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Thursday, Feb. 7, 1957    probably the Meade County Messenger

The Locust Patch by Walter Scott

The locust patch, as I remember it, was one of the most important parts of the old farm, although it only covered about two acres.  That is where we went to get posts for the new fence, a new tongue for the mowing machine, tier poles for the tobacco barn, posts and poles for our grape arbor, roost poles, telephone poles, etc.  Then when Dad wanted some extra good wood for the cook stove he went to the locust patch and got the old tree "laps" and chopped them up.

That two acres furnished the farm with plenty of posts, etc., for 35 years that I remember.  It would still be doing the job but we decided to set out a new locust patch further from the house to use their good soil for pasture.

The modern farmer may not depend on the locust patch like we did back in the horse and buggy days, but you can't buy a steel post that will out-last or stand up like a locust post.

It seems to me that almost every small farmer needs a locust patch.  Within ten years or less a new locust patch will furnish posts and poles you can't very easily get or can't afford to buy.

The State Forest Service will furnish farmers with locust sprouts for only a few dollars per 1000.  They must be set at about 1000 per acre and the area fenced or protected from stock.

Locust trees grow best on limestone soul and of course, on good soil.  They will grow pretty well in the bottom of a gully, but will hardly live on the side or very near it.  Fertilizer and cultivation helps the trees, but they can make it set out the easy way.

To order locust trees, see your county agent or soil conservationist.  The state is trying to help land owners reforest their non-crop land by furnishing trees of several kinds at cost.