Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1885 — The Age of Trees. [ARTICLE]

The Age of Trees.

Many of our exchanges,’ both agricultural and others»often print eroneous statements concerning the longevity of some of cur forest trees. For the benefit of readers who may have been misled by such statements we append the following list, showing the age of trees when their timber is most valuable, both in Europe and in the United States: Black walnut, 250 to 300 years; royal oak, 250; quercus alba, or white oak, 200; European sweet chestnut, 200; American Chestnut, 180; European linden, 125; Dutch, orbroad-leaved, linden, 90 to 100; European beech, 90 to 95; Scotch pine, 90; Norway spruce, 95; white willow, 40; sycamore maple, 50; alder, cherry, and poplar, 50 to 60; It is probable that most of those in the list marked over 100 years are not very valuable in this country after they are at the century score. As a general thing the most valuable stage of development in the timber of a tree is reached earlier in the United States than in Europe, an important fact depending upon the difference in climate.— Er.