Author: Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters Title: Report of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, 1922 - 1924 Place of Publication: Harrisburg, Pa. Copyright Date: 1924 Master Negative Storage Number: MNS# PSt SNPaAg072.3 <1126323>Form:serial InputBAL EditFMD 008 ENT: 820728 TYP: d DT1: 1924 DT2: 19uu FRE: g LAN: eng 010 06034747 037 PS5 SNPaAg072.3-072.4 $bPreservation Office, The Pennsylvania State University, Pattee Library, University Parl<, PA 16802-1805 050 0 SD12$b.P3 090 10 634.908 $bP3 $l+(date) $cax $s+U1922/24-U 1924/26 090 20 Microfilm D344 reel 72.3-72.4 $l+(date) $cmc+(sen/ice copy, print master, archival master) $s+U1922/24-U 1924/26 110 1 Pennsylvania $bDept. of Forests and Waters 245 00 Report of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters 260 [Harrisburg, Pa.] $bThe Dept. $c1924- 300 V. $bill. $c24 cm. 362 0 1922/24- 51 5 Report year irregular 533 Microfilm $m1 922/24-1 924/26 $bUniversity Park, Pa. : $cPennsylvania State University $d1998 $e2 microfilm reel ; 35 mm. $f(USAIN state and local literature preservation project. Pennsylvania) $f(Pennsylvania agricultural literature on microfilm) 590 Archival master stored at National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD : print master stored at remote facility 590 This item is temporarily out of the library during the filming process. If you wish to be notified when it returns, please fill out a Personal Reserve slip. The slips are available in the Rare Books Room, in the Microforms Room, and at the Circulation Desk 650 0 Forests and forestry $zPennsylvania $xPeriodicals 780 80 Pennsylvania. Department of Forestry $tReport of the Department of Forestry of the State of Pennsylvania for the years ... 830 0 USAIN state and local literature preservation project $pPennsylvania 830 0 Pennsylvania agricultural literature on microfilm FILMED WHOLE OR IN PART FROM A COPY BORROWED FROM: University of Michigan 1922-1924 , / REPORT of the Pennsylvania Department 'C..f:^.- 'K -"-<:- of Forests and Waters SSSmM from January 1, 1922 to May 31, 1924 - v ''^ /^y' fr _.!■'■■■ ^w'^. , 'v iV^ .'. '-r September 30, 1924 Hon. (iifford rinchot, Ciovcrnor of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, Pa. Dear Goxernor Pinchot : I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on the work of the Pennsyh ania Department of lujrests and Waters for the calendar years 1922 and 1923, and for the five months ending May 31. 1924. This is the first biennial report of the Department of F(^rests and Waters, created under the Reorganization Act of June 7, 1923. The administration in one Department of forests, waters, and min- eral resources of the State has effected a degree of cooperation and coordination of work in these fields heretofore unattained. This grouping of effort is a distinct advance in carrying out a compre- hensive conservation program under the safeguards provided by the Act. 4 Rrspectfully yours, R. V. STUART, Secretarv, I'orests and W aters (2) («) (4) <^. f COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA Report of the Department of Forests and Waters for the calendar years 1922 and 1923, and the five months ending May 31, 1924 The conservation of the forest, water and mineral resources of Pennsylvania is of vital importance to her citizens. Without these natural resources, so generously bestowed upon her. the State could not have attained her preeminent industrial position and prosperity, liut the march of pro-ress has been attended by such prothgate use and destructive methods that our continued eniovment of them IS threatened. In this respect the situation in Pennsvlvania is but a reilection of the National condition. Wise use and constructive measures in the handlin.ir of our natural resources are essential to the maintenance of American standards of living. The revelation of this condition in Pennsylvania and other States has stirred the public to the need for comprehensive conservation programs. It is giving more and more thought to the production and use of forest, stream and mine. It is supi)()rting intelligent action to assure a continuance of these resources. In no State are constructive efforts in conservation more earnestly supported by its citizens than in Pennsylvania. To no State will the benefits secured be greater. Our 13,000,000 acres of forest land are ca])able of turning out, if handled properly, 10,000.000 cords of wood annuallv. The benefits to the State of properly managed forests, aside from their wood value, are incalculable, touching as they do the health, welfare and happiness of every citizen. Our water courses, with an annual run-off of approximately 1.962,.S00 million cubic feet, are of in- estimable worth for water supply, water j)ower. and navigation. Their possibilities under development are tremendous. The mineral resources of the State have made her the industrial Titan among the States of the Union. The wise use of our natural resources, whether renewable or non-renewable, is the measure of our thrift and stewardship. The treatment and use of such important resources, which f>ccup\' an outstanding place in our everyday life, is worthy of the most enlightened study and practice — a program to which the Conmion- wealth is now definitely committed. (5) REPORT OB^ THE FOREST SERVICE Off. Doc. Forest land coniiprises more than 45% of the total land area of Pennsylvania. Land adapted and in use for forest production occurs in every county of the State. In ei^-htcen of the counties over 60% of the area, and in six of them over 75% is in forest land. Through- out the entire State continuous forest production is an important economic question in land development and use. Lands primarily adapted to the growth of trees should be put to this use. Our depleted forest resources, now dangerously low, must be built up to their normal capacity. Forest restoration, now underway through- out the State, is slowly but surely changing the timber production ledger from heavy losses to substantial gains. The showing thus far made, in which the State has been the leader, can be attributed in large measure to organized forest protection. WHAT FOREST PROTECTION HAS ACCOMPLISHED There can be no continuous forest production without forest pro- tection. Pennsylvania is continuing her aggressive campaign against forest fires and working out effective control measures for all other important forest enemies. There is in eff'ect for the entire State a comprehensive forest protection plan supported by a state-wide organization of forest fire wardens, now (June 1, 1924) comprising 48 foresters, 63 forest rangers and 3,000 forest fire wardens. As late as 25 years ago no organized attempt was made to ex- tinguish forest fires in Pennsylvania. Even as late as 1913, less than 50%, and in 1917 only 75% of the forest fires w^ere reported. Now 98% of all forest fires are reported promptly to forest officers, and organized forest fire fighting crews are dispatched immediately to extinguish them. The record of fire control and extinction is also impressive. The fire seasons of 1922 and 1923 were the most severe experienced since organized forest protection began. i:)uring these years a total of 7,174 forest fires were reported. Next in severity was the two year period of 1913-14 when 2,119 fires were reported. While 2i times as many fires occurred in 1923 and 1024 as were reported in 1013 and 1914, the total area burned over during 1023-1924 was ahnost 40,000 acres less than in 1913 and 1914. In 1923 the State's forest fire fightin.ur organization reported and extinguished 3,539 fires. If these fires had had the same average acreage as those of 1913 (a year comparable seasonally), there would have been burned over 1,458,068 acres instead of 375,737 acres. A comparison of the 1923 record of forest fire damage with the average for the 10 year period previous to 1923 shows an annual saving No. 6 DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS AND WATERS of $424,951.00. Comparing the forest damage of 1913 and 1923 on the basis of average damage per fire in 1913, the staters improved forest fire fighting organization effected a saving of two million dollars in 1923. The lowest acreage of forest land burned over during any spring period of which the Department has record was in the spring of 1924. With a total of 903 forest fires, only 41,747 acres were burned or an average of but 46 acres per fire. The spring rains were un- questionably a great help in keeping down the number of fires, but this commendable record was made possible only bv constantly maintaining the efficient forest fire fighting organization during the entire forest fire season. Having successfully met the severest tests in its historv during the seasons of 1922 and 1923, the forest protection organization of the State has proved its worth. Constant vigilance and regular training must be maintained, however, to keep the organization in a fit con""- dition to meet any emergency that may arise. Special credit is due the 3,000 forest fire wardens who, at personal sacrifice, havej so faith- fully performed their duties to the State. These men have made possible the results obtained. The service they are rendering is inspiring more and more citizens to participate i'n forest protection measures. Mention should be made also of the valuable cooperation of the Forest Fire Protective Associations and other public-spirited groups and individuals, without whose assistance the progress made could not have been attained. THE FOREST BOND ISSUE The most progressive step in Pennsylvania Forestry during the last two years is the advance given the proposed bond issue of $25,000,000 to be used for the purchase of idle forest land. The Assembly of 1923, by an overwhelming majority, passed a resolution authorizing an amendment to the State Constitution to permit this important economic measure. After being passed by the next As- sembly, the forest bond issue will go before the people for ultimate sanction. No more effective action could be taken by the people of Penn- sylvania to assure forest restoration than the passage of the Forest bond issue. It will enable the State to acquire about 3,500,000 acres of non-productive forest land and develop it under the best forest practice, such as has been followed in the past 25 years on the State Forests. If this purchase program, which can be made possible only by a bond issue, is authorized, the needed opportunity is open to insure future citizens of the State against timber want and to bequeath to them a timber heritage necessary for their prosperity. O |:v REPORT OF THE )oc. State Forests in Pennsylvania have proved to be not only a sound investment financially, but they are playing an increasingly im- portant part in the protection of water supplies and as health and recreation centers for the public. Public ow^nership of forest land is a fixed policy in A^merica. It means continuity of production, stability of management and ability of the public to protect itself in event of timber stress. With 25 years* experience in forest land acquisition and management, Pennsylvania can go forward with confidence in its enlarged program for State Forests. STATE FORESTS ARE INCREASING IN VALUE The State Forests are demonstrating increasingly their economic worth. They are handled as a big business enterprise. The 1,131,277 acres of State Forests were purchased at an average cost of $2.26 per acre and are now w^orth $11.80 per acre. The purchase price and the total cost of administration, develop- ment, and improvements are as follows : Total purchase price, $2,559,237.73 Expenditures for administration, development and improvements, 5,605,986.64 Total expenditures, $8,165,224.37 The increase in their value during the last 25 years, which covers the period of State ownership, is shown in the following table as of January 1, 1924: Estimated present value, $13,349,504.49 Total investment and expenditures, 8,165.224.37 "' Net gain on investment, $ 5,184,280.12 The State Forests thus represent a total net gain of more than S5,000,000 to the State. When the land was acquired there was little tree growth upon it. While most of the trees are still im- mature, a considerable income has already been derived. The first receipts from the State Forests were obtained in 1900, when $1,227.87 were taken in from the sale of forest products. Since then the annual income has been increasing rapidly. In 1923 the income amounted to $113,094.3^4 — almost twice that of any previous year, and almost one-fourth of the total receipts since the State Forests were created. During this one year the receipts amounted to more than the first 16 years the State Forests were in existence. The total receipts already amount to $477,936.75, of which $292,6%.75 No. 6 DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS AND WATERS have been deposited in the State School Fund. The State Forests under continued proper management v/ill show, when restored to full productivity, a net return of at least $5.00 per acre per year, and will be a big factor in maintaining the industries and insuring the welfare of our citizens. They will also be a substantial factor in supporting the public schools of the State. FOREST IMPROVEMENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS Much improvement work has been done on the State Forests since the land was acquired by the State. During the last two years large quantities of dead and defective material have been removed, most of which was blighted chestnut. In this period 14,000 cords of wood and 6,600,000 staves were among the major wood products derived from the State Forests. Logs, lumber, railroad ties, mine ties, telegraph and telephone poles, rails, and posts were also marketed. There are now on the State Forests 530 buildings valued at $354,000. During 1922 and 1923, 93 new buildings, essential to the effective handling of the forest properties, were erected at a total cost of $37,868.72. The State Forests have been made more accessible for administra- tion, protection, and for recreation. During 1922 and 1923, 184 miles of roads were constructed at a total cost of $51,113.02, and 145 miles of trails were opened up at a total cost of $3,516.81. There are now on the State Forests 1,232 miles of roads constructed at a total cost of $v300,000 and 2,500 miles of trails opened at a total cost of $60,000. One hundred and four forest fire observation towers, constructed at a total cost of $100,000 have been erected on high points in all parts of the State. These forest lookout stations are indispensable in detecting and reporting forest fires. They are connected with the headquarters of l^istrict Foresters and Forest Rangers by 744 miles of telephone lines erected at a total cost of $92,500. These permanent improvements assist greatly in the proper handling of the forest and are a big factor in helping the forest fire fighting organization to do its work effectively. The State Forests have been made accessible not only for ad- ministration, protection, and recreation but for all forms of proper public use. Their boundary lines have been cleared and posted so that their location is definitely fixed. Many direction signs are posted in the woods so that travellers and visitors to the forest can readily find their way. The public is encouraged in every way to take full advantage of all the legitimate opportunities open to them on these State-owned tracts. 10 KEPOKT OF THE RECREATION ON THE STATE FORESTS Off. Doc. More people are noAv using the State Forests for recreation than ever l)efore. Of the 5 (0,000 people who used them in 1923, 122,000 were hunters, 25,000 f-shermen, and by a conservative estimate at least 200,000 people visited the 1,122 permanent camps maintained there. It is also estimated that during 1923 50,000 people visited the forest fire observation tow^ers from which they could see some of the finest and most expansive stretches of landscape in the State. The State Forests are available for a wide range of outdoor recre- ational use. Within them are 26 Public Camp Grounds, 15 of which were established within the period of this report ; 8 State Forest Parks, 9 State Forest Monuments, and several unusual scenic areas. All of these attractive places are open for public enjoyment. Some of the camping places are equipped with space for tents, fireplaces, a supply of pure water, comfort stations, garbage containers, tables and benches; other camping places have been developed for smal- ler camping parties and are equipped wnth shelter, fireplaces, tables, benches, garbage containers and other necessary equipment. Per- manent camps in the State Forests are leased to the citizens of Pennsylvania at an annual rental ranging from $7 to $15. Since January 1, 1922 the number of camp s^^es kased has increased al- most 50%. The camp sites now leased cover a total of approxi- mately 600 acres and bring in an annual income of about $8,000. There are no more attractive recreational areas in Pennsylvania than are found on the State Forests. It is the purpose of the De- partment to have the public derive the greatest benefit from them. PLANTING ON THE STATE FORESTS. Some of the land acquired by the State was so devoid of tree growth that planting was necessary in order to insure a new crop of wood. The number of trees and the area planted, and the cost of planting on State Forests during the period of this report, are: Year 1922 1923 1924 (spring) During the last 25 years 35,331,659 trees have been planted on the State Forests at an average cost of $9.34 per acre. As a result of this planting there are now growing there approximately 23,500 acres of planted trees w^hich w^ill yield approximately 822,500,000 board feet of choice lumber when the trees reach maturity. Number of Area Trees Planted (acres) Cost 133,221 109.20 $1,133.34 551,462 429.96 5,207.19 424.380 306.27 4,878.31 No. 6 DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS AND WATERS 11 The trees planted in the State Forests are doing much more than producing w^ood. They are instructive object lessons to private owners of forest land, for since forest tree planting wurk was un- dertaken on the State Forests, private owners have been observing the planting work and the development of the planted trees. Thf rate at which private planting has increased demonstrates mos clearly the educational value of the State Forest plantations. FOREST TREE PLANTING BY PRIVATE OWNERS Pennsylvania now stands in the front rank among the States in the number of forest trees distributed to private owners f)f forest land for planting their idle acres. In 1910 the State began coo])erat- ing with forest land owners by supplying them with forest trees for planting at the cost of production. In 1915 more favorable terms of cooperation were authorized, trees being supplied subsequently to private owners at the cost of packing and transportation. The supplying of this planting stock by the Department and the help- ful advice given to private owners by forest officers has stimulated the planting of forest trees on private land to such an extent that it is going forward by leai)s and bounds. In 1^10 i)rivate planters set out 66,374 forest trees. Ten years ago — 1914— they set out a total of 115.577 trees. Now the annual i)lanting is rapidlv ap])roach- ing the 10 million mark. The following table gives the number of private i)lanters and the number of trees set out bv them during 1922, 1923 and the spring of 1924: Year Number of Planters 1922 1 ^2^ 1 923 1,572 1924 (spring) 1.874 Total Trees Planted 3.670.621 5.4.^.817 8.041.025 17.149,463 During the 15 years that the Department has been cooperating with private planters, a total of 31.776.-I69 trees have been distribu- ted. More than one-half of the trees planted in this period were distributed in the last 2hU years. The trees planted in 1922 and 1923 and the spring of 1924 have reforested about 17.000 acres of idle land, and when mature will produce approximately 595.000,000 board feet of choice lumber. ROADSIDE TREE PLANTING During the last two years special efforts have been made to make highways of the State more beautiful. The Department of Forests 12 REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. and Waters has participated in this work by cooperation with the State Highway Department in the planting of trees. Under the co- operative arrangement between the Departments, there have been planted since January 1, 1922 along the highways of the State 11,- 096 trees at a total cost of $17,680.91, an average of $1.59 per tree: KIND OF TREES Year Oriental Norway Total Cost per Plane Spruce Cost Tree 1922, 5,291 $7,037.89 $1.33 1923 1,387 654 2,759.14 1.35 1924 (spring),... 3,729 35 7,883,90 2.09 Total, 10,407 689 $17,680.91 1.59 These trees have been planted on both sides of the highways and add greatly to the attractiveness of the 75 miles of Penn's Ways, on which the project was conducted. ^_ NURSERIES Three large and two small forest tree nurseries are operated by the Department of Forests and Waters, and 8 additional nurseries are operated cooperatively by this Department and State institu- tions. The State nurseries have a total of 30 acres and an annual capacity of approximately 12,C00,000 trees. White pine, pitch pine, red pine, Scotch pine, spruce, larch, and white ash are the principal trees grown in these nurseries. The cooperative nurseries are main- tained in cooperation with State institutions. The institutions fur- nish the land and labor; the Department supplies the planting stock, incidentals, and supervision. The cooperative nurseries cover about 27 acres. They are located at the Western Penitentiary at Rock- \iew. Centre County; Huntingdon Industrial Reformatory at Hun- tingdon; State Hospital at Danville; Homeopathic Hospital at Al- ientown; the State School for Feeble ■\Tinded Children at Polk, Ven- ango County; Hospital for the Insane at Torrance, Westmoreland County; -and the State Hospitals at Wernersville and Harrisburg. During the spring of 1924 a plan of cooperation was worked out by this Department, the State Department of Welfare, and the Board v.{ Directors of the Western Penitentiary, which established a nur- sery covering about 8V2 acres at the Western Penitentiary at Rock- viev.'. The present plan calls for the development of this nursery for the producticm of forest trees from seed. Five hundred and fiftv-ei"-ht pounds of seed were planted in the nursery last spring. »• JNO. 6 DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS AND WATERS 13 and more than 300,000 transplants of white pine and Norway spruce were set out. As soon as the transplants that are now in the nur- sery are taken out, seed will be planted in the beds for the further production of tree seedlings. The Prison Labor Division of the Welfare Department will equip the nursery and pay all expenses for two years, and this Department will supply the supervision. At the end of the two years, this Department will pay for the trees a<- n cost not to exceed that for which trees of sin-ilar fjuality can be grown in State nurseries. This coo])erati\'e plan, as well as the others in effect, meets more than a material need. It affords healthy, constructive outdoor work for those most in need of it. SEED PURCHASE AND SEED COLLECTION In order to maintain the nurseries operated by the Department is is necessary to buy large (luantities of seed or collect it within the State. During 1922, 857 ])ounds of forest tree seeds were pur- chased at a total cost of $1,846.96. In Y)l}^. 1,320 ])()unds were pur- chased at a total cost of $2,959.03. This seed had to be purchased because a sufficient quantity could not be collected within Pennsyl- vania. Each year, however, all available seed is collected within the State, because it can be gathered more cheaply than purchased on the market. In 1922, 515 bushels of nut seeds and 4,711 pounds of cones and winged seeds were collected, while in 1923, which was a poor seed year, 42 bushels of nuts and acorns and 335 j)ounds of seeds were collected. Much more seed will be collected as seed trees become available and facilities for collecting the seed are developed. As our forests develop, more of the seed requirement of the State nurseries can be collected within the State by the De- partment personnel. THE STATE FOREST SCHOOL The Pennsylvania State Forest School, the only professional fitt- est school in the State, is the next to the (»ldest existing forest school in America. Eighty students are now enrolled, the largest attend- ance since the school was established in 1^03. The State Forest School is located on the Mont Alto State Forest, which has been under careful and business-like management for 20 vears. The facilities for field work in forestry are exceptionally pochI. Adjoining the school are 23.000 acres of State-owned forest land and a forest tree nursery with an annual capacity of a])proxi- mately 4,000.000 trees. About KUOOO trees are planted annually by the students, who also take an active part in other forest operations. During the last two years the gross receipts from the products sold 34 REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. No. 6 from the School Forest amounted to more than $83,000. The for- est activities on the School Forest are so varied and practical in nature that the students have the privilege of getting practical instruction covering a wide range of subjects in the forest. The laboratory equipment is modern and complete. The forest location makes the facilities for instruction especially good. It cannot be surpassed for forest study and practice throughout the year. It enables the student to study forestry rather than about forestry. By an act of the State Legislature in June, 1923, the name of the School was changed from Pennsylvania State Poorest Academy to The Pennsylvania State Forest School. Formal authority has been given to the school by the State Council of Education to grant the degree of Bachelor of Science in Forestry. Economy of operation is still an outstanding feature of the school. During the school year of 1923-24 the instruction and maintenance charges to the State were less than $300 per student. This does not include the board for scholarship students, which costs approxi- mately $320 a year. A comparison with educational costs at other schools will show that both items are considerably lower than else- where. A trip to the forests of Europe featured the school year 1923-24. Under the direction of Dr. E. A. Ziegler, Director of the School, a selected group of students made a study tour through 16 Swiss and German Forests. It is planned to continue these trips at regular in- tervals, for they add a very valual>le feature to the course of studies and are of great inspirational value to the students. In Septeml^er, 1924, the State Forest School opened with a fac- ulty of 8 members. This is the largest faculty that has been at the school since its establishment. During the last two years the entire school curriculum has been remodeled and brought up to date. Ad- ditional courses in English and Economics, and a new course in Social Science are now being given. The course has been extended to cover four full years. Educational experts assisted in fashioning the curriculum, which is now complete in scope and thoroughlv practical. Many material improvements have been made at the school dur- ing the last two years. Two new buildings have been added and educational facilities have been extended along many different lines. The improved equipment and re-modeling of the curriculum make possible unsurpassed educational facilities for practical instruction in forestry. This educational work in forestry is a big factor in the proper management of the forest resources of the State, by the develo])ment of a technically trained personnel qualified to adminis- ter State and private forest lands. •» » f DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS AND WATERS COOPERATION 15 The Department has continued its cooperation with private land owners in a most practical way. I'nder the Department i)()Hcy ex- aminations of timberlands are made and reports prepared free of charge for farm woodlots and other small forest proi)erties. Large tracts are examined and reported on, the owner paying the actual cost incurred by the examiner. There has l.een a marked increase in the requests for this service. During V)22, 157 tracts of forest land, and in 1923, 564 tracts, were examined and the owners were supplied with special recommendations for handling them. The areas examined aggregated 219,580 acres. In manv cases a writ- ten report was prepared for the land owner. In 1923. the City of Pittsburgh appropriated $5,000 for the planting of trees on city land. Representatives of this Department drew, up i)lanting plans and supervised the planting of 312.000 trees for the city, and during the spring of 1924, 24.000 additional trees were set out. Representatives of this Department made a careful examination of 30 of the 31 game refuges administered by the Pennsylvania Ciame Commission and prepared 21 planting ])lans. As a result of these plans the (iame Commission set out 260,000 trees during the s])ring of 1924. Twenty-six private forest land owners have taken advantage of the Auxiliary Eorest Reserve Law and have had classified bv the State Forest Commission 26.213 acres as auxiliary forest reserves. This law was passed in P)13. and since such a small number of owners have taken advantage of it. it is to be inferred that in "-en- eral, the forest owners of Pennsylvania are not sufi'ering from ex- cessive taxation. PUBLIC EDUCATION One of the imi)ortant duties of the l)e])artTnent is to si)read knowledge about forestry throughout the State. The public must be made aware of the forest situation and how it can be met. The personnel of the Department is constatitly stressing the need for sound forest practice through personal conferences and public talks, and by contributing material to newspapers and periodicals. Spe- cial studies are in progress continuously from which hel])ful and practical information to the public and especially to woodland own- ers and wood-using industries is made available in bulletin or circular form. During the period covered by this report twelve bulletins and seven circulars were issued. The titles of the bulle- tins are : • ProceccHnps of State Foresters* Conference Proceedings of Wood-using Industries Conference Guide to Forestry-Book One IG REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. Forest Fires: How to Fight Them How Trouble Troubled the Little Bear Forest The Forest Situation in Pennsylvania In Penn's Woods Talks on Forestry How to Know the Common Trees and Shrubs of Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania State Forest School Lessons in Forest Protection Pennsylvania Trees (Fourth edition) The circulars cover the following- important subjects: What Pennsylvania js Doing in Forestry Eleven Short Articles on Forestry How to Restore Penn's Woods Third Summer Extension Course in Forestry and Nature Study, Penn- sylvania State Forest School How to Use the State Forests Why Pennsylvania Needs More State Forests What Forest protection has Accomplished in Pennsylvania Information on all phases of forestry is being gathered and made available to the public through the channels of a Weekly Service Letter 'maintained by the Department. The lessons of forestry are also exhibited to the public through posters and signs. During 1922 and 1923 almost 350,000 cardboard posters were placed on the State Forests and on privately owned forest land in the State. During these two years there were also posted more than 1,500 wooden signs and over 16,500 steel signs. These signs carry special messages about forest protection, the use of the forests, and other important forest work. Thev have aided materially in focusinsr public attention on forest conservation in Pennsylvania. TOPOGRAPHIC AND GEOLOGIC SERVICE During the two years covered by this report there were surveyed topographically 2,7C0 square miles, or 6 per cent of the State's area. The topographic work is done by (juadrangles bounded by fifteen minute lines of latitude and longitude. Each quadrange has an ap- proximate area of 225 square miles. The actual survey work is done by the topographic corps of the United States Geological Sur- vey, which organization contributed one-half of the cost of field and office work, and bears all the ex])ense of*engraving and printing the Tnaps. The State's ])art of this Survey work is to contribute one-half of the cost of field work. During the last two years the following suadrangles were sur- veyed : Berlin, Brookville, Bushkill, Cambridge S])rings, DuBois, Mauch Chunk, Meadxille, IVIilton, Mount Union, Oil Citv, Stoddards- No. 6 DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS AND WATERS 17 ville, Tionesta and Towanda. Of these the Milton quadrangle was surveyed in final form and preliminary photolith editions have been issued of all the others except the Brookville and Bushkill quad- rangles, of which surveys were completed in the spring of 1924. Engraved copies of the following 15 quadrangles previously sur- veyed were completed and issued : Altoona, Confluence, Damascus, Donegal, Hanover, Howard, Lock Haven. Long Eddy. New Flor- ence, Philipsburg, Pocono, Shippensburg, Trout Run, Tyrone, and Williamsport. A great demand exists for the topographic maps that result from this work. They are indispensible to the economic performance of many lines of industrial work. They are of great value to rail- roads, power and oil companies, and to practically all other indus- trial organizations owning land or desiring to locate industrial pro- jects. In questions pertaining to water resources, clrainage, agri- cultural development, mining, timber resources, and grazing pro- jects they are of great worth. With the increasing number of tourists and campers these maps are becoming of greater value. The necessity for continuing the topographic work and com])leting it for the w^hole State as soon as possible is becoming more urgent each year. During 1922 detailed geological surveys were started or continued on the Greensl)urg, McCalls Ferry, Meyersdale, New Cumberland. Pittsburgh, and Quarryville quadrangles. In cooperation with the Federal Fact Finding Commission there was undertaken and com- pleted a detailed study of coal mining losses in the bituminous fields of Pennsylvania. Preliminary estimates of the coal reserves in the northern coal counties were completed and detailed computations were made for Clarion and JefiPerson counties. Work in the oil and gas fields consisted chiefly of investigating oil and gas finds of special interest, and an investigation of re|)orted oil in areas where there seemed little likelihood of commercial deposits being found. A general study of the bog ore areas in the State was made, and reconnaissance visits to a large number of stone quarries resulted in the collection of much valuable information. A portion of the slate belt between the Lehigh and Delaware rivers was studied and work previously inaugurated on limestone was completed. Advice was given to munici])alities concerning suitability of certain sites for water storage and considerable attention was given to the study of underground waters. Reports on soil surveys made during 1921 were edited and reports prepared thereon. Geologically, the two years were a harvest period following the extremely active field season of 1^21. The work of that year brought together a large quantity of field data. The technical per- sonnel devoted itself largely to the ])rei)aration of many preliminary IS REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. reports in the form of mimeographed bulletins. This was a quick method of making available to the public information gathered by the survey. Forty-seven bulletins are the result of this effort. These preliminary publications were followed by final publications of such reports as "The Work of the Survey"; "Oil Resources in Coals and Carbonaceous Shales of Pennsylvania"; "The Silica Re- fractories of Pennsylvania"; "Coal Losses and Mining Methods in Pennsylvania", all of which have been published. There are now in the hands of the printer "Lead and Zinc Ores in Pennsylvania"; "Mineral Resources of Adams County"; "Soil Survey of Adams County"; "Economic Geology of the Allentown Quadrangle"; and "Analyses of Bituminous Coals in Pennsylvania". There are in preparation for publication bulletins on "The Limestones of Penn- sylvania"; "The Bituminous Coal Fields of Pennsylvania"; "The Iron Ores of Pennsylvania", and detailed reports on the Greens- burg, Punxsutawney, Curw^ensville and other quadrangles. The geologic work of the survey is of value primarily to the land owners of the State, whether agricultural or mining. Every land owner desires to knovv' what, if any, minerals occur on or under his land, their character, quantity, value, and depth. Every prospec- tive purchaser of land likewise desires this information. Every company mining or using minerals desires information about them. The Survey has already saved the citizens of the State many times its total cost, past and future, in discouraging unprofitable develop- ments or investments. It has been of great value to the people and industries of the State by paving the way to much new develop- ment. In addition to the publications of 'formal reports of the State's resources, the Survey staff has carried on an intensive educational campaign in news])apers, through pul^lic addresses, and has con- tributed 58 articles to technical journals. Under the leadership of the State Geologist, an interdepartment committee is making a study of maps and map methods of all administrative dej^artments of the State for the ])urpose of securing better coordination. The Survey has cooperated with the Capital Issues P>ureau of the Bank- ing Department upon request, and has furnished information re- garding foreign companies or organizations desiring to do Inisi- ness in this State. On its own account it has investigated and ren- dered conspicuous service in })reventing a large quantity of unwise investment in mining enter|)rises. It has supplied much data to the engineers of the Giant Power Board, data for which it had for- seen the need and fortunately had accumulated in advance. A number of im])ortant contributions to the work of the profession were also made during the past two years, two of which, namely; "A Practical Classification of Coal" and a "Standard Stratigraphic C\ : No. 6 DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS AND WATERS 19 Section" are likely to prove widely accei)table and generallv adopted throughout the United States. For those who may be interested to learn more in detail of the work of the survey, a report on "The Work of the Pennsylvania Survey" which covers the work done from September 1, 1914 to January 1. 1023, is available. WATER RESOURCES SERVICE WATER POWER. Prior to 1923, Pennsylvania had n.^ fixed policy concerning the control and regulation of her water resources with respect to the use of her streams in connection with water and stream power develop- ment, this lack of a definite program not only leaving the State's interests unprotected but actually retarding the development of this important natural resource. This situation was corrected by the passage of an Act on lune 14, 1923, following closely the Federal Power Act, i)r()vi(ling for the is- suance by the Water and Power Resources P.oard of limited i)ermits for dams and changes in streams to develop water power and for storing, cooling, diverting and using water for steam raising and steam condensation in the generation of electric energy for use in public service. If the waters concerned are navigable, can be made navigable, or the structure i)r()posed therein will affect navigation, the Federal Government also exercises jurisrliction and the State permit is issued contingent upon the grant of the Federal license before work is begun. The conditions of the Federal license may be enforced by the Commonwealth if and to the extent that the Federal government is unable to enforce them or waives them; such conditions, among others, include a maximum time limit of 50 years with provision for reca])ture, or extensions and renewals until the net investment is repaid by a new license or by the United States; a requirement of full and prompt development; an obligation to contribute to the cost of U])stream reservoirs in proportion to the benefits derived from them through increased power capacity dur- ing periods of low water; the fixing of the net investment as the basis of rate regulation and of the issue of securities, and the ex- propriation to the pu])lic of profits in excess of a reasonable return on the net investment, this either in the form of the amortization of the net investment, or in the form of annual rent paid to the United States. If the waters are not within the jurisdiction of the Federal gov- ernment, the Act fixes a maximum time limit of fiftv vears with provision for recapture, or extensions and renewals until the capi- tal prudently invested on the faith of the permit has been repaid by the Coinmonwealth or by a new permittee and gives broad pow- 20 ers to enable the State to impose conditions like those in a Federal license. Every permit granted is subject to such reasonable annual charge as the Board may fix, for the purpose of reimbursing the Commonwealth for the costs of administration of the Act ; the right to flood islands owned by the State, hitherto inalienable, may be granted by the Board. A companion Act approved June 14, 1923, gives to public service companies holding limited power permits the right to condemn and appropriate, with the approval of the Water and Power Re- sources Board, water and lands under water which right was taken away from water and water power companies in 1905, and also per- mits flooding, relocating and reconstructing highways, bridges and railroads. Water supply projects, as well as water power projects are included within these Acts, but the privilege of flooding islands owned by the Commonwealth is not extended to water supply pro- jects nor is the tenure of limited water supply permits limited to fifty years. Power projects have been classified by the Board as major or minor, depending upon whether the power capacity is more or less than one hundred horse-power. Rules and regulations have been adopted with respect to major and minor projects and projects coming within the jurisdiction of the United States and charges have been fixed in order to compensate the Commonwealth for the cost of the administration of the Act. The Board is co-operating with the Federal Power Commission in the administratfon 6i the State and Federal water power laws. Since the creation of the Water Supply Commission 127 applica- tions have been received for the incorporation of water power companies, many of which were not complete and filed apparently simi)ly to secure priority. The total power capacity represented by these applications amounted to 1,290,000 H. P. The Commis- sion and Board have approved 60 applications for charter covering 24 projects having an aggregate installation of 840,000 H. P., and 10 projects have been built or are in process of construction of 115,000 H. P., installed capacity. Data have been collected from time to time with regard to existing plants, both hydro-electric and otherwise, and this information has been furnished to the Giant Power Survey in tabular form and by the use of diagrams and maps. Complete stream flow data were also given to the Survey and maps prepared showing minimum flows in 153 streams and the points on all streams at which various rates of flow could be de- pended upon for hydro-electric and steam power development. Eleven permits for minor water power projects have been issued by the Board and two permits for major projects; the latter are iO. for the Wallenpaupack Project of the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company, and for the portion of the Conowingo Project of the Susquehanna Power Company which is in Pennsylvania. THE WALLENPAUPACK PROJECT The Wallenpaupack hydro-electric project, now under construc- tion, will develop head available in Wallenpaupack Creek and the Lackawaxen River in the vicinity of Hawley. The dam will be located at Wilsonville, U/j^ miles above the mouth of the creek and at the head of the Paupack Falls, which consist of a series of cas- cades descending 260 feet to the Lackawaxen River. The power house will be l)uilt on the south bank of the Lackawaxen, 2.7 miles below the mouth of the Wallenpaupack and the gross head at the plant will be ?>73 feet. The plans provide for a dam of concrete and earth, 60 feet high and 1150 feet long and for a dike, 25 feet high, to keep the Wallenpaupack water from flowing over a low place in a divide. The reservoir will have a surface area of 5,760 acres and a capacity of 70,500,000,000 gallons; it will be capable of storing about fifty percent of the average annual run-off of the stream, draining 238 square miles. This prt»ject is being developed by the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company whose transmission lines extend over a large area in eastern Pennsylvania and it will be inter-connected with present steam plants at Hauto, Ilarwood, Wilkes-Barre and other places. Its principal i)urpose will be to take care of peak loads, although all of the water flowing in the creek throughout the year will be used. The initial installation in the power plant will consist of two 26,800 horse-power units. It is of interest to note, in connection with this project and that being built on the Clarion and described on page ?>S, the trend during the past few years toward the use of water power as auxiliary to steam, the reverse as a rule being true in this state prior to the develop- ment of super-power systems. • THE CONOWINGO PROJECT The Conowingo hydro-electric project of the Susquehanna Power Company will develop practically all the head between tide water at Chesopeake Bay and the Holtwood Plant of the Pennsylvania Water and Power Company. The dam will be built across the Susquehanna River, near Conowingo, Maryland; it will be about 90 feet in maximum height and 3,240 feet long. The power house will be at the west end of the dam, where provision will be made for installing ultimately ten 36,000 horse-power turbines of which six will be installed at once. The pool formed by the dam will ex- 22 REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. tend upstream about 12 miles and will flood approximately 12 square miles, of which about 10 are in Pennsylvania; the depth of water at the State line will be about 45 feet. • INCORPORATION OF WATER AND WATER POWER COMPANIES Twenty applications for the incorporation of w^ater supply com- panies, three mergers and one certificate designating the source of supply of a reorganized company, were approved during the two year period. One company granted an extension of time within which to begin the construction of its works. Eleven applications for the incorporation of water power companies and one merger of water power companies were approved. One company was granted a new source of supply, and two other companies were twice granted extensions of time within which to submit data re- quired by the Water Supply Commission when approving the ap- plication for incorporation. SUPERVISION OF DAMS After the failure of the dam at Austin, Potter County, with a loss of 87 lives, on September 30, 1911, a number of dams were examined, with the approval of the Governor, to determine their safety. The Act of June 25, 1913, delegated to the Water Supply Commission the duty of supervising all dams existing or proposed. It is now unlawful to build or to make any change in any dam, except neces- sary temporary repairs, without a permit from the Water and Power Resources Board unless the dam is on a purely private stream having a drainage area of less than one-half square mile, and cannot in any w^ay imperil life or property. When a new dam is to be built or an existing dam is to be changed, an application is made to the Water and Power Resources Board accompanied by plans and specifications. These plans and specifica- tions are carefully examined by the engineers of the Department and any revisions necessary to assure a safe and substantial structure are required. The sites of all the more important dams are in- vestigated before permits are issued, and frequent inspections are made during construction ; no material may be placed in any im- portant dam until the foundations have been inspected and approved. Representatives of the Department are maintained on w^ork during the construction of certain types of dams to see that they are built in accordance with the approved plans and specifications. All dams whose failure would cause loss of life or damage to property are examined periodically, and repairs and alterations re- quired when necessar\^ to put them in safe condition. No. n nErAIlTMKXT OV FOIIESTS AND WATERS 23 A policy has been adopted requiring owners of reservoirs, built for water power or manufacturing purposes, to allow fishing during the open season in accordance with rules and regulations approved by the Board of Fish Commissioners. The total number of applications received from June 1, 1922 to May 31, 1924, in connection with the construction of new dams or alterations to existing dams, was one hundred thirty-one. One hundred twenty-three permits were issued; ninety-three for new (lams, and thirty for repairs and alterations. Eighty-one field ex- aminations were made in connection with applications, either for the purpose of investigation before permits were issued, or for the inspection of construction work in i^rogrcss. Three himdred fifty- five examinations of existing dams were made for inspection pur- poses, making a total of four hundred thirty-six field examinations. The most important dams for which permits Mere issued were the Wallenpaupack Dam of the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company, described above, the Pincy Dam of the Clarion River I-ower Company and the Indian Run Datn of the I'ottsville Water Company, descriptions of which follow: PINEY DAM, CLARION RIVER POWER COMPANY The Piney Dam, nearlv completed, is on the Clarion River, about three miles southwest of Clarion, and is one of three dams proposed by the company for the development of power. It will develop a head of 80 feet, while the other dams, one below and one above, will develop respectively, heads of 130 and 240 feet. The dam is built of concrete masonry with an ogee cross section of the gravity type, and is arched upstream with a radius of 300 .feet. The crest of the ogee section is about 80 feet above the ri\er bed, but the normal flow line of the reservoir is to be 15 feet abo\ e the crest, being controlled by fourteen Taintrr gates. 25 I'eet l'oroui'li of Ih-ownsville; and Chartiers Creek, in Carnegie I'orough. CULM The streams flowing from the anthracite regions are each vear becoming more obstructed by culm and mine refuse from collierie*^ or washed from waste banks. Stream beds have been raised to such an extent, in certain cases, as to cause overflow of the banks after every heavy rain. Tn the larger streams, such as the Schuylkill River, the channels are becoming filled at j)laces of slack water, and the deposit keeps working downstream. This problem has long been recognized as a serious one and a law was passed bv the T>egislature of 1913. which made it unlawful for anv person, partner- ship or corporation to discharge anthracite coal, culm or refuse from anthracite mines into or a^)nir the banks of atiy stream and making violation thereof a misdcmeanr^r pimishablo bv fine and imprison- ment. The duty of enforcing this Act was not delegated to any State He])artment and most collieries would be comT>elh'd t(^