100 stories from the hiking route

1933 – larch cultivars created at the Kaagipõllu Guard

Information

Topic

The story of forestry

Coordinates

Long-Lat WGS 84

Latitude: 58.1848167

Longitude: 24.983056

L-EST 97

x: 6449743
y: 557827.2

Location

Ikla-Aegviidu Hiking route

The Kaagipõllu Guard belonged to the Voltvet Research and Experimental Forest District. In 1932, the forest district was 9800 hectares large, 7800 hectares of which was forest. Students of the Voltvet Forestry School, opened in 1925, helped along with the forestry work. Thus, the forestry work was completed and students were able to practise.
Larch was cultivated around the Kaagipõllu ranger’s post during the years 1933–1936. The plants came from the Kõrtsi plant garden, additional 450 Siberian larches (Larix sibirica) were from the forestry school’s plant garden. During the planting of larches by the forestry school, it was noted that the high price of the plants hinders the further cultivation of this valuable tree species.
In 1934, Paul Raim wrote in the magazine “Eesti Mets” about the planting of foreign tree species, including the larch, at the Voltvet Experimental Forest District: “Seeds were ordered through Finnish (Proveniens) and Danish (Rafn & Co) seed traders. Several cultivars of larch have been successfully established, the plantings of which were performed with 2- and 3-year-old trained plants. Three species of larches were grown: Larix sibirica, Larix koreensis and Larix leptolepis, of which the Larix koreensis excels with its lush and straight growth. The other larch species mentioned also grow quite well in the established cultivars.”

Sources:
Eesti Mets 1932/10
Eesti Mets 1934/12
Eesti NSV põllumajanduse ministeeriumi metsamajanduse peavalitsuse ning põllu- ja metsamajanduse teaduslik-tehnilise ühingu metsamajanduse sektsiooni bülletään. 1958. January
RMK Cultural Heritage Database