOD OF CLEARING LOGGED-OFF LAND. Until recent years clearing was almost wholly done by what is now known as the "by-hand" method, where the farmer, equipped with peavey, mattock, shovel, and ax, undertook to put under cul- tivation the logger's stubble field. By this method the standing trees and brush were slashed, generally during the summer months. Then, in September or October, after the first rainfall or when there was no danger to neighboring improvements or timber, a fire was started and allowed to burn over the entire slashing, when most of the brush and small logs were burned completely. The remaining logs were sawed into convenient lengths, piled, and burned. After the rains had softened the ground sufficiently the smaller stumps and roots were grubbed and pulled out. Often a stump puller of the capstan type was used in pulling the smaller stumps after they had been loosened by digging around them. This type of stump puller is often used in clearing small tracts after the stumps have been broken into several pieces and loosened by the use of stumping powder, without which no clearing is under- taken in the present day. The stump puller should be of simple con- struction, strongly built. It generally consists of a drum, a wire cable, and a sweep to which a team is hitched. Powder has been used in all clearing operations for several years, and all methods, except, that of burning the stumps below the plow, are dependent upon it to loosen the si umps so ( hat they may be taken out. It is said thai a cheap explosive that would do this work would go a long way toward solving the problem of reclaiming the logged-off land. OF CLEARING LOGGED-OF] LAND FOR FAHAJ IXG. DONKEY-ENGINE METHOD OF CLEARING LOGGED-OFF LAND. Some six or seven years ago when logs were clown in the market and many logging outfits were idle, an enterprising logger took .. ( out racl for pull- ing the stumps from a meadow. He conceived the idea of using his donkej engine with its outfit of blocks and cables to pull and pile i he si umps for burning Since that time many such outfits have been engaged « it h vary- ing success in clear- ing land. The usual method is to slash and burnover the trad to be cleared, in order to burn all the under- brush and as many small logs as pos- sible T li en all t h e st umps more than 1 foot in diameter are split and loosened by a charge of st umping pow derof from five to twenty st icks, according to size. A charge of twenty 1 I -inch h\ 8-inch sticks v ill generally split a5-foo1 stump into five pieces and loosen it so that an en - pull the pieces from the ground. \ in pule is now set in the center of a trad of 8 or 10 acres and held in place by four guy lit top see I This i -I OF < LEAKING I.OGGED-OFF LAND FOR FARMING should be 60 feet or more above the ground. A block is fixed se- curely near the top of the gin pole, through which is passed the main cable from the engine. This cable has the usual hook, ring, and swivels at the end, and is usually 1 inch or 1| inches in diameter. The haul-back cable, which is usually § inch in diameter, is now taken to a lead block and passed around three sides of one-fourth of the tract to be cleared at this setting of the gin pole (see fig. 5), and 'ew pos/r/ows or hb block P~ c 5/b"mui Back cable Fig. 5.— Diagram showing position of donkey engini ig for clearing a 10-acre tract. !i.l hooked into the ling of the main cable, thus forming an end- less cable with die engini — one that will run in either direction to or fron in pole. In some cases, where the engine is built with the haul-back-cable drum above the main-cable drum, ii is better to fasten the block for aain cable about 5 feet from the top of the pole and run the haul-back cable through a block on top of the pole. The haul-back drum is usually geared to run much faster than the main-cable drum. COS! OF CLEARING LOGG Fl LAND FOR FARMING. 9 Each outfit should have on hand at least four chokers and a sup- ply of lead lines and extra blocks. A choker is a section of cable from 20 to 30 feet in length, with a loop in one end and a choker hook oh the other. The choker is passed around the -tump and hooked upon itself. The loop is then caught in the hook of the main cable, and the load is ready to go to the pile. While this load is going to the pile another is made ready, so that there is no tune lost. When the cable returns with the empty choker it is loosened and another hooked into its place. As the loads come to the gin pole they are piled around it as closely as possible (fig. 6) by a man on the pile. I —Stumps piled around ginpoh in clearing with donkey engine. This method, while an economic success in the hands of a I'ow, has proved a costly method of clearing as handled by many others. [f everything is handled to advantage by capable, experienced men this method has many points to its credit over any other method of clearing now in use, the greatesl of which is the saving of time. It is also cheaper than the "by-hand" methods on large tract- of heavy clearing. The question of using a large or small donke\ engine has been discussed, bul those who have 1 n most successful in clearing are generally in favor of an engine with sufficient power to take all roots out with a straighl pull, avoiding the use of blocks. A 9 by 10 inch compound gear, or 10 by 12 inch single gear, is said to be the best size for t his u ork. 10 COST OF CLEARING LOGGED-OFF LAND FOR FARMING. METHODS OF BURNING STUMPS. ft£MOI/£ BAM I i I I /7>0Mm/SS/O£ " /'/2"4(/G£/tH0L£-\ NOT£ rrtPJffr/l SHOM0 B£MAD£ AS lAff6£ AS POSS/BU The first method of burning out fir stumps described below has been used by almost all farmers and others who have done any clear- ing in a small way. This method consists of boring two intersecting holes (see fig. 7) in the stump and starting a fire at the point of intersection by put- ting coals of fire or a piece of iron heated to a white heat into the upper auger hole. A window weight with a wire fastened in the eve makes a good iron for this purpose, as it can be taken out and used again and again. Alter firing, the stump will not require any attention until the por- tion shown in figure 7 A is burned out, as the pitch in the stump and the draft of the air through the holes will keep the fire burning. Alter the upper portion of the stump has been burned away, the lire may be kept up by throwing in the bark and litter that are always to be found near by. By this means the main part of the stump is burned away, leaving the larger stringers with their smaller roots. These may be pulled out by a team or with a stump puller, or they may be en- tirely burned by digging away the In.. 7. — Diagram snowing method of preparing a stump for burning. ' " eart b and rolling a small log alongside of the root. This leaves hut few small roots to be grubbed out by hand. By this method the soil is hut little disturbed, the subsoil i- not scattered over the surface, and the ashes are left where most needed. This method requires less leveling than where holes are made by the use of powder. It is said that one man can burn out thirty large stumps a week by this method and can cut up and pile the logs near by at the same time. Another method of burning out stumps is to split the stump with a small charge of powder, which nearly always makes a large hole underneath and around the stump. This hole is then filled with kindling and other wood and fired. Of t he remaining roots, those that lie near the surface are grubbed out, while the others are cut oil' to a depth of from 12 to 18 inches below the surface. COST O] CLEARING LOGG F] LAND FOE FARMING. 1 1 Charcoaling or pitting stumps, as ii is called, is a method of burning out stumps thai has been little used, bul where tried lias pro\ ''il v en efficienl . The bark should be removed from the stumps in the spring or earl} summer to allow the outside of the stump i<> become thor- oughly dry. Often ii is well to dig a trench around, or to level the ground near the stump; then a ring of \\ I is stood or piled closely about the si p to a height of 2 feel and I Fool thick (see fig. 8). Dry rotten wood <>r hark such as is found in abundance on an\ new land will answer the purpose. This is then completely covered with sod in a ilcpili ..I several inches, excepl a small space on the side the wind is blowing aeainst. Where no sod is to be found the wood /(wolin6 to St/ipt /7pe, Mote /111 b/pk iHOt/io be PEMOVE0 -4NO STUMP TPOPOl/GPLY OPIED B£POP£ E/P/MG Sod covep/h6 12 ' closely p/leo wood COT m LENGTHS TO E/T STUMP - i or ] can Brs1 be covered with a layer of bark, small brush, or ferns to keep the loose earth from sifting through. Fine kindling is placed in the open space and Ore started and allowed to burnopenlj until the ring id' w I is well afire; t hen a piece of hark or a bunch of ferns or grass i.s thrown over the hole and the sod covering completed. The stump must now be closel} watched and the fire not allowed to burn through the covering, more sod being added as needed. The whole secrel of burning the stump completely is to keep the covering intact. II' the roots are kept well covered and are re-covered a- soon as the earth caves, exposing them to the air. they will burn out completely. This method i- \er\ economical lor large stumps. Small stumps can be grubbed or pulled out t<> better advantage. Alter ten days it will he found that the stumps require very little attention. 12 COST OF CLEARING LOGGED-OFF LAND FOB FARMING. The cost of this method of removing stumps is said to be 82 each. The disadvantage of using this method is the time it takes, as it requires several weeks for a large stump to burn out completely. USE OF CHEMICALS IX BURNING STUMPS. The treatment of stumps by boring holes into the top and filling them with a strong solution of saltpeter and alter six months or a year saturating the stump with coal oil and setting fire to it. when it is supposed to burn to the smallest root, has never been tried to any extent. Mr. K. 0. Walders, of Hamilton, Wash., writes of this method, but does not say to what extent he has used it. lie also recommends the use of a strong solution of vitriol to deaden cottonwood, maple, and alder stumps and prevent sprouting. On large fir, spruce, and hemlock stumps, Mr. Walder's method is to bore four deep holes and pour an equal amount of nitric and of sulphuric acid into each hole. The holes are then tightly plugged. In a year the stump is permeated with the acids and can be fired in the dry season. No results obtained from the use of this method are given. A STUMP-BURNING MACHINE. A machine used for burning stumps consists of a gasoline engine, a blower, a distributer, and several lengths of hose with short lengths of pipe on one end. The air from the blower is divided into twelve or sixteen equal parts by the distributer, to which are connected the several lengths of hose, some of which are long and some short. A hole is bored in the stump at the ground line or, better still, the earth is dug awav and the hole bored from (> to 12 inches below the surface. A piece of iron heated to a white heat is then dropped into the hole and a blast of air turned upon it l>\ inserting a pipe attached to the end of the hose which is of less diameter than the hole bored in the slump. The large diameter of the hole permits the gases to escape. As many stumps can he burned at the same lime as there are lengths of hose, or two or more lines of hose can he used on the same s t ump . This machine is still in the experimental stage. A few have been successful in operating it, while others have pronounced it a failure, ft isthoiight that if this machine is perfected it will he a cheap and economical met hod of destroj ing stumps. COST OF CLEARING LOGGED-OF] LAND FOB FARMING. 13 Mr. K. I . Mead, of Tacoma, Wash., says thai by using this machine he has been able to do heavj clearing for $50 per acre. Mr. J. II. Davis, of Georgetown, Wash., has used this machine in clearing 16 acres that averaged 10 stumps per acre al a cosl of $65 per acre. USE OF POWDER IN CLEARING LOGGED-OFF LAND. At the present time few undertake to clear even a small tract of land without the use of powder, and in the hands of an experienced man powder can be made to do a large amounl of work al compara- tively small expense. The powder in general use al the presenl time is known as stumping powder and is pui up in sticks of I '. by 8 inches, about 65 of which conic in a box of 50 pounds. 'Phis powder costs al the presenl retail price $6.25 a box; in ton lots, $5.25 a box. 'The charge of powder is placed as nearly as possible beneath the eentef of the stump. The powder should he placed on the hardpan if the soil is not too deep; ot herwise it is place. I from 2 to 3 feet he low the surface. To get the besl results ilu- sticks are removed from the paper wrappers and packed closely together in the hole beneath the stump. This can not be done in wet place-. The powder works best when t he temperat ure is about 70 V. This powder has more effect when the soil is saturated with water. The wrappers are allowed to remain upon the sticks in wet places. The following charges will be found effective under average ground conditions and where using stump pullers or blocks and teams: Diameter of stumps in inches L8 iM 30 36 18 60 72 Sticksol powder 5 7 L0 20 35 50 65 Where the .-oil is sandy and loose it will require one-half more powder for t he same size stump. A.s this powder doe- not work well at a temperature below 70 i it is necessary when using it in cold weather to keep il warm b\ some method. Some powder men bury the boxes in a manure pile; others lay it upon a perforated rack over boiling water. As in either of these methods the powder becomes more or less damp from the vapor it is thought that when dry heat i- applied better results are obtained. Charles Shirk, of Bellingham, Wash., ha- used a box similar to the one -how n in the illustration (fig. 9) for heating powder and thinks his i- the best method to use foj this purpose. This box is built upon a -led and has a (in pari it ion. on one side of which is placed a small air- tight heating stove, while on the other are shelves of wire screen on which the -tick- of powder are looseb laid. The box shown in the illustration will hold 100 pounds of powder, and it ma\ be kepi at i he desired temperature in the coldest weather. 14 COST OF CLEARING LOGGED-OFF LAND FOE FARMING. It is well to employ a powder man who has had experience in blowing out stumps, as the saving in powder alone will more than pay his wages. ^ COMPARTMENT b FOR \ A/R T/6HT r\ Stove > 2 x-6'' *~L/D <0 fW/ff£ SCR>££A/, to"-^ 2 ' *4 Fig o B , for | .-< • t >i ii • powdi r warm The following statement of stumping done by the Narrows hand Company, of Tacoma, Wash., for six months in L907 will give an idea of the cost of the different items of material used and the labor i:i blasting stumps. Table II. Cost of removing fr stumps from 1 foot to \ feet in diameter from J 20 acres cfland in 1907. Month. Powder. Fuse. Caps. Stumps. Labor. Pounds. 13. 7(H) 1 . 750 2,750 ISO 1 , 250 2,350 Ful. 10, 100 2,050 2, 71)0 2, 150 1.000 3,100 X ii mln r. 2,400 400 700 500 300 80Q \ a in in r. 2, 135 .'.I!' 445 383 238 378 Hours. 2,380 260 324 324 198 283 Dollars. 650 00 87.00 114.90 126.37 77. 53 114.97 Tol il 23,750 6. 22 1!<. 7(. 21,100 5.52 2. 37 5.100 1 . 33 .87 3.S18 3, 709 0.987 1,170.77 31 | | The average cost of the removal of each stum)) is shown below: Powder. Fuse. Calis. Labor. Dotal. Cents. Cents. 49.76 2.37 i i nts 0.87 i 1 nts. i 30.66 83 66 The average cost of the materials used was as follows: Powder. per pound, 8 cents; fuse, per LOO feet, 43 cents; caps, per LOO, 65 cents. COST OF VARIOUS METHODS OF CLEARING LAND. It has been a difficull matter to get definite figures on the COS* of clearing land by the different methods in use, chiefly because the fanners or those who have cleared land have not kept detailed records. Often the cost can not be determined because included with other work. COST Of CLEARING LOGGED-OFF LAND FOB FARMING. L5 The following table shows the cosl given 1>\ the owner or contractor of clearing land by the various methods described; also the quantity of powder used, the Kind of land cleared, etc.: Table Ml Cost i I by various methods. Owner. Method I XT ()/ Unci of land. i has. Rhi Inl . i Sei i a ickson Do B i Ulison I', it \\ est Lumber ( o. I. ind i o Vjcadla UtI( \ I . I : I . i r k i n I itto w 1 C M. Quasi . i . on.. Mi Willis m Doran.... Do I.. Ecknian B. B. I. Co Do Lake \\ tiatcoi Ed B ii. i. hi do. . . m Bros Keninore \ I Rj ther. ... Rl h Powder and stump pull. I ii.'. w ash. in do do Powdei do Powdei ni'i burning.. Tacoma, Wash. . . . Powdi i Midland, Wash Donke} engine . .do . . . .do .do Spokane, Wash .. . Donkey engine and stump pull, a Lake Bay, Wash.. Donke) engini Mary svi lie, Wash. do Getchell, Wash ...do Stanwood Wash .do Mounl Vernon, Wash. do do do Bow, Wash . . 'in do .do Mount \ ii in .u Bellingham, Wash do do do do do Wash do It isiiui. ..i Kail Citj . w b Do lo Robt, Chabol Moclips, \\ i \i inkowski Aberdeen, V w ...do I ' i > w der and ' Powder and grubbing. do . Q. II , .do Donkey engine Do do do [■'.. S. \\i'\ . Buna, Vi h Powder and grubbing. Do i . .do . I Dunl ' .do do do .do do i Irubbing . . . .dn Grubbing and team.. • >i\ mpi i Wash I lonkej engine ■ ' I I I do Powder and slump pulli M. II. Tin.". ' entralia, Wash. do J.H.Davis.. G getown, Wash... sunup burning ma- chine. \\ . it Uderman. Tillamook, Oreg Donkey engine Chrintensen ,v o do . .do Bagley w ood\ llle, < ire i . ..do \l. M if r, . is., ton, Wash i Do. do. . . do i >u ner 1 powder. i ■ i \ l Rheinhart. . .1. Burg \. .1. Kill' .Mill I),. B, I . Ulison i Lumber Co i land. Low land. 35 Bench land. 10 1 ligh land. 2 •> Do. in Do 100 Do. ■". Do. 000 Do. 50 liifdi and low land 5 i md. 7 Low land. 12 Do. L'3 \ alle; 1 20 Do. 12 Do. 24 Do 12 Do. 20 ili^h land. (17 Do. in land. 20 Valley land. In Bench hind. in i>o 4 Bench - 11) Do. 7(111 \ allej hmd. land. II land. 4 High land. .*, land. 1 Do. .", Do. Valley land. High : ' land. High land. Do. 9 Vallev land. 1 Do Sll llcnrli land. 2 17 Do. 350 .'" 7. .Vi I Vrcad 1, E. Larkin. Otto W a ('. II Ql I loll' 1.7(1(1 Mi.i lolvin. . Mr. \\ II . . . man. o.oo 125.00 120.00 100.00 218 i" 75 to l_'."> UC. IKI I Many large cedar stumps. ict. Own i ■ ict. ibing and leveling included. . cleared fur ire; stumps not rei ■ts stump pei Light clearing Stumps onlj ere. ring. ■. ; 15 stump l Vpproximated ; spruce stu 16 CQST OF CLEARING LOGGED-OFF LAND FOR FABMING. Table III. — Cost of clearing land by various methods — Continued. i iwner Poundsoi Cost ol powder. labor. B 15. I. Co Do Lake Whatcom Logging Co. - Ed. Bardon Peterson Bros R. Kinnear Do Robt. Chabol ( ',. Mankowski W. G. Hopkins Do E. S. Vvev... Do..;. F. C. Dunhan Do Wm. Harding ( ieo. Simpson A. S. Caton Geo. I'hler H. IT. Tillev J. H. Davis W. 15. Alderman Chrintensen & Co Bagley & Streets M. Harvey. Do...'.. Cost per acre. Remarks. '« in 3 sun $1,010.30 400 None. 80 mi in. nun 300 4.1100 None. -'.: 100 2,500 205.00 l«l. 00 1.000 S.V,.I)II (58.00 123.00 in i 11.'). 00 100.00 130 00 150 00 35; ''ii 30 00 100 00 43 1)0 100 00 Mm no L38 mi 125 mi ■in 00 125 00 51 ■ in mi 65 00 L25 no urn 00 a 20 00 150 00 105 on 28J days' time, cleared of stumps only. Light clearing. Heavy clearing. Approximated. Contract. Approximated. Do. i Ireen timber— hemlock, fir. spruce. Brush; few stumps. Vine, maple, and cot ton wood. Second-growth fir. 1' to 3'. Large fir stumps. Approximated. Large stumps not taken out. Hem y clearing. Meadow; cedar and fir Stumps only. 40 stumps per acre. Spruce stumps; some work done before. Spruce stumps only: other work done. Wood and lumber sold from this tract: cords wood. SO M feet b. m. lumber. U. S. magazine site — 18" below surface. " Ni t . From the foregoing table of the cost of clearing land it will bo soon that it is only very rich land, or that which is near the centers of pop- ulation, that will at the present time pay interest on the capital invested to put it under cultivation. Better returns from other forms of investment have kept capitalists from forming companies to clear these logged-off lands. It will readily be seen that this would require a large capitalization, as the average farmer could only pay for the clearing of his land in small installments. It has been suggested that the State or county working under a law similar to the one under which bonds are issued for draining hud. whereby a part of the bonds and the interest are paid each year by the small annual payments of the owners benefited, might aid in this work of reclaiming these wastes. Where there tire several owners of land in the same vicinity who desire to clear hind they could do much by Forming a cooperative company to buy machinery and powder and hire the experienced help needed. All those who have cleared logged-off land are united in saying that there is a great deal learned in connection with the first tract of hind cleared and are convinced that they could clear the second tract very much cheaper. Approved : James Wilson, Si iri tary < f Agricultun . Washington, D. ('.. January 28, mm). o