Title: Forest leaves, v. 20 Place of Publication: Philadelphia Copyright Date: 1925 Master Negative Storage Number: MNS# PSt SNPaAg063.3 • -•' rm'* iV PUBLISHED BY THE PENN5YIVANIA FORESTR/ PHILADELPHIA. PA, •v m ^ CONTENTS p^a. _ __ , _ Cover Tree Plantations, York Water Company, York, Pa • Plate Editorials ^ Narrative of the Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Associ- • 4 1 ation * Irvin C. Williams 2 Proposed Pennsylvania Regional Forest Experiment Station 3 The Forest Tree Nursery Situation 3 Winter Injury ^ The McNary-Woodruff Bill 5 State Forests and State Forest Parks for Recreational Use 6 Important Tree Places in Pennsylvania 8 Report of the Council of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association 11 Treasurer's Report 1^ The Maple Syrup and Sugar Industry 15 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FOUNDED IN JUNE, 1886 Labors to dlMcmlnate information in regard to the necessity and methods of forest culture and preservation, and to secure the enactment and enforcement of proper forest protective laws, both State and National. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE, THREE DOLLARS LIFE MEMBERSHIP. FIFTY IDOLLARS Neither the membership nor the work of this Association is intended to be limited lo the Stale of Pennsylvania. Persons desiring to become members should send their names to the Chairman of the Membership Committee, 130 South 15th Street. Philadelphia. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents, Robl. S. Conklin, J. F. Hendricks, Samuel L. Smedley. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. Treasurer and Recording Secretary, F. L. Hitler. COMMITTEES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Henry Howson, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker. Chairman George F. Craig, FINANCE— Dr. Henry M. Fisher. Chairman H. W. Shoemaker. J. Rodman Paul, Hon. MaWSall Brown, Miss Laura Bell Frank Buck Miss Mary K. Gibson F. L. Bitler, Mrs. David Reeves, Miss Mary K. Gibson, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman Eli Kirk Price, MEMBERSHIP— Harold Pierce, Chairman Mrs. Chas. G. Hctzel Mrs. David Reeves Samuel D. Warriner Albert B. Weimer Dr. W. P. Wilson PUBLICATION Egbert S. Gary, Joseph S. Hllick, Harrison Souder. WORK — Mrs. Brinton Coxe, Chairman Miss Ethel A. Shrigley, E. E. Wildman. J. Franklin Meehan, OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATION. U» S. FIFTEENTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA FOREST LEAVES Published Bi-Monthlt Entered at the Philadeli^a Post-Ofl&ce at •eoood-claaa matter, under Act of March 3d, 1870 Vol. XX— No. I PHILADELPHIA, FEBRUARY.! 925 Whole Number 224 EDITORIALS AS our readers are no doubt aware the pro- posed amendment of the Constitution of Pennsylvania so that the State Bond Issue of $25,000,000 can be issued for the purpose of purchasing wild lands for State Forests was acted upon favorably by the Legislature of 1923. This legislation is now before the General As- sembly of 1926, and if re-enacted will be sub- mitted to the people of Pennsylvania next Novem- ber for popular vote. Our Association has, in its existence of- nearly 40 years, done a magnificent work in promoting the forestry interests of the State. If this loan is authorized, its crowning work will have been accomplished, and our members should urge its importance and value to Pennsylvania upon the State Senators and Representatives from their districts. The Advisory Committee of the Association has sent the following letter to each member of the State Senate and House of Representatives: *'As composing an advisory committee of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, we beg to urge on you the importance to the interests of our State, of the proposed amendment to the constitution authorizing the $25,000,000.00 loan for the further acquisition of forest lands by the State. This movement, which originated under the last administration, is approved by the present administration, and was endorsed by affirmative vote of the Legislature of 1923. It is absolutely non-partisan, and is directed only to the ac- quirement by the State of Pennsylvania of an adequate forest reserve to supply to our State a store of timber to make up for that which has been used up in the past, without provision for the future. Aside from its essential value in providing an adequate timber supply for our State, the Fores- try records and statistics show that this loan will be, not simply a contribution to our State Fores- try interests, but a wise investment which can, in time, be repaid — principal and interest — by n3\5 the sale of timber from the lands so acquired and reforested — following the experience in Europe. We earnestly urge on you the importance to the economic and business interests of our State of this proposed loan, an(i trust that you will support it. Very truly yours, Henry S. Drinker, Pres., Penna. Forestry Assn. Wm. C. Sproul, Chester Effingham B. Morris, Philadelphia William B. McCaleb, St. Davids Harry C. Trexler, Allentown H. D. Williams, Pittsburgh ^ Richard Coulter, Greensburg / Advisory Committee." ' Let each member do what he or she can to secure the successful passage of this much needed and valuable legislation. The Summer meeting of the Pennsylvania For- estry Association will be held at Hazleton, Pa., June 24th, 25th and 26th. An attractive program is being arranged. There will be two sessions on the evenings of June 24th and 25th, at which fine addresses on various forestry topics will be given. Motor trips to points of interest are planned for June 25th and 26th. Let every member who can attend. NARRATIVE OF THE AJTNTJAL MEETING OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION -^ THE annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association was held in the Gold Room of the City Club, Philadelphia, Pa., on Monday, December 8th, 1924 at 3 P. ML President Drinker in the chair. The President gave a synopsis of the progress of forestry in Pennsylvania in recent years. In 1921 our members appealed to the members of the Legislature and secured an appropriation of $1,000,000 for fire protection, the largest ever made in the United States. An appropriation of $500,000 was also made for the purchase of wild I39Z46 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES lands for State Forests, but this was vetoed by the Governor on account of lack of funds. Now comes the great campaign for a State loan of $25,000,000 for the purchase of lands for State Forests. This amendment to the constitu- tion was passed by the Legislature of 1923, and it is hoped will be approved by the General Assembly of 1925. In this event the people must be educated by a publicity campaign so that when the proposed loan is voted on by the people in November, they will have a good understanding of the immense benefits which will accrue to the State from its passage. The reports of the Council and of the Treasurer were then presented and will be found on other pages of this issue. Messrs. Cranmer and Neumuller were appoint- ed Tellers of Election, and on collecting the ballots announced that the following officers were elected to serve during the coming year. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker. Vice-Presidents, Robert S. Conklin, J. Freeman Hendricks, Mrs. DavidlReeves. Samuel L. Smedley. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. Recording Secretary and Treasurer, F. L. Bitler. COUNCIL Adams County, C. E. Stahle. Allegheny County, H. M. Brackenridge, Frank J. Lanahan, George M. Lehman, Hon. Walter Lyon, John E. Potter. Beaver County, Robert W. Darragh. Bedford County, W. L. Byers. Berks County, Mrs. Edward Brooke. Geo. G. Wenrich. Blair County, F. "Woods Beckman. Bradford County, C. S. Maurice. Bucks County, Mrs. Elizabeth F. James, Henry C. Mercer. Butler County, Dr. J. Linwood Eisenberg. Cambria County, P. L. Carpenter. Cameron County, Josiah Howard. Carbon County, M. S. Kemmerer. Centre County, Theodore D. Boal. Prof. J. A. Ferguson. Chester County, Alexander Brown Coxe, Miss Esther G. Leggett, Dr. H. A. Rothrock. Clarion County, F. L. Harvey. Clearfield County, W. F. Dague. Clinton County, Forrest H. Dutlinger. Columbia County, C. R. Woodin. Crawford County, E. O. Emerson, Jr. Cumberland County, J. S. Illick. Dauphin County, W. Gard. Conklin, Geo. H. Wirt. Delaware County, W. B. McCaleb Miss Ethel A. Shrigley, Hon. Wm. C. Sproul. Erie County, Miss Dorothea K. Conrad. Fayette County, C. L. Snowdon. Franklin County, Edw. A. Ziegler John R. Williams. Greene County, M. E. Carroll. Huntington County, Hon. Geo. B. Orlady. Indiana County, S. J. Sides. Jefferson County, W. N. Conrad. Lackawanna County, Mrs J. Benjamin Dimmick, L. H. Watres. Lancaster County, Hugh M. North, Jr. Lebanon County, William C. Freeman. Lehigh County, General Harry O. Trexler. Luzerne County, Dr. Alexander Armstrong, Mrs. Eckley B. Coxe, Alvan Markle, William R. Ricketts, Samuel D. Warriner. Lycoming County, L. Clyde Smith. Mercer County, W. A. Addicott. Mifflin County, F. W. Culbertson. Monroe County, Dr. Wm. R. Fisher. Montgomery County, Mrs. Albert C. Barnes, C. P. Birkinbine, Dr. H. M. Fisher, Miss Mary K. Gibson, Samuel Rea. Montour County, H. T. Hecht. Northampton County, Dr. John Henry MacCracken. J. Clarence Cranmer. Northumberland County, Charles Steele. Perry County, H. E. Bryner. Philadelphia County, ur. J. M. Anders, Richard L. Austin, Owen M. Bruner, Miss Mary A. Burnham, Mrs. Brinton Coxe, W. Warner Harper, John W. Harshberger, Bayard Henry, J. Franklin Meehan, J. Rodman Paul, Harold Peirce, Eli K. Price. John H. Webster. Jr. Albert B. Weimer, Dr. W. P. Wilson. Pike County, Hon. Gifford Pinchot. Potter County, George A. Retan. Schuylkill County, A. C. Silvius. Snyder County, W. J. Bartschat. Somerset County, V. M. Bearer. Susquehanna County, Edgar A. Turrell. Tioga County, Paul H. Mulford. Union County, Raymond B. Winter. Venango County, S. Y. Ramage. • Warren County, A. J. Hazeltine. Wayne County, Hon. Alonzo T. Searlo. Westmoreland County , D. J. Snyder. York County, Samuel Small, Jr. Announcement was made that the Summer meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association would be held at Hazleton, Pa., on June 24th, 25th and 26th. An attractive program is being arranged for, and it is hoped that all members who can will attend. IRVm C. WILLIAMS ON January 3rd, 1925, Professor I. C. Williams of Slippery Rock, Pa., died after a three weeks illness. Mr. Williams became a member of the Depart- ment of Forestry in April, 1903, and on June 1st, 1904, was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Forestry, serving until September 1st, 1920. He then became a Professor in the Slippery Rock Normal School, holding this position at the time of his death. In 1905, Mr. Williams joined the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, being later elected a mem- ber of its Council. He had high ideals, which, with his legal train- ing and literary ability, were used in forwarding the forestry cause. His many friends in the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, the Department of Forests and Waters, and throughout the State will mourn his loss. F. L. B. PROPOSED PENNSYLVANIA REGIONAL FOREST EXPERIMENT STATION FOR a long time the need has been felt for a Forest Experiment Station in the section covered by Pennsylvania and the States immediately adjoining. Similar regional stations have been established by the U. S. Department of Agriculture in the Pacific Northwest, in the Rocky Mountain Section, the Lake States, the Southern Appalachians and the Gulf States. Senator George Wharton Pepper on January 5th, introduced in the U. S. Senate a bill (S. 3877) aiming to supply this need. The text of the pro- posed act is as follows: ABiU To authorize the establishment and mainte- nance of a forest experiment station in Pennsyl- vania and the surrounding States. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That in order to determine and demonstrate the best methods for the con- servative management of forest and forest lands and the protection of timber and other forest products, the Secretary of Agriculture is author- ized and directed (1) to establish and maintain, in cooperation with the State of Pennsylvania and with the surrounding States, a forest ex- periment station at such place or places as he may determine to be most suitable, and (2) to conduct, independently or in cooi>eration with other branches of the Federal Government, the States, universities, colleges, county and munic- ipal agencies, business organizations, and in- dividuals, such silvicultural, dendrological, forest fire, economic, and other experiments and in- vestigations as may be necessary. Sec. 2. There is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appro- priated, the sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to carry out the purposes of this Act, including the erection of buildings and payment of other necessary expenses, such sum to be immediately available and to remain avail- able for expenditure during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1926. We hope that our members will communicate with the members of the U. S. Senate and House from their district, urging the desirability of such a Forest Experiment Station. THE FOREST TREE NURSERY SITUATION By John W. Keller Chief, Bureau of Forest Extension THREE million acres of land in Pennsyl- vania, good only for timber production, should be planted with forest trees now. Many of the owners of these idle acres are anxious to plant, but at no time during the past five years has it been possible to meet the demand for all the seedlings and transplants requested by them. On January 1, 1925, one thousand, one hundred (1,100) applications had been granted for almost 7,000,000 trees that will be distributed for planting during the coming spring. The supply of white pine, red pine and Nor- way spruce is already exhausted even though it will be three months before any trees can be shipped. The supply of all trees will undoubtedly be allotted before March 1, 1925. It is believed that the demand for trees in Pennsylvania will reach 20,000,000 annually by 1928, and it is the duty of the State Nurseries to meet this demand with a sufficient supply of the proper kinds of trees for planting in Pennsylvania. The State Nurseries now consist of 24 acres on which forest tree seedlings can be grown. This small acreage has been worked to its maximum capacity since 1920. No parts of it can be spared for the growing of cover croi>s to put humus back into the soil, and it is impossible to get the best results by the continual use of commercial fertil- izer. In addition to the 24 acres of State Nurseries there are 11 acres at State Institutions on which trees are grown for reforestation — so that the actual area of the forest tree nurseries of Pennsylvania is 35 acres. No forest tree nurseries in the United States have ever produced so many trees on so small an area as are now being grown in the nurseries conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters. But the limit has been reached and more nursery space must be made available if the production of trees is to be in- creased. The following tabulation itemizes the forest tree nursery work in several of the leading States now engaged in reforestation: . FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES Nursery Number Area of Trees State (Acres) Produced Year New York 205 8,671,707 1923 Massachusetts ... 40 1,500,425 '' Ohio 40 214,000 '' Pennsylvania .... 35 9,100,000 1924 Vermont 20 600,000 1923 Michigan 12 300,000 Maryland 10 100,000 In the nurseries of Pennsylvania there are 6 acres of State Nursery and 16^ acres at State Institutions not suitable for the growing of seed- ling trees. Due to the educational advantages of nursery work and the need for shade and orna- mental trees for planting on public grounds, this area is used for growing trees suitable for this purpose. These trees are furnished for planting on the grounds of State Institutions, Public Schools, and Municipal and County lands. Dur- ing 1924, approximately 5,000 shade and orna- mental trees were furnished by the State Depart- ment of Forests and Waters for use on school and other public grounds. The State Nurseries should always be able to provide all the forest trees needed to meet the Staters needs. Two hundred acres of nursery land will be required to meet the demand for 20,000,000 forest trees and 25,000 shade and ornamental trees which is sure to come within five years. Reforestation in Pennsylvania can- not go forward until adequate nursery space is provided. WINTER INJURY One of the severest electrical storms that ever swept over the Clearwater region of Idaho oc- curred on the night of July 1, 1924. Over 100 fires were set by this storm and others which followed during the next two or three days. The National forests north pf the Salmon River alone handled 488 fires in the first 20 days of July. Preliminary figures show that out of a total of 1867 forest fires, 921 were caused by lightning. Idaho 's slogan is KEEP FIRES OUT OF IDAHO FORESTS— IT CAN BE DONE. The railroads in 1923 purchased 15 per cent, of all the forest proiducts in the country, for which they paid $232,511,000. The purchase of cross ties necessitated an expenditure of $124,- 743,000. Other timber and lumber purchases cost $99,798,000, while such forest products as poles and .posts cost $7,970,000. By W. A. McCubbin BESIDES the several types of injury caused by winter conditions in fruit, vegetables and tender foliage, there are seven distinct types which affect the woody tissues of trees and shrubs. These may be summed up as follows: 1. Injury due to the extreme and long con- tinued low temperature. This is equivalent to growth of a plant out of its normal range and the low temperature alone kills buds, twigs or the whole tree. 2. Injury from winter sometimes occurs be- cause of immaturity of tissues in autumn. This was extremely prevalent last winter, due to ces- sation of growth in the summer drought and re- sumption in later moist weather. When growth is thus resumed it has to go through almost the whole seasonal cycle, and if the period is too short for this the tissues enter the winter in an immature condition, in which case they are read- ily killed by even a moderate frost. Since secon- dary growth of this kind is greatest about buds and twigs, these parts suffer most, and the ex- tent of the injury will be determined by the vigor of the second grow^th period and the degree to which it was unable to complete its growth cycle before freezing began. Injuries arising from this cause usually have clearly marked symptoms; the second growth is readily noted on the twigs either by difference in size or in the distance between the buds, or in the size and maturity of the buds; the buds on the second growth portion usually are incom- pletely formed and often no terminal bud is pres- ent; further, the wood of such twigs shows two more or less distinct annual rings near the base of the current yearns twig. The comparative size of the two rings varying according to the time when midseason dormancy was attained. The outer ring may be well marked or it may be m.erely a thin layer of tissue, in which case it is undoubted evidence of iramaturitv. The reference of this type of winter injury to its proper cause is often helped by noting its re- lation to the rest of the tree. In fruit trees at least, and doubtless in other trees, the buds ma- ture first, then the twigs and limbs and trunk and roots in order. The extent to which killing back occurs ought to be roughly parallel to the extent of second growth and maturity of the same when the season ended. It sometimes happens that fruit trees are only partially mature in autumn and are caught by an early frost. In such cases the buds may be mature and all the limbs, but the trunk and some- times merely the crotches of main limbs are still immature, and are killed. This does not often happen in native trees and shrubs. 3. Root injury in fruit trees from winter is usually attributed to (a) a hard, earthy soil which freezes deeply; (b) a tender rootstock; (c) removal of surface earth from the tender stock by erosion or plowing or to remove borers. Injuries of this kind are not usual in native trees. 4. Sunscald is a common form of winter injury in fruit trees and is quite common on shade trees, but rare on wild plants. It arises from the heat- ing action of the sun in late winter. The heat thus generated in the trunk or main limbs starts the cambium out of its dormant condition, and even a moderate freeze thereafter will destroy the living tissue. Trees on sheltered city streets ex- posed to the sun often suffer in this way. In all these cases the affected areas are on the south or southwest sides, which differentiates this type of injury from that mentioned in (2) which has no such orientation. 5. Another type of scald due to winter is at- tributed to the action of warm drying air on the top while the roots are still frozen so thoroughly and so deeply that no water can be supplied to replace evaporation loss. This is a type common on conifers and particularly on pines. 6. A very common type of winter killing is al- lied to the sunscald mentioned in (4). In this case the buds are stimulated by warm weather into growth in late winter and a succeeding frost kills them and the twigs, depending on the extent to which stimulation occurred. It is to be noted here that the buds are first to start into growth, then the twigs, and the general awakening proceeds down the tree in the same order as it entered dormancy. This does not seem to agree with the cases mentioned in (4) but in the case of tree trunks it must be re- membered that the large surface absorbs and re- tains heat readily while in the twigs and buds the heat is dissipated into the air too readily for stimulation to occur. 7. A late frost in spring often pauses a peculiar type of damage quite apart from the common de- struction of blossoms or twigs which have been well started on their seasonal growth. When the frost is not severe and the tissues are water filled, ice is formed and though the cold does not actually destroy the life of the cells the expansive action of ice bursts and crushes the tissues leav- ing all sorts of cracks, blisters and internal wounds. Barring infection these heal up later as any wound will do and little permanent damage results. THE McNARY-WOODRUFF BILL A TEN year program under which $40,000,000 would be authorized for the purchase of national forest lands in the eastern half of the United States is contained in a bill in- troduced by Senator Charles L. McNary, Re- publican, Oregon as S. 3736 and by Congressman Roy O. Woodruff, Republican, Michigan as H. R. 11034. According to The American Forestry Association which is sponsoring the bill the fiscal program outlined is the next essential step in forestry legislation. It would make possible the completion of forest land purchases in the White and Appalachian mountains authorized by the Weeks Law of 1911 and the acquiring of 2,500,000 acres in the southern pine regions and a similar area in the lake states. The purchases in the lake states and in the south are made possible by the Clarke-McNary Law, passed in June, 1924, which authorizes the acquiring of land for the purpose of timber production on the watersheds of navi- gable streams, as well as for protection of stream flow. Much of the land may be secured at prices consistent with the government policy of national forest purchases. 3,000,000 acres additional should be purchased in the White and Appalachian mountains in order to extend and consolidate present government holdings in practicable administrative units and to complete the group of national forests planned under the Weeks Law. During the past 13 years only a little over 2,500,000 acres have been pur- chased. The idle lands available for national forest purposes in the south are especially suited to the production of timber. A similar condition exists in the lake states. This region has con- tributed most of the lumber for the development of the great agricultural belt of the middle west, and it is stated by friends of the new bill that this region, under wise management, can be made to do its part in forest restoration. A system of national forests encircling the larger centers of population and utilizing areas adapted only for the production of timber, should be effective as demonstrations in the practice of forestry. This would result eventually in putting under forest management through private ownership a much larger acreage than that purchased by : the government. Furthermore, this group of ! forests- could be made to furnish recreation spaces M I FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES for three-fourths of the nation *s population, be- sides producing timber and pulpwood and pro- tecting stream flow. STATE FORESTS AND STATE FOREST PARKS FOR RECREATIONAL USE* R. Y. Stuart Secretary Penna. Dept. of Forests and Waters THE individual and the public have taken greater and more intelligent interest in recent years in recreational advantages out doors. The availability of good roads and auto- mobiles is in large measure resfK)nsible for it. The National Conference on Outdoor Recreation held recently in Washington is a clear reflection not only of the public mind on this question, but the universality of interest in it. The developv- ments and possibilities in this movement are of particular interest to the forester because practi- cally every outdoor recreational project entails a development of tree growth in which by the nature of his work he can qualify for service. Participation in recreational use is not only a forester's privilege — it is his duty. We are in the pioneer stage of forestry in America. The profession will necessarily con- tinue pioneering until sound forest practice is exemplified generally throughout the United States. One of the most gratifying developments in our work has been the increasing recognition by the public of the urgency and wisdom of forest production and utilization on a scientific basis. The temper of the public is to have forest dev- astation stopped and to utilize as fully as practicable all products of the forest. This atti- tude of the public mind is attributable to many factors, not the least important of which is the regard held by the American for trees and forest values for those intangible benefits which mean to him better health, better recreation and a more attractive environment. No element of our people has worked more persistently for better tree and forest appreciation than those whose dominant goal is the broad public interest rather than commitment to a higher forest technique. The forester has been most fortunate in having the confidence of this and other classes, earnest in their appeal for better forests, in his attempt to have sound forest practice adopted. Whether he will or no, the forester is definitely identified •Presented at Fifth Annual MeetinR, Association of State Foresters, New Orleans, Louisiana, December 1-4, '1924. in this country with outdoor recreation. He should be thoroughly grateful for this wide op- portunity for public service. The opportunity open to the forester for leader- ship in outdoor recreation enables him to par- ticipate in the counsels on outdoor recreation policy and development. The urgency of his becoming identified closely with this work is illus- trated by the fact that there is considerable con- fusion in the public mind on the various aspects and values of outdoor recreation. Practically every State is working out a policy and program along its own lines. The public finds that the ^^ State Park'* in one state may be quite different in conception, administration and purpose from a State Park in another state. Similarly, the ^^ State Forest^' in one state may be so admin- istered as to bring to the citizen of that state wider benefits than those given on the State Forest of another state to its citizen. There is great need to clear up in the public mind the dis- tinctive forms of recreational use. The key to this, in my judgment, is land use and desired form of tree development. The variance in tree form as a result of treat- ment and management is naturally not so clear to the public as to the forester. It is not sufficient to say, ^'Forests are intended to grow wood, and parks are created for pleasure. ' ^ From his knowl- edge of tree growth, the forester is able to secure a forest or a park development as may be desired. With him it is simply a question of the highest use to which the land can be put. Just as all land, good for no other purpose than to produce wood, should be in forest, so land primarily adapted physically or by historic association for park use should be so used. The inherent dis- tinction to the forest between the two types of use is that the former is a project of tree associa- tion under competitive conditions, while the latter is a project of tree association for effect. If these basic principles, i. e., land use and tree association as against tree form, are borne in mind, much of the confusion as to forests and parks now existing in the public mind can be avoided. Pennsylvania has given considerable study to this question and has made substantial progress not only in clarifying it, but in placing the State policy in these respects on a sound, consistent and wholly compatible basis. It is of interest, and characteristic of Dr. Joseph T. Rothrock that, in advocating the purchase of forest land by Pennsylvania in 1895, he should have pointed out that State Forests ** should com- bine in themselves not only charm of scenery that would attract our population to them, but that they should also jwssess such altitude, purity of atmosphere and general health-giving condi- tions as would make them sanatariums for those of our population who do not, or can not go to remoter points for renewal of strength.'' From the beginning of State Forest purchases in Penn- sylvania in 1898, one of the public benefits men- tioned and rendered in increasing measure has been recreational use. In order to have these tracts, aggregating 1,131,277 acres, serve their highest use in recreation, a comprehensive plan was adopted in 1920 to more clearly differentiate the types of recreational use upon them and to develop them in harmony with that use. It was found that there were within the State Forests areas of historic interest and small tracts of original growth timber. Realizing that the highest value of such areas lay in the public en- joyment of them as such, the Department re- quested authority of the State Assembly to set them aside in i>erpetuity for that purpose. The distinctive and significant designation of '* State Forest Monument'' was given to them. There have been set aside as State Forest Monuments the following areas: Area (acres) Bear Meadows 350. Martin's Hill 8.5 Joyce Kilmer 20.5 Ole Bull 23. Mount Riansares 13. Alan Seeger 30. Mount Logan 47. McConnell Narrows 250. Detweiler Run 50. In addition, there have been segregated for conservative forest management, consistent with the plan of retaining their natural scenic beauty, the following areas: Cherry Springs Drive Coxe's Valley View Within the State Forest units purchased there were included also a number of areas, such as open meadows and abandoned fields, which were well adapted to park, picnic and camp use by the general public. The Department has been devoting such areas to that use, providing in each instance a plan under which development could take place in harmony with the situation and public demands. Three types of recreational use have been recognized on these areas: viz.. State Forest Parks, Public Camp Grounds Class * ' A " and Public Camp Grounds Class * ^ B ". The difference lies mainly in the accommodations furnished as dictated by the site itself and its accessibility to the public. There have been established eight (8) State Forest Parks as follows: Area (acres) Snyder-Middleswarth 500 George W. Childs 53 Voneida 5 Caledonia 20 Mont Alto 20 Valhalla 5 James Buchanan 16j^ Leonard Harrison 128 These areas are distinctively parks in the sense that emphasis in their development has been placed upon tree form, tree effect and other scenic features rather than upon a forest condition. They are along main travelled highways and posted conspicuously to attract the interest and use of the public. Tables, benches, garbage con- tainers, comfort stations, fireplaces, parking grounds, a supply of pure water and other con- veniences are provided free of charge. In several instances a concession has been granted to a private party to conduct restaurant facilities, under adequate public safeguard, for the park users. These Parks are very popular with tourists, picnickers and campHJrs. The Class ^*A" Public Camp Grounds, of which 12 have been set aside, are along fairly well travelled highways and adapted to use by tourists with camping outfits, by sportsmen, picnickers and other camj>ers. The grounds are equipped with tenting space, fireplaces, comfort stations, tables, benches, garbage containers, a supply of pure water and other facilities. Temporary shelter in the form of lean-tos and covered fire- places furnish some protection from severe weather. There are 17 Class ^'B" Public Camp Grounds. The facilities furnished at them are practically the same as at Class **A" Public Camp Grounds, the main difference between the two types being accessibility. The Class ^'B" sites are away from main travelled roads and are intended pri- marily for the use of hikers, hunters, fishermen, vacationists or picnickers who desire to get as far into the woods as they can and make their stay there with reasonable comfort. The public camp ground can be occupied by any person or group for two (2) consecutive days. If they desire to continue camping on State Forests another site is suggested to them so that the developed camp 8 FOREST LEAVES ground may be made to serve the greatest num- ber of people. Encouragement has been given also to the use of the State Forests for camping by the in- dividual. Camp site leases to citizens of Penn- sylvania for periods not to exceed ten (10) years, subject to renewal, were made permissive on State Forests by legislative act of 1913. There have been issued to date close to thirteen hundred (1,300) j>ermits for camp sites. The structures placed upon them by the permittees, subject to approval by the Department, range from the in- expensive hut of the hunter to fine summer cottages. The development of State Parks in Pennsyl- vania has been subsequent to the initiation of a State Forest Policy. All of these parks have been established primarily on account of the historic worth of the areas involved. This is quite apparent as one reviews the list of them : Valley Forge Park Washington Crossing Park State Park and Harbor of Erie Fort Washington Park Quite aside from the State 's activity in furnish- ing recreation is the interest of municipalities and other local groups in providing recreational opportunities for their people. In Pennsylvania there are 27 cities alone which own forest or park land administered for the benefit of the local public. Similarly, local groups, such as patriotic and civic organizations, are interesting themselves in this question as a matter of public moment and are advocating increased activity by local authorities in the acquisition and ad- ministration of forest and park areas, particu- larly as they can be made to serve the local citizens. Of peculiar interest to the forester is the rec- reational apj>eal inherent in all properly manag- ed forests. Except for those favored Americans who have visited Continental countries, the at- tractiveness of well-managed forests has not been generally experienced in this country. When we realize the extent to which our forest covered areas are now visited for recreation by the hunter, the fisherman, the camper and transient, we can well anticipate the appreciation and extensive use of well-m'anaged forests for all forms of outdoor recreational use compatible with maximum timber production on them. Therein lies the larger opportunity for public service open to the State that develops its land in conformance with the principle of highest land use, recognizing the distinction between tree development for wood volume and tree development for effect. IMPORTANT TREE PLACES IN PENNSYL- VANIA By Joseph S. Illick PENNSYLVANIA is rich in trees and tree places. More than one hundred different kinds of native trees grow within her borders and scattered throughout the State are important tree places of growing interest that in time will win a place in Pennsylvania's '^Hall of Fame for Trees ' ' if they have not already won that distinction. Some of Pennsylvania's wonderful tree places are in the natural forests and picture in a most beautiful and obvious way the historic forest background that yielded a full measure of pros- perity and comfort to our people. We must not overlook these wonderful tree sanctuaries within Penn's Woods, for among them are some of the very best examples of native arboretums in the eastern United States, and from them may be learned many interesting and helpful lessons about our native and introduced trees. This knowledge of trees will be helpful in fashioning a sound program of forest conservation, which is one of the most vital problems that confronts us today. In addition to the tree places in the natural forests of Pennsylvania there are some important man-made tree places of note. Among the early land owners of the State, particularly in the vicinity of Philadelphia, were a small number of ardent tree lovers who collected native and foreign trees and assembled them in arboretums that are still in the front rank of the tree sanctuaries of our country. Some of these won- derful tree collection enterprises were established 200 years ago, and a few go back to an earlier date. Among these important tree sanctuaries are a few that have come down to us in a satis- factory condition, while others are objects of neglect, but in spite of their deplorable condition they continue to be of scientific interest and are worthy of careful study. During the last 25 years in particular, and in a few instances for a longer period of time, a new class of important tree places have been developed in this State. The name ^'plantation" is generally applied to them. These plantations are the result of forest tree planting, which is often discussed under the heading of reforesta- tion. There are now scattered throughout Penn- sylvania several thousand plantations of forest trees aggregating about 25,000 acres. Most of these trees were planted during the last 25 years. !■ 1 ■'\ Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 1. Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 1. One of the Best Forest Tree Plantation Layouts in America. Courtesy Dept. of Forests and Waters. jif' ir; A Small Group of White Pine in the Big Army of More Than One-half Million Trees Bordering the York Water Company's Impounding Basin. Courtesy Dept. of Forests and Waters. ^yi^ « *?• '; 1 - ;% y^x^-V'Jl^'': n' - • :- ' ' - i'l '- ■ -. ■ •« -. • -^ * ■»' • »« 1 ■ i > , *' - .' ,» • •-• *V^-'."S- V • • '; * ,y.--.- .''N , .-^ s, 1; White Pine Tree Plantation, York Water Woods Courtesy Dept. of Forests and Waters. Fine Plantation of Red Pine in the York Water Woods. Courtesy Dept. of Forests and Waters. FOREST LEAVES I) h They were grown in the nurseries operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, from which have been distributed more than 67,000,000 trees. The wonderful tree places that resulted from this big planting project can be found not only on the State Forests but also on privately owned land in all parts of the State. So that the people of Pennsylvania may know where these important tree places are located and that we may learn the lessons they hold for us, the writer has collected during the past ten years much interesting and helpful information about them. He delights in making this tree knowledge available to the readers of ^^ Forest Leaves" so that they may know more about these tree wonders. That the location of these important tree places are better known, and that we can learn the tree lessons they hold for us, the writer has collected interesting and helpful information about them. He delights in making this tree knowledge available to the readers of *^ Forest Leaves, ^ ' so that they will know where these tree places of Pennsylvania are, and perhaps it may be possible to visit them and thus have a tree tieat that is hard to beat. The writer has notes on a considerable num- ber of tree places, but not all of them can be described in a short series of articles. Hence only a few have been selected, but it is hoped that the others will be described elsewhere. It is also probable that not all important tree places of Pennsylvania are known to the writer. It will be helpful in the promotion of tree apprecia- tion and forest conservation, if the readers of this article will help compile the records of all noteworthy arboretums, groves, and plantations within the State. The fruits of such a study are a better knowledge of Pennsylvania. To know Pennsylvania is to love her, and there is no better gateway to true patriotism than through knowl- edge. We will do well unto ourselves and to those who follow after us if we bring together a knowl- edge of Pennsylvania's important tree places. There follows a list of tree places that will be described : 1. The York Water Woods 2. The Forest of Sheerlund 3. The Drinker Arboretum 4. Bartram's Garden 5. The Caledonia Plantations. 6. Painter's Arboretum 7. The Koenig Arboretum 8. The Drake Plantations 9. The Miller Grove 10. The Heart's Content Forest 11. The Woodland Cemetery 12. The Wissahickon Tree Sanctuary 1. The York Water Woods* About eight miles southeast of York, Pennsyl- vania, is one of the most attractive and appealing forest tree plantation layouts in eastern North America. On the gently rolling slopes surround- ing the water impounding basin of the York Water Company, with a capacity of 900,000,000 gallons, stands an orderly army of 550,000 friendly trees. It was in 1913 that this wonderful tree place was started on bare farm land, dotted with a few small groves of native trees along the beauti- ful Codorus Creek. In that year 50,000 white pine and 5,000 Norway spruce were planted. Each year thereafter additional trees have been added to this rapidly growing army in gala green that has already passed the half million mark. These trees are a growing concern, and will con- tinue to grow in beauty and service. In the lan- guage of the founders, expressed shortly after the first trees were planted: ^* These evergreen trees will serve not only to beautify the surroundings but also conserve the purity of the storage water supply. ' ' Great good is already coming from this tree planting project, for the trees are paying dividends in beauty and service not only to those who planted them, but also to thousands of water users and many thousands of travellers who have the privilege of beholding this gala garment of green that clothes the rolling hills about the blue waters. This wonderful tree place of southern Pennsylvania is too young to be famous, but it is probable that some day ^^The York Water Woods" will rival some of the far famed forests of Europe. That the planting experiences in the York Water Woods have been successful is shown by the fact that more than 90% of all the planted trees are still living, and practically all are in a thrifty condition. That they are making a re- markable growth and promise to grow steadily in beauty, value, and fame, is very satisfying. The York Water Woods are being developed according to a carefully prepared plan. No forest plan, even in the intensively managed forests of Europe, gives more attention to detail. What impresses one particularly about this practical planting plan is its simplicity, and it may be truly said that in its simplicity lies its strength. The whole planting scheme is practical and purpose- •General Description in December, 1922 number of Forest Leaves. !*! V. 10 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 11 'o. ful, and the management thereof calls only for commendation. As a natural consequence, these forest tree plantations stand second to none in their class. When one looks at this promising army of red pine, white pine, Norway spruce, European larch, Douglas fir, and silver fir, one cannot help but think that the founders were blessed with good vision, an abundance of patience, a worthy pur- pose, and a generous heart. Good vision, for only the forward looking could see the merits of such an undertaking; an abundance of patience, for it takes a long time for forest trees to grow, and yet these planted trees of less than 15 years are already giving gifts of beauty and protecting the water supply; a worthy purpose, for we need more and better trees and practical examples of reforestation are needed to promote the cause of forest conservation in a practical way; a generous heart, for the planting of so large a number of trees implies a large invest- ment, and the good thereof will come not only to the founders but also to many others. This tree planting project is truly an unselfish enter- prise. It is appropriate to quote here the beauti- ful thoughts of the tree planter penned by one of America's foremost poets: *^He that planteth a tree is a servant of God; he provideth a kindness for many genera- tions, and faces that he hath not seen shall bless him. ' ' — Van Dyke. What makes these plantations especially worthy of note is their accessibility, for the famous York-Baltimore pike passes through the midst of them. The topography of the country is rolling, which enables one to see this beautiful tree layout from many points and angles. The orderliness of the trees is impressive, their neat- ness draws commendation, and their thriftiness and vigor attracts attention. The York Water Woods are not only wonder- ful to look at, but also interesting to study. The State Department of Forests and Waters has established a series of sample plots within these plantations, and the growth and development of these thrifty trees are being studied with great interest and care. These plantations are doing a silent service of inestimable value. They pro- mote the cause of reforestation in a practical way. They show the possibilities of forest tree plant- ing in a most obvious way and tell the story of tree growth so that all can understand. This great and growing tree place is worthy of a visit by all interested in the wonders of nature and in human welfare. That these planted trees are making an impression on the public is shown conclusively when one observes the tourists idling their motors along the highway just to get a peep at this wonderful tree treat. During the last two years these plantations have been visited by Foresters from fifteen differ- ent states, from Canada, and from foreign coun- tries. Just a few weeks ago Dr. C. A. Schenck, a Forester of international fame, and former Director of the Biltmore Forest School, visited this great tree place and said: ^^In all my travels I have never seen any better forest tree planta- tions. They are as near perfect as nature can make them. Even the forests of Europe have nothing better to offer. The York Water Woods are truly wonderful and the promoters have a^ right to feel as did the Creator on the seventh* day, when he said *It is good'.'' REPORT OF THE COUNCIL OF THE PENN- SYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Governor Pinchot's proclamation closing the state to hunting at the start of the season, ac- complished more for the conservation of the state's forests than any other one thing in the last twenty years. The observance of that warn- ing by sportsmen everywhere, of course, saved much of the woodlands from being burned over — but the moral effects of that warning will have been carried down through the years. The lessons taught by that proclamation will be everlasting. Sportsmen usually are careful in the woods, but the prohibition of hunting the fore part of the season called in strongest terms for their co- operation. In that call they realized the necessity of greater care. Because of that proclamation they gave it. The cause of forest protection has been advanced greatly by the attitude of Pennsyl- vania's sportsmen during the drought which closed the forests to them except in areas where rain fell. The state's sportsmen have proved themselves to be '^good sportsmen" by their re- sponse toward the Governor's proclamation. To the everlasting credit of the press of the state, let it be said much praise is due for their splendid co-operation. The attitude of news- papers must certainly be one of the most en- couraging features of the whole forestry situa- tion.— Altoona Tribune. The Big Tree of Tule, also called Cypress of Montezuma, stands by a churchyard at Tule, Mexico. It is 160 feet high and 146 feet in cir- cumference. Its age has been estimated at 4,500 to 5,000 years. THE program of forestry in Pennsylvania in 1924 has been encouraging. No appropri- ation was made for the purchase of land for State Forests, but 334 acres were added in 1924. The total area now is 1,131,611 acres, pur- chased at a cost of $2,560,097, or an average of $2.26 per acre. At the last meeting of the Legislature a bill was passed authorizing a change in the Consti- tution so that a State loan of $25,000,000 can be made for the purchase of wild lands for State Forests. This bill will be re-introduced in the Legislature of 1925, and if passed, will be voted on by the citizens of Pennsylvania in Novem- ber, 1925. It is important that our members use every effort to secure the passage of this bill by the Legislature, and if passed, to obtain an affirmative vote for its adoption by our citizens in Novem- ber. The latest figures show that Pennsylvania is importing 84 per cent, of the timber and 70 per cent, of the pulpwood which it uses. There is no reason why, if our idle non-agricultural land be put to use by the growing of trees, and the fires kept out, the Commonwealth can not produce all of the timber it needs within its own boundaries, i)erpetuate our lumber industries, and save the tremendous freight bill of $25,000,000 which is now paid on lumber brought in from other States. It will also prove a good invest- ment for the State, for the land purchased as above stated for $2.26 for State Forests, is now conservatively estimated to be worth $11.80 per acre, a five fold increase. The sale of bonds is a common method of financing projects which benefit future generations. If the State will purchase 5,000,000 additional acres it will be a big step forward which will benefit future gen- erations and aid in overcoming the approaching timber famine. Our members could confer no srreater blessing: upon coming generations than to secure the enactment of this lefi:islation. On such portions of Pennsylvania as are now barren, principally due to repeated forest fires, the best way to reproduce the forests is by planting desirable trees. For this purpose the Department of Forests and Waters maintains three large and one small forest tree nurseries, and also in co-operation with State institutions, nine additional small nurseries. 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 plant- ing there are. now growing 23,500 acres of planted trees on State Forests which will yield approxi- mately 822,500,000 ft. B. M. of choice lumber when the trees reach maturity. During the last 15 years the Department has been co-operating with private planters, who have been supplied with a total of 32,941,3^5 trees. More than half of these were distributed in the last three years. The trees planted in 1922, 1923 and 1924 have reforested about 17,000 acres of private idle land. Thousands of young trees have been set out by water companies to protect their water sheds, and the coal companies are planting on their lands so that when the coal is exhausted, there will be a valuable timber crop left which can be reproduced indefinitely. The younger growth will also be available for timber for mining pur- poses. During the last two years special efforts have been made to beautify the highways of the State. The Department of Highways has co-oper- ated with the Department of Forests and Waters in planting trees along the State roads, and since January 1st, 1922, 11,096 trees were planted on both sides of 75 miles of the State's highway system, and added much to their attractiveness. There are now in the nurseries 33,000,000 seed- lings, of which about 10,000,000 will be avail- able for planting next year. Tourists are appreciating more and more the outing camps which are being maintained in the State Forests. There are 29 public camping grounds. Twelve of these are known as ** Class A," are located on main roads, have a fire place, pure water supply, comfort stations, garbage con- tainers, tables, benches and spaces for tents. There are 17 Class B camps on secondary roads, pro- vided with on open front ^'lean to," stone fire place, pure water supply, tables and benches as well*as garbage containers. A total of 1277 permanent camp sites have been leased to individuals and clubs, 195 ol which were granted in 1924. It is estimated that during 1924 100,000 hunt- ers and 25,000 fishermen used the State Forests for recreation purposes, while 60,000 visited the fire towers, and those using the various public camping grounds and permanent camp sites would make a grand total of 600,000 who utilized the State Forests for recreation purposes. Pennsylvania has a comprehensive forest pro- tection plan based upon ten years' experience. Its organization embraced on Jan. 1st, 1925, 46 12 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 13 foresters, 61 forest rangers, and 3,300 forest fire wardens. The primary forest fire observation tower sys- tems, with 104 steel towers, have been erected on high points in all parts of the State, at a cost of $100,000. The towers are connected with the headquarters of district foresters and forest rangers by 784 miles of telephone lines, costing $95,500. During 1924, 54 miles of roads were con- structed at an expenditure of $17,000, and 46 miles of trails opened at a cost of $1,400. There are now on the State Forests 1,278 miles of roads constructed at a total cost of $317,000, and 2,546 miles of trails opened at a cost of $61,400. Only the excellence of its fire system enabled the Bureau of Forest Protection to combat the severe forest fires of 1923, when 3,539 fires were reported and extinguished, and but 375,737 acres burned over, the loss being $800,000. The lowest area of forest land burned over dur- ing any spring period since a record has been kept was this spring, when 957 fires burned 46,667 acres, an average of only 48.7 acres per fire. While the spring rains were a great help, it was made possible only by an efficient fire fight- ing organization. From June 1st to October 15th the fires that burned did relatively little damage. At about the middle of October, however, the effects of the rain of September 30th were gone. A heavy leaf fall received no moisture from the ground and no precipitation to pack it. The surface material in the forest becaroe like tinder in the middle of the clear days. During the nights, fogs and dews dampened the forest floor but did not reach the under material. Fires started easily between 9 A. M. and 4 P. M. and once started would gather enough volume to keep going, especially on the few days when there was a high wind. Such days, fortunately, were* few. With several exceptions, fires were extinguished before midnight of the day on which they started, but because of the extreme dryness of the vege- table material next to and in the soil and under rocky areas, the fire would creep underneath and break out on successive days, where, no one could foretell. In this way, in spite of patrol on the fire lines, at least nine fires reached an area of 1,000 acres, one of which was probably 2,000 acres. From the reports now in hand it is estimated that from June 1st to December 31st, there were 982 fires burning over about 46,100 acres. The total area burned over in 1924 was approx- imately 93,000 acres. The lowest previous record was 126,000 acres in 1919, This shows a 25 per cent, decrease. The average per fire for the year was 49 acres. The lowest previous average of 78 acres was in 1921. Considering the fact that this October is re- ported by the U. S. Weather Bureau as the driest October in the last fifty years, it is safe to com- pare the fire situation this year with the worst record available. That was in 1922. In Septem- ber of that year there were 261 fires burning over 26,000 acres. In October there were 564 fires burning over 30,800 acres. During Novem- ber there were 402 fires burning over 15,900 acres. The haze which has been almost constant dur- ing the woi-st period of drought reduced the efficiency of the tower system very materially. Towermen could see only short distances. This made it possible for some fires to get fair starts before the extinction force can reach them. Unquestionably the accumulated effect of past efforts toward educating our citizens to protect the forests reached its climax in the wide-spread demand upon the Governor to pK)stpone the hunt- ing season. The proclamation so issued brought home to everyone in the State in a most remark- able way the need of care, and it must certainly be the general response to this idea that has made people everywhere careful. The forest pro- tection organization has been on the job con- stantly, prompt and effective with verj' few ex- ceptions and helr>ed by local support in an un- precedented manner. The Allegheny National Forest, whose boun- daries are intended ultimately to embrace 744,812 acres in Warren, McKean, Forest and Elk Coun- ties, on the headwaters of the Allegheny River, has been making good headway. 87,830 acres have been actually acquired and 79,107 acres are under purchase agreement. The Pocono Forestry Association, which was organized in ]901, is composed of the owners of woodland in the Pocono Mountains. It was originally formed for the purpose of fighting forest fires in that section of the State, and has grown until it has over 500 members. It has broadened its scope so as to include tree plant- ing and other forest interests. One hundred and eighty-six thousand trees were set out in Monroe County. The Anthracite Forest Protective Association has a membership composed of the anthracite coal companies operating in the Schuylkill, Le- high and Susquehanna watersheds, together with other persons interested in forestry. It has had a steady normal growth and has 119 members. This is the worst forest fire section of Pennsylvania, and the Association has done splendid work in preventing and extinguishing forest fires. Many of its members are now effectively caring for their timberlands and setting out young tree seed- lings. One-eighth of all the timberland of this section is owned by its members. The Blair County Game, Fish and Forestr\' Association during the present year lost through death its secretary, Paul Kreuzpointner. Its ac- tivities are varied, including planting, forest fire fighting, the preservation, propagation and dis- tribution of game and fish. The Berks County Conservation Association is a flourishing organization, and has planted or aided in planting several hundred thousand trees in that county. It has organized the boy scouts as fire fighters and tree wardens, and forwarded the forestry and conservation work in this por- tion of Pennsylvania. The Central Pennsylvania Forest Protective Association, the McKean County Protective As- sociation, and the Lycoming County Protective Association are all active, forwarding the fores- try movement in theii* respective sections, and are especially interested in forest fire fighting. The Pennsylvania State Conservation Council, composed of organizations interested in hunting, fishing, farming and forestry, is busily engaged in furthering improved legislation, particularly to securing and protecting additional State For- ests. The State and local game and fish clubs are all interested in protecting, improving and aug- menting the woodlands of the State to foster the game and fish. The Pennsylvania State Forest School at Mont Alto has been enlarged and students from other States as well as Pennsylvania are now privileged to enroll and study forestry under the ideal con- ditions which prevail there. Eighty students' are now enrolled, the largest number since the school was established in 1903. In September, 1924, the school opened with a faculty of eight members. Under the direction of Dr. E. A. Ziegler, Direc- tor, a group of selected students in the winter of 1923-1924 made a study tour of sixteen Swiss and German forests. The school course is four years, and the State Council of Education re- cently authorized the conferring of the degree of Bachelor of Science in Forestry. No diffilculty will be found in obtaining well educated foresters for our State Forests as long as this institution continues. A considerable area of our timberlands occur as farmers woodlots, and Pennsylvania State Col- lege makes a course of forestry for the care of these w^oodlots a feature. Lehigh University is continuing its forest ex- periment station which is now showing its useful- ness by supplying examples of what kind of trees will give the best results in the eastern section of Pennsylvania. It also has its arboretum, and is continuing its reforestation of its denuded woodlands on South Mountain. The normal and high schools, as well as other educational institutions, are giving short courses or lectures on forestry. The women's clubs, pub- lic press, and others have aided in helping for- estry. Spring and Fall Arbor and Bird Days were well observed bv the schools, bov scouts and other organizations, as well as private individuals, thousands of young trees being set out, usually with appropriate exercises. They serve a useful purpose in interesting children and others in trees, their uses, value and habits. The number of Boy Scouts enlisted as Forest Guides is now about 23,000. The chestnut tree blight is gradually working its way westward through the State, practically all of the trees in the eastern section being al- ready dead, and is continuing its destruction of these valuable trees. No cure has been dis- covered for the disease. Where trees are at- tacked the best thing to do is to cut them down and utilize the timber for lumber, telegraph and telephone poles, posts, staves, railroad and mine ties, and cordwood. The white pine blister rust appeared in a few localities in Pennsylvania. It was eradicated and no further indication of its presence has since been found. Precautions have been taken to prevent the importation of the gypsy and brown tail moths which have caused great devastation in the New England States, and been reported in eastern New York. The Japanese beetle was discovered se^^eral years ago in New Jersey, starting near Riverton. This pest has increased in numbers causing much damage, and efforts, through quarantine regula- tions, made to restrict its range. It has also been carried by the wind, etc., into Pennsylvania. The U. S. Experiment Station is endeavoring to find an effective insecticide. On November 1st a memorial to the late Dr. J. T. Rothrock was dedicated at McVeytown, his birthplace. This monument, which was erected by a commission authorized by the last Legisla- 4 4 i 14 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 15 ture, consists of a massive boulder brought from the State Forest, and erected at the intersection of the two principal streets of the town. A suit- able bronze tablet with inscription, was set on the side of the monument. Practically the whole community turned out to honor its former towns- man, and many friends from a distance were present. The principal address was made by Governor Pinchot. The Pennsylvania Forestry Association was represented by its Secretary. The Summer Meeting of the Association was held at Harrisburg and Chambersburg, on June 25th, 26th and 27th. The opening session was in the Senate Caucus Room of the Capitol on the evening of June 25th. At 8 A. M., June 26th, the party left for a motor tour via Carlisle and Mt. Holly, through the Mchaux Forest District. This was a beauti- ful trip through the Pine Grove and Caledonia forests, Avhere the visitors had an opportunity to see the fine young growth on the State Forests, and inspect the Boy Scout Camp, the Girl Scout Camp, the Class ^'^B,'' and Class **A'' Public Camp Grounds, which have done so much to pro- vide outing grounds for the public, and which have been great aids in popularizing the State Forests. Luncheon was served at the Log Cabin Inn at Caledonia. Visits were made to the Cale- donia State Forest Park, and to the source of the water supply of Chambersburg. In the evening a meeting was held at the High School at Chambersburg. The next morning the party proceeded by motor cars through the Mont Alto Forest to the State Forest School at Mont Alto, which was in- spected, and a short session held there. The State Forest Nursery, with ten million seedlings and transplants was seen, also several planta- tions. After luncheon at the Mont Alto Park pavilion the continued lain prevented further sightseeing, and the members returned home, thus ending a well attended and instructive meeting. Any one who attended the Chambersburg meet- ing in 1908 was impressed by the wonderful ad- vance in tree growth on the Mont Alto and Cale- donia Forests, which were then visited. There has again been a severe loss in our organization through death, 31 of our mem- bers having passed away. Among them Albert Lewis, a vice-president, and one of our earliest members, also F. H. Shelton and Jos. S. Sillyman, members of council. They were always willing, by their counsel and support to aid the forestry cause in Pennsylvania. During the year 24 new members joined the Association, the total number now on the roll being 1080. One of the most important ways to forward the influence of our Association is to increase its membership, and we would urge this on our members. If each one would secure a new mem- ber the influence of our organization would be materially augmented. F. L. Hitler, Recording Secretary. THE MAPLE SYRUP AND SUGAR INDUSTRY IN SOMERSET COUNTY TREASURER'S REPORT THE fiscal year of the Pennsylvania Fores- try Association ends December 1, 1924, and the statement of finances on that date was as follows: Tbeasubeb's Statement to Dec. 1, 1924 Da. To Balance on hand Dec. 1, 1923 $483.39 Cash, annual dues to Nov. 30, 1924 1,900.00 Cash, donations and subscriptions .... 1,536.00 Cash, sale of Forest Leaves 47.47 Cash, interest on life membership and Forest Leaves bonds and deposits . . 795.05 Sale of badges 4.00 Temporary loan 100.00 Cash, life membership fees 100.00 Total $4,965.91 Cb. By Cash, oftice expenses, postage, etc $105.60 Office rent 720.00 Publication of Forest Leaves 1,565.04 Assistant Secretary's salary 600.00 Expense of meetings 112.94 Life membership fund 100.00 Forest Leaves Fund 62.00 Membership in Pennsylvania Conser- vation Council 25.00 Temporary investment 502.31 Exj)en8e Membership Committee 20.75 Badges ...,...,. ..| laOO Return of loan 100.00 Balance on hand Dec. 1, 1924 1,052.27 Total $4,966.91 FoBEST Leaves Fund Invested $2,665.42 In bank 130.00 $2,795.42 Special bequest for Forest Leaves invested $500.00 Life Membership Fund Invested $6,510.00 In bank 476.00 $6,985.00 Gbnebal Fund Bequests, etc $6,108.31 F. L. BITLER, Treasurer. By Samuel L. Kurtz Assistant District Forester FEW individuals appreciate the fact that the forest, besides producing wood, provides numerous minor products which benefit mankind, among which are naval stores, nuts, rubber, tannins, medicines, and maple syrup and maple sugar. Of these minor forest products, maple syrup and sugar are of considerable importance in Pennsylvania today. During the year 1924, 265,500 gallons of syrup and 184,000 pounds of sugar, with a combined value of $565,000, were produced. The north tier counties, as a group, lead in maple syrup and maple sugar production. This is what we would expect, since the sugar maple tree reaches its best development in that section of the State. However, the county leading the State is not a member of this group, but one, Somerset County, situate at its extreme southern limit. During the census year 1920, of the 273,700 gallons of syrup and 535,900 pounds of sugar produced in the State, Somerset County, alone, provided 64,800 gallons and 341,500 pounds. This was 25,800 gallons and 274,100 pounds more than that produced by Tioga County, which ranked second. During the same year, Somerset County produced 94 per cent of the syrup and 99 per cent of the sugar manufactured in the Forbes Forest District. This unique position which Somerset County maintains among the neighboring counties may be attributed to the following: First, the aver- age higher altitude of the county, resulting in an approximate northern climate. This factor, besides being responsible for an abundance of sugar maple in the original forest, effects a very gradual advent of spring, which is so necessary and favorable for a substantial flow of sap. Second, the treatment of the virgin forest by the original *' Somerset County Dutch, '* who, because of a special fondness for maple syrup and sugar, conserved and set aside the * ' Sugar Bush, ^ ' when converting the virgin forest into farm land. Although climatic conditions would hardly ex- plain fully the exalted position which Somerset County occupies with respect to the individual north tier counties, the more rational treatment of the virgin maple forest, from the standpoint of syrup and sugar production, the larger and more widely scattered population, and better average soil and market conditions, probably are suffilcient reason for the high place the county holds in maple syrup and sugar production. Although favored in many respects, the in- dustry in Somerset County has been steadily on the decline since 1910. It is estimated that the operators have suffered a loss of one million dollars during the past decade, because of diminishing production. The reason for such state of affairs is quite apparent. Most of the groves are old and over- mature, they being remnants of the original forest, which were left on favorable situations when the land was cleared for farms. Little or no attempt has been made to keep up their vigor or renew them. On the contrary, the premature decline of many groves has been fostered by too intensive tapping and extensive pasturing. Many groves have reached the stage where the vitality of the trees is constantly diminishing. As is evi- denced by decaying stumps and fallen logs, they contain only a small portion of the original trees, and many of these are overmature, of low vitality, stagheaded, and dying. Crass has made its appearance and increases the drying out of the soil. The operation of such groves, which are not producing normally, finally proves un- profitable and they are abandoned. Probably the outstanding feature of the groves is the failure of the owners to provide for future growth. Pasturing is almost universally per- mitted in the ^^ Sugar Bush.'' The cattle, besides trampling out and breaking off the young growth, are particularly fond of brovsing on the tender seedlings of sugar maple, and eliminate all hope for the renewal of the stand through natural re- production. The remedy of the above deplorable condition is quite simple. Discontinue pasturing! Where the old trees are still producing virile seed, a satisfac- tory natural reproduction should result. Where it proves unsatisfactory, maple seedlings should be planted, in order to secure a fully stocked stand. Eventually an unevenaged stand will result. Light, and consequently grass and weeds will be excluded from the forest floor and the leaves and humus retained to restore fertility to the soil. The older trees can be tapped and removed from time to time as they die off, and their places taken by the younger trees that have developed beneath them. If the land is needed for pasturing, the best portion of the grove should be fenced off and the growth removed from the other and converted into pasture. The value of both grove and pas- ture will be increased materially, since grass produced under the shade of trees is considerably '- 1 i % 16 FOREST LEAVES I '■ ' f , I less luxuriant, palatable and nutritious than that growing in full sunlight and its presence in the grove is a good indication that the stand is too op>en or is being abused. With the exclusion of cattle, the fire danger will increase until the grove becomes fully stocked. Fire is extremely hard on young growth, and when reproduction appears, special precau- tions will have to be taken. Under rational forest practice as outlined above, the harvesting of the product would not deteriorate the grove, but result in the annual production of a fixed amount of syrup and sugar, barring seasonal variations in sap flow. In other words, the industry would be stabilized. There are numerous reasons why the industry should be perpetuated. Probably the most ideal climatic conditions in the State for the produC' tion of maple syrup and sugar exist in Somerset County. The market is excellent. Besides a good local market, Somerset County is near the great in- dustrial section of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and large quantities of the product are disposed of through vendors from neighboring counties. Syrup brings from $1.60 to $2.50 per gallon, and sugar 15 to 30 cents per pound, depending on quality. It is reported that each year large amounts of Somerset County syrup and sugar, which is second to none, are shipped into the State of Vermont and resold as the celebrated Vermont products. The recent introduction of synthetic maple flavoring, or so called, ^^Mapleine," has had little, if any, effect u{>on market conditions. The demand for the genuine product has always far exceeded the supply. A fair profit can always be realized, particu- larly when operations are conducted on a large scale. At present it is the best paying crop on some farms. Little time is required to keep the grove in condition, and the work comes at a time when other farm work is rather slack. The time used to produce and market the crop otherwise would be lost or not put to profitable use. A well-stocked thrifty maple grove will enhance the value of the farm property from the esthetic standpoint; if properly handled, will benefit and enrich the soil by the accumulation of leaves or twigs; will serve as a reserve fund upon which the owner may call anytime for financial support ; will provide homes and breeding places for birds which keep down destructive insects, and finally, in many instances, will indirectly serve as a wind break or shelter belt for the protection of crops and cattle. The future of the industry is not bright. Upon the decision of the owner, whether to use the land for pasturing or syrup and sugar production, largely rests the future of the industry. So far the general trend has been to sacrifice the maple grove in favor of the cattle, and there is little reason to believe that this practice will be dis- continued to any great extent in the future. Be- cause of limited area for pasturing, together with the initial outlay, the risk and deferred returns, required to restore or renew the maple groves, pasturing is invariably given first consideration. Rough maple lumber from the mill brings as high as $60.00 per M board feet, f . o. b., in differ- ent parts of Somerset County. It is needless to state that many will sacrifice their groves for this purpose. It seems reasonable to assume that the present decline will continue and become more noticeable in the future. The writer is of the opinion that the greatest hope for the future of the industry lies in the development of young thickets of natural growth located chiefly on the mountains. The sugar maple groves will gradually disappear from the lowland farms of Somerset County and be found more commonly in the mountainous regions, particularly where to-day the chestnut is fast disappearing and thrifty sugar maple is taking its place. German scientists are reported to have found a way to manufacture material closely resembling wool by chemically treating the leaves of the Scotch pine. It is said that this new substance can be spun, curled, and woven. One of the uses to which this new material is being put is a stuff- ing for mattresses. The aromatic odor makes the mattresses insect proof and agreeable and bene- ficial to sleepers, especially patients in hospitals. The fir leaves are gathered every second year while they are still green. They are then boiled, and by the use of chemicals the resinous sub- stances are removed from them. The remaining fibers are separated and cleansed of all foreign matter. The result of this process is artificial wool. An oil by-product, differing somewhat from turpentine, but having many of its proper- ties, is also derived. U. S. Trade Commissioner Allport, of Berlin, Germany, reports a total income of $51,927,600 is expected during 1924 from the 2,400,000 acres of the State Forests of Prussia, as against total expenditures of only $18,341,400. This means a net return of $14.00 per acre. The year before the World War (1913) the income was $38,350,- 200 as against expenditures of $17,150,440. The revenue comes chiefly from timber sales, which supplied $35,968,200 or 93.7 per cent, of the total. X- ,y->' ;^. . ^■' 'I PUBLISHED BY THE PENNSYIVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION / / 16 FOREST LEAVES less luxuriant, palatable and nutritious than that growing- in full sunlight and its presence in the grove is a good indication that the stand is too open or is being abused. With the exclusion of cattle, the fire danger will increase until the grove becomes fully stocked. Fire is extremely hard on young growth, and when reproduction appears, special precau- tions will have to be taken. Under rational forest practice as outlined above, the harvesting of the product would not deteriorate the grove, but result in the annual production of a fixed amount of syrup and sugar, barring seasonal variations in sap flow. In other words, the industry would be stabilized. There are numerous reasons why the industry should be perpetuated. Probably the most ideal climatic conditions in the State for the produc- tion of maple syrup and sugar exist in Somerset County. The market is excellent. Besides a good local market, Somerset County is near the great in- dustrial section of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and large quantities of the product are disposed of through vendors from neighboring counties. Syrup bring"s from $1.60 to $2.50 per gallon, and sugar 15 to 30 cents per pound, depending on quality. It is reported that each year large amounts of Somerset County syrup and sugar, which is second to none, are shipped into the State of Vermont and resold as the celebrated Vermont products. The recent introduction of synthetic maple flavoring, or so called, ^^Mapleine,'^ has had little, if any, effect upon market conditions. The demand for the genuine product has always far exceeded the supply. A fair profit can always be realized, particu- larly when operations are conducted on a large scale. At present it is the best paying crop on some farms. Little time is required to keep the grove in condition, and the work comes at a time w^hen other farm work is rather slack. The time used to produce and market the crop otherwise would be lost or not put to profitable use. A well-stocked thrifty maple grove will enhance the value of the farm property from the esthetic standjwint; if properly handled, will benefit and enrich the soil by the accumulation of leaves or twigs; will serve as a reserve fund upon which the owner may call anytime for financial support ; will provide homes and breeding places for birds which keep down destructive insects, and finally, in many instances, will indirectly serve as a wind break or shelter belt for the protection of crops and cattle. The future of the industry is not bright. Upon the decision of the owner, whether to use the land for pasturing or syrup and sugar production, largely rests the future of the industry. So far the general trend has been to sacrifice the maple grove in favor of the cattle, and there is little reason to believe that this practice will be dis- continued to any great extent in the future. Be- cause of limited area for pasturing, together with the initial outlay, the risk and deferred returns, required to restore or renew the maple groves, pasturing is invariably given first consideration. Rough maple lumber from the mill brings as high as $60.00 per M board feet, f. o. b., in differ- ent parts of Somerset County. It is needless to state that many will sacrifice their gi'oves for this purpose. It seems reasonable to assume that the present decline will continue and become more noticeable in the future. The writer is of the opinion that the greatest hope for the future of the industry lies in the development of young thickets of natural growth located chiefly on the mountains. The sugar maple groves will gradually disappear from the lowland farms of Somerset County and be found more commonly in the mountainous regions, particularly where to-day the chestnut is fast disappearing and thrifty sugar maple is taking its place. German scientists are reix)rted to have found a way to manufacture material closely resembling wool by chemically treating the leaves of the Scotch pine. It is said that this new substance can be spun, curled, and woven. One of the uses to which this new material is being put is a stuff- ing for mattresses. The aromatic odor makes the mattresses insect proof and agreeable and bene- ficial to sleepers, especially patients in hospitals. The fir leaves are gathered every second year while they are still green. They are then boiled, and by the use of chemicals the resinous sub- stances are removed from them. The remaining fibers are separated and cleansed of all foreign matter. The result of this process is artificial wool. An oil by-product, differing somewhat from turpentine, but having many of its proper- ties, is also derived. U. S. Trade Commissioner Alli>ort, of Berlin, Germany, reports a total income of $51,927,600 is expected during 1924 from the 2,400,000 acres of the State Forests of Prussia, as against total expenditures of only $18,341,400. This means a net return of $14.00 per acre. The year before the World War (1913) the income was $38,350,- 200 as against expenditures of $17,150,440. The revenue comes chiefly from timber sales, which supplied $35,968,200 or 93.7 per cent, of the total. PUBLISHED BY THE PENNSyiVANIA FORESTIf/ ASSOCIATION PHILADELPHIA. PA. ^js^^ INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE CONTENTS Paqb Beautiful Young Forest Trees on "The Forest of Sheerlund" ^fl^J The Hazleton Meeting 17 The Pennsylvania Forest Loan Acts 17 The Forest Loan Resolution 18 What Others Say About Pennsylvania's Bond Issue 19 Spring Arbor Day Proclamation 19 American Forest Week 20 President Coolidge's Address on Forestry 21 Reforestation by the Pennsylvania Coal Company 22 Important Tree Places in Pennsylvania. The Forest of Sheerlund 24 Utilization of Blighted Chestnut on the Mont Alto Forest 26 Eastern National Forests Enlarged 27 Summary of the Delaware River Compact 28 The Forests of Sweden 28 Traveling Exhibit on Erie Railroad 29 The Grey Birch 30 Tree Planting in the Holy Land 31 New Publications 31 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FOUNDED IN JUNE, 1886 Labors to disseminate information in regard to the necessity and methods of forest culture and preservation, and to secure the enactment and enforcement of proper forest protective laws, both State and National. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE. THREE DOLLARS LIFE MEMBERSHIP. FIFTY DOLLARS Neither the membership nor the work of this Association is intended to be limited to the State of Pennsylvania. Persons desiring to become members should send their names to the Chairman of the Membership Committee, 130 South 15th Street, Philadelphia. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents, Robt. S. Conklin, J. F. Hendricks, Samuel L. Smedley. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. Treasurer and Recording Secretary, F. L. Hitler. COMMITTEES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Henry Howson, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman George F. Craig, Hon. Marshall Brown, FINANCE— Dr. Henry M. Fisher, Chairman H. "W. Shoemaker. J. Rodman Paul, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman Eli Kirk Price, Miss Laura Bell Frank Buck Miss Mary K. Gibson F. L. Bitler, Mrs. David Reeves, Miss Mary K. Gibson, MEMBERSHIP— Harold Pierce, Chairman Mrs. Chas. G. Hctzel Mrs. David Reeves Samuel D. Warriner PUBLICATION Albert B. Weimcr Dr. W. P. Wilson Egbert S. Gary, Joseph S. lUick, Harrison Souder. WORK — Mrs. Brinton Coxe, Chairman Miss Ethel A. Shrigley, E. E. Wildman. J. Franklin Meehan, FOREST LEAVES Published Bi-Monthly Entered at the Philadelphia Poat-Office aa aeoond-daas matter, under Act of March 3d. 1879 Vol. XX— No. 2 PHILADELPHIA. APRIL. 1925 Whole Number 225 THE HAZLETON MEETING THE committee in charge of the local ar- rangements for the Summer meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association at Hazleton on June 24, 25 and 26th, reports that its plans are rapidly maturing and that it can promise an enjoyable session. The evening meet- ings on the 24th and 25th will be held in the auditorium of the Vine Street High School and the papers to be presented are of an exceedingly interesting character. Attorney John H. Bigelow, well known throughout the state, will give the address of welcome. The motor trip on the 25th will take the party through the mining region to Pottsville and the Schuylkill Country Club for luncheon. The after- noon will be spent on the forestry operations of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co. in Tumbling Run and the trip back to Hazleton will be over a different route. On the 26th the party will motor to the Panther Valley where the forestry operations of the Lehigh Coal & Naviga- tion Co. are located. While in Lansford an op- portunity will be afforded of visiting one of the most modern coal breakers in the region. A picnic luncheon will be served at Greenwood Lake after which a visit will be made to Flagstaff Park at Mauch Chunk, the ** Switzerland of America.'* Many points of interest in the vicinity of Hazle- ton will be visited on this trip. The Altamont, Hazleton 's new Million-dollar hotel, will be the official headquarters of the meeting and members attending should make res- ervations direct. Hazleton is situated on a mountain top and there the summer days are cool. It can be easily reached from all main motor routes and by direct connection over the Pennsylvania and I^high Valley lines from New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The annual per capita consumption of paper in Russia is 5 pounds, in Japan 11 pounds, Scan- dinavia 33 pounds, Cfcrmany 45 pounds. Great Britain 75 pounds, and the United States 148 pounds. THE PENNSYLVANIA FOREST LOAN ACTS AT the meeting of the Legislature of 1923, a joint resolution was presented for an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Pennsylvania so that a loan of $25,000,- 000 could be made for the purchase of wild lands for State Forests. It was approved by an over- whelming majority, and then was presented to the Legislature of 1925. This constitutional Amendment resolution is known as H. R. 591 and S. 434. The House of Representatives finally passed the resolution by a unanimous vote 182-0. It was introduced in the Senate, and referred to the Forestry Committee of that body. Here it encountered opposition, but was finally reported out of the Committee and after passing second reading was referred back to the Forestry Com- mittee for a hearing, although one had already been held. It was reported on favorably by the Forestry Committee, and finally passed the Senate by a vote of 40 to 5. In order to expedite the floating of the loan two Enabling Acts have been drawn and introduced in both houses of the Legislature, known as H. R. 592 and S. 224. These acts make an appropria- tion of $50,000 to float the loan, and prescribe the method in which it shall be done. The final form of the Enabling Act has not yet been decided on by the Legislature. It will be given in the next issue of ^^ Forest Leaves.'* As the Loan Act has passed it will now be sub- mitted to the people at the November, 1925, or such other timely election as the legal authorities of the State decide is the proper procedure. This resolution has been endorsed by Chambers of Commerce, hunting and fishing clubs, the farm- ing organizations, lovers of nature and wild life, and other persons, from one end of the State to the other. It is not a *Moan, '^ it should be called an * in- vestment," for unlike the road and other bills for loans which have been passed by the Legis- lature, representing improvements which will con- stantly deteriorate in value, the lands purchased will be constantly augmenting in value. i ii\ OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATION. 130 S. FIFTEENTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA 18 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 19 I But two criticisms have been made of the res- olution and neither of these is well founded. The first one is that a large amount of interest will be paid under the loan, estimated according to the time of maturity, of from $25,000,000 to $38,000,000. This item of interest is true of any loan no matter what it is. In the case of a Road Loan both principal and interest must be met by the public, and outside of a better road and its advantages, there is no return to the people. In the case of the Forest Loan becoming a law the lands purchased will be filled with trees, pro- tected from fire and at the end of the fifty year period will have so increased in value, that they could be sold (if this were desirable, which it will not be) at a price which would repay both principal and interest on the loan, defray all the cost of care and taxes, and yield a handsome re- turn to the Commonwealth. If> however, the Com- monwealth retains the land the annual return to the State from timber will yield a handsome percentage in the way of revenue, reduce the cost of freight on lumber brought into the State (now $25,000,000 annually) reforest the bare hillsides now the gathering place of floods, afford pure water for drinking purposes, continuous employ- ment for a large number of people, make perma- nent the wood using industries of the State, and offer pleasant outing, fishing and gunning oppor- tunities to the people of the Commonwealth. It has also been said that as only a small pro- portion of the Loan can be spent in any one year, it would be better to make annual appropriations of say $300,000 per annum, and thus avoid the payment of any interest. To be effective this should be a continuing appropriation, which a Legislature cannot give. In any Legislature the demands for money are greater than the ex- chequer of the State can supply, and it would be impossible to secure the funds in this way. The purchase of lands for State Forests started in 1898. In the interim there has been secured 1,131,611 acres at a cost of $2,560,097. This has been the total amount which has been secured in 27 years, and in the last four years no appropria- tions at all have been obtainable. An appropria- tion of $500,000 for purchase of lands in 1921 was passed by the Legislature, but vetoed by Governor Sproul for lack of funds. Objection has also been made that the resolu- tion would be unlawful, because amendments can be made to the Constitution but once in five years, and the bill does not comply with the law. The Attorney General of the Commonwealth has given it as his opinion that this amendment if passed is legal, and can be submitted to the people at the next November election. The above objection is mere subterfuge on the part of the objectors; if this act is untimely so are all the Road and other acts passed at this session of the Legis- lature. The friends of forestry desired to see the Resolution passed, and will leave it to the proper legal authorities to determine the right time to submit it to the people for a vote. Let all the friends of forestry unite to secure the needed ratification of this legislation. Land can be bought cheaper now than it can be secured in the future, and offers of 1,000,000 acres have already been filed with the Department of Forests and Waters. Before any land is purchased it is examined, to learn whether it is worth the money asked, and also search of title made. All the necessary safeguards are thrown around the pur- chases. No high prices can be paid, for the limit according to the law is $10 per acre, and all lands bought will undoubtedly be much below that figure. Just before this Editorial appeared this act became a law. This article will afford you food for thought to answer such unfounded arguments, if made, prior to voting on it at the election. Help it yourself, and have your friends aid. F. L. B. WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT PENNSYL- VANIA'S FOREST BOND ISSUE THE FOREST LOAN RESOLUTION A Joint Resolution PROPOSING an amendment to article nine of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by adding thereto section sixteen Section 1 Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met That the following amendment to the Constitution of Pennsylvania be and the same is hereby pro- posed in accordance with the eighteenth article thereof That article nine be amended by adding thereto the following section Section 16 In addition to the purposes stated in article nine section four of this Constitution the State may be authorized by law to issue bonds to the amount of twenty-five millions of dollars for the purpose of acquiring land in the State for forest purposes. THE State of Pennsylvania has proved that public ownership of forest land is a good investment. The resolution now before the state legislature to authorize an amendment to the state constitution permitting a forest bond issue of $25,000,000 should be passed. The pro- posed move is an important one, the first resolu- tion having passed the assembly in 1923. After its required second passage by the 1925 assembly, it must be submitted to the voters for approval. There has been plenty of time to weigh the matter carefully. The Keystone State, through the inspiring leadership of men like Eh*. Joseph T. Rothrock and Gifford Pinchot, has demonstrated its ability to manage forests as state property and has been sufficiently broad to pass enabling legislation which permitted the purchase and establishment of a National Forest within its boundaries, ap- preciating the influence of this forest on inter- state flood problems. The state has its own forest academy, where a large number of men are trained for its service. The sale of bonds is a common method of financing projects which benefit future genera- tions. The purchase of forest lands equals the construction of highways as a public matter which may be properly financed by the issuance of bonds —in fact, it puts less of a burden on succeeding generations than do many other public activities which are financed through bond issue. The valuation of the tree crop will more than equal the bonded indebtedness. Instead of passing a burden to the future, the present generation will bequeath a revenue-producing heritage. We believe that the people of Pennsylvania will approve this bond issue and will take the im- ix>rtant forward step to redeem the devastated forest areas of the state, to insure prosperity to the industries, and to promote the welfare of Pennsylvania citizens. American Forests and Forest Life, Feb., 1925. ((I The most effective action that has yet been taken in this country, or that possibly could be taken, to provide for the timber needs of the nation is through public ownership of forest land ... It is my judgment that the acreage of public forests should be at least doubled in order to provide for the essential needs of the nation . . . Pennsylvania has made remarkable progress in this direction in the past in comparison with the other states, and there is every reason why Pennsylvania should continue the extension of her state forests on a still more adequate and comprehensive scale. The common experience of all of the states shows plainly that this work may not be conducted adequately if it depends upon current appropriations. ^'It is just as important, in my judgment much more important, that adequate bond issues be provided for the purchase of forest lands as for the construction of public highways. A system of public highways will be of little avail if the industries of the state are to be subject to an accumulative retrogression and if the rural popu- lation of the state is to steadily decline because of the idleness of an immense proportion of her land and a consequent lack both of rural employ- ment and of raw material essential for industrial uses. I heartily advocate the proposal now before the people of Pennsylvania for the bond issue of twenty-five million dollars, to be applied for the purchase of forest lands and building up the public forests of the State. I seriously doubt if any other investment of state funds could be made which will yield greater profits not only in her industrial and economic future but in the opportunities afforded for wholesome public re- creation as well." W. B. Greeley, The Forester, U. S. Forest Service. SPRING ARBOR DAY PROCLAMATION I GIFFORD PINCHOT, Governor of the State of Pennsylvania, do hereby designate J and proclaim Friday, April 10, 1925, and Friday, April 24, 1925 as Arbor Days and Bird Days, to be appropriately observed throughout the Commonwealth by the planting of trees, the study of birds, and such other activities as may lead to better understanding and appreciation of the parts played in our common life by the trees, the forests, and the birds. The conservation of our natural resources is of vital concern to every citizen. Without safe- guarded forests and streams and the wild life natural to them, life holds little promise. As a people we have been profligate in our treatment of them. The public conscience is now aroused to the urgent need of forest restoration, stream improvement, and protection of our wild birds, game, and flowers. The obligation rests squarely on us to assure the full measure of these benefits, which were so generously bestowed upon us, as a rightful heritage to coming generations. No other agency can compare with the public 20 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 21 schools in teaching the lessons of conservation. Upon them rests the opportunity and responsi- bility for developing in the rising generation clear understanding of our dependence upon the natural resources and of how they can best be conserved and used. The observation of Arbor Days and Bird Days by the public schools will give our children a lasting appreciation of trees and birds, of why they should be protected, and of how to protect them for the common good of all our people. I hope that every school on these days will actually do some form of conservation work, such as the planting of trees on the school grounds, along the neighboring highways, or on nearby waste-lands, or study of the habits of birds, game, and other outdoor life. Let these days open the way to a knowledge of God 's great outdoors from which will come greater appreciation and under- standing of what these natural gifts mean to us and to those who will come after us, when the people understand ; the wise conservation and use of nature ^s gifts will follow. Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the State, at the city of Harrisburg this 21st day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five, and of the Common- wealth one hundred and forty-nine. Gifford Pinchot. (Seal) By the Governor: Clyde L. King, Secretary of the Commonwealth. AMERICAN FOREST WEEK PRESIDENT Coolidge, in a proclamation on March 11, called upon the State Govern- ors to co-operate in observance of the week of April 27-May 3 as American Forest Week. He recommended that, wherever possible. Arbor Day be celebrated within that week. American Forest Week will replace the period heretofore designated as Forest Protection Week and its observance will be directed by a national citizens^ committee. This is headed by former Governor Frank O. Lowden, of Illinois. The committee is to include 100 representatives of national organizations which are being enlisted in an effort to make observance nation-wide. The President's proclamation follows: **In proclaiming American Forest Week, I desire to bring to the attention of all our people the danger that comes from the neglect of our forests. **For several years the Nation has observed Forest Protection Week. It is fitting that this observance be enlarged. We have too freely spent the rich and magnificent gift that nature be- stowed on us. In our eagerness to use that gift we have stripped our forests; we have permitted fires to lay waste and devour them; we have all too often destroyed the young growth and the seed from which new forests might spring. And, though we already feel the first grip of timber shortage, we have barely begun to save and re- store. **We have passed the pioneer stage and are no longer excusable for continuing this unwise dis- sipation of a great resource. To the Nation it means the lack of an elemental necessity and the waste of keeping idle or only partly productive nearly one-fourth of our soil. *^To our forest-using industries it means un- stable investments, the depletion of forest capital, the disbanding of established enterprises, and the decline of one of our most important industrial groups. * * Our forests ought to be put to work and kept at work. I do not minimize the obstacles that have to be met, nor the difficulty of changing old ideas and practices. We must all put our hands to this common task. It is not enough that the Federal, State and local Governments take the lead. ** There must be a change in our national atti- tude. Our industries, our landowners, our farmers, all our citizens must learn to treat our forests as crops, to be used, but also to be re- newed. We must learn to tend our woodlands as carefully as we tend our farms. ^^Let us apply to this creative task the bound- less energy and skill we have so long spent in harvesting the free gifts of nature. The forests of the future must be started today. Our children are dependent on our course. We are bound by a solemn obligation from which no evasion and no subterfuge will relieve us. *' Unless we fulfill our sacred responsibility to unborn generations, unless we use with gratitude and with restraint the generous and kindly gifts of Divine Providence, we shall prove ourselves unworthy guardians of a heritage we hold in trust. ^^Now, therefore, I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States, do recommend to the Governors of the various States to designate and set apart the week of April 27-May 3, inclusive, 1925, as American Forest Week, and wherever practicable and not in conflict with State law, or accepted customs, to celebrate Arbor Day within that week. '^And I urge public officials, public and business associations, industrial leaders, forest owners, editors, educators and all patriotic citizens to unite in the common task of forest conservation and renewal. '* PRESIDENT COOLIDGE 'S ADDRESS ON FORESTRY* ONE of the chief items in the problem of our national timber supply, is the present ap- palling waste. Some of this waste may be unavoidable — to a large extent it is unnecessary. The time is at hand when our country is actually confronted with a timber shortage. That can be remedied in only two ways; by diminishing the present waste and increasing the present supply. * * * The Government is going to ask you to consider definite plans for reducing timber waste. It is going to suggest that out of this conference shall emerge a program of specific action for timber-saving rather than a mere expression of ideas. Containing as it does leaders from every branch of forestry industry and from many in- terests closely allied with forest industry, this conference has, I know, the ability and .the will to create such a program. * * * The era of free, wild timber is reaching its end, as the era of free, wild food ended so long ago. We can no longer depend on moving from one primeval forest to another, for already the sound of the ax has penetrated the last of them. We like to think that it took three centuries to harvest these immense forests. It is comfortable to believe that they will last indefinitely still. But in reality we have cut most of our timber not in the past three hundred but in the past seventy-five years, to serve the great expansion of population and industry, and there is no reason to expect a decline in the rate of cutting as long as the forests last. • • ♦ We do not know the forest situation down to the last acre and board toot, but we know it well enough to make us think and act. • • ♦ There is no easy road out of this unprofitable situation. The end of free timber is in sight. World competition for the world supply will leave no large dependable source of imports open to us. The use of substitutes hardly keeps pace with new uses for wood ; there is no likelihood that we can become a woodless nation even if we wanted to. When the free timber is gone we must grow our wood from the soil like any other crop. Strange as it may seem, the American people, bred for •Address at National Conference on Utilization of Forest Products. J ^j many generations to forest life, drawing no small measure of their wealth from the forest, have not yet acquired the sense of timber as a crop. These immense stretches of cut-over land, mostly too rough or too sterile for tilling, have not awakened us to their vast potential worth as growers of wood. Fully one-fourth of our land area ought to be kept in forest — not poor, dwindling thickets of scrub, but forests of trees fit for bridges and houses and ships. * * ♦ The Clarke-McNary Law, passed by the last session of Congress, will, I hope, speedily change the outlook for these neglected forests. It author- izes Congress, in cooperation with the States, to establish systems of protection against fire; and it authorizes, among other things, cooperation in tree planting and a study to develop stable and equitable forest taxation. ♦ ♦ ♦ There are hopeful signs. Yet we have started too late and are moving too slowly to bridge the gap between cut and growth. We must adjust ourselves to an era of reduced per capita con- sumption. We must husband our supplies. Granted that we shall get into effect a big-scale program of timber growing, it would be poor business to go to the expense of growing timber if we should persist in losing a large part of the crop by unsatisfactory ways of manufacturing and using it. Between cutting the timber in the woods and finally putting the product to use, nearly two-thirds of the total volume is lost. A third of this loss, it is estimated, can under pres- ent economic conditions and with tried and tested methods be saved — a yearly saving nearly as great as all the timber our forests grow each year. Saving timber, it is obvious, will not only reduce the amount we must grow, but if started now on an effective scale it will relieve the timber shortage and make less drastic the social and economic readjustments this shortage will force upon us. A tree saved is a tree grown. * ** • We hold the resources of our country as a trust. They ought to be used for the benefit of the present generation, but they ought neither to be wasted nor destroyed. The generations to come also have a vested interest in them. They ought to be administered for the benefit of the public. No monopoly should be permitted which would result in profiteering, nor on the other hand should they be indiscriminately bestowed upon those who will unwisely permit them to be dis- sipated. These great natural resources must be administered for the general welfare of all the people, both for the present and for the future. There must be both use and restoration. The :i ! 22 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 23 chief purpose of this conference is to discover policies which will, in the hands of private in- dividuals and of public officers, tend to the further advancement of these already well-defined and securely adopted principles. REFORESTATION BY THE PENNSYLVANIA COAL COMPANY* By G-. Miles Robbins Land Engineer, Real Estate Department INTEREST in reforestation of the woodlands of Pennsylvania is growing rapidly in north- eastern Pennsylvania. This is especially true of coal mining companies. Everyone knows that forests prevent floods, erosion of the soil, protect fish and game, besides furnishing lumber, fuel and shade in the summer. While mining companies may be interested more or less in some of these features, scarcity and the increase in price of mine timber is prob- ably the chief cause of the interest shown. Some well informed men say that there may be a time when a mining company which cannot grow some of the timber needed for its operations may find it necessary to close the colliery or work only part of the time on account of the scarcity of mine timber ; for there is not any material known that can take the place of timber in mining opera- tions. The Pennsylvania Coal Company was one of the first mining companies in this vicinity to take some measures to protect its woodlands. A survey of the timber lands of Pennsylvania Coal Company and the Hillside Coal & Iron Com- pany was started in June 1920, and finished in the following year. The timber lands were care- fully examined and the area and location noted in blueprints made for the purpose. These areas were divided into two classes— (a) areas which had a sufficient number of young trees and seed- lings to insure a good stand of timber if allowed to mature. This growth consisted mainly of oak, maple, beech, ash and a few scattered pine, poplar, chestnut, etc., (b) areas which were covered with a thin growth of young trees and seedlings, or small open fields. Most of this land can be used for no other purpose than that of growing timber. These timber lands are located in Wayne, Lackawanna, Luzerne and Susque- hanna Counties and cover an area of 18,000 acres, 15,000 of which are under the direct control of the Pennsylvania Coal Company. About 3,000 ♦Read before Engineer's Society of Northeastern Pennsyl- vania. acres of this land has a good stand of timber which will finally produce timber, if protected. In order to protect these woodlands and in- crease the annual growth of timber, so that a certain amount could be harvested annually, the following measures were adopted: (1) Protection of the present stand of timber from fire. (2) Reforestation of the land either by natural or artificial regeneration. . (3) Harvesting of all timber on an improve- ment cutting basis. Fire Protection. The first and most important factor in reforestation is to keep the fires out as fire destroys humus, seed, seedlings, small trees and often injures and finally kills larger trees. The Pennsylvania Coal Company and the Hill- side Coal & Iron Company have at the present time a force of men who are employed at the mines, whose further duty it is at times to ex- tinguish forest fires. Such a group of men is called a fire crew. At the present time a fire crew consists of one fire warden and five men whose duty it is, at a moment's notice, to drop their work and fight fire. Fire crews are located at the following eight Collieries: 1. Forest City 2. Underwood 3. Number One 4. Old Forge 5. Butler 6. Number Six 7. Number Fourteen 8. Schooley Shaft This makes eight crews, or a force of forty-eight men, engaged at certain times in extinguishing fires. Reforestation. Forest lands can be restored either by natural or by artificial regeneration. If fires are kept out of the woods, a large percentage of our timber lands would reforest themselves and cost much less than if the work was done by artificial regeneration. No planting should be done unless there is good fire protection, as it would probably be a total loss. Cattle pasturing in the woods destroy or cripple seedlings and small trees. Before any planting is done, the subject of planting should be gone over thoroughly. Harvesting of Timber. Improvement cutting is a term used to signify an improvement of the forest by cutting defective, inferior and crowded trees. At the present time, all timber is cut on an improvement cutting basis. If the various timber owners of Pennsylvania had cut their timber by some method, there is no doubt that most of the timber needed could at the present time be grown in our own State. Result of first year's work done in forestry by the Pennsylvania Coal Company and the Hill- side Coal & Iron Company, beginning January 1, 1922 and ending January 1, 1923: Number of fires extinguished by fire warden and crews 45 Area burned over 1,143 acres Area burned on Company land .... 903 acres Area protected approximately. .. .15,000 acres Total cost of Protection $317.78 Twenty-nine of these fires originated on Com- pany's lands, and sixteen on foreign lands. This table shows that the total cost of protection would amount to about two cents per acre. How- ever, it must be remembered that 10,000 acres of foreign lands adjacent to the Company's were also protected, which would make approximately 25,000 acres of forest land protected by our fire wardens. This would reduce the expense to one and one-third cents per acre. Origin of fires in reports of fire wardens was as follows: unknown 17; incendiary 8; railroads 7; smokers 5. This would make a total of 37 fires reported. Eight (8) fires were not reported and it is likely the cause of these fires is un- known. Out of the total number of fires that occurred during the year, thirty-one were started in the months of March, April and May; nine (9) in the months of September, October and December; the date of the remaining five fires is not known. Out of the forty fires reported, four were started in the A. M. ; two at noon and thirty-four in the P. M.; showing that 90% of the fires originated in the P. M. From an examination of the maps used for this purpose, it is clearly shown that the greater majority of fires originated in two groups; one group in the vicinity of Underwood Colliery and the other in the vicinity of Butler Colliery. It should be noted that during the year of 1922, the expenses for forest protection cost the Real Estate Department $317.78. The net income re- ceived from the forests in the year of 1921 amounted to $2,539.34. The net income for the year of 1922 was $875.97. Net income from forests for the year 1922 $875.97 Total cost of protection for the year 1922 317.78 Net profit for the year 1922 $558.19 The result of second year 's work from January 1, 1923 to January 1, 1924 was as follows: Number of fires extinguished by fire warden and crews 52 Area burned over 2,434 acres Area burned on company land . . 1,636 acres Area of land protected 15,000 acres Total cost of protection $228.13 Thirty-one (31) of these fires probably origi- nated on Company lands and twenty-one (21) on foreign lands. The total cost of protection per acre is about one and one-half (iVz) cents. It should be remembered, however, that about 10,000 acres of foreign lands adjacent to the Companies' were protected, making approximately 25,000 acres of forest lands protected by our fire wardens. This would reduce the cost of protec- tion to less than one cent per acre. The origin of fires in the reports of fire wardens was as follows: unknown 13; incendiary 9; rail- roads 6, making a total of 28 fires reported, leav- ing 24 fires not reported. Of these thirty-six fires, twelve were started in the A. M., one at noon and twenty-three (23) in the P. M., showing that 64% originated in the P. M. Comparing the records and maps of the fires for the years 1922 and 1923, we find that the majority of the fires originated in two groups, and at the same collieries as last year, viz.. Underwood and Butler. This fact should be kept in mind since these fires occur a second time and in the same locality. The expenses for forest fire protection cost the Real Estate Department during the year 1923, $228.13. The net income received from timber harvested on an improvement cutting basis was $2,382.89, leaving a net income of $2,154.76. The above shows the results of the first two years' work done in forestry by the Pennsylvania Coal Company and Hillside Coal & Iron Company. The judges in the essay contest, which was carried on in the Weiser Forest District by the Department of Forest and Waters, have awarded the decision to Miss Elizabeth Snyder for the best essay in the Sunbury, Pa., High School on ^'What the Bond Issue for the purchase of State Forest lands means to the people of Pennsyl- vania." The winning essay carries with it a prize of $5.00, the first of a series of three prizes donated by the Sunbury Trust & Safe Deposit Co., of Sunbury. 24 FOREST LEAVES IMPORTANT TREE PLACES IN PENNSYL- VANIA % i h ■I !, By Joseph S. Blick The Forest of Sheerlvmd* i FAMOUS forests occur in many parts of the world. Windsor Forest is one of the out- standing and most interesting of Europe's natural wonders. The praises of the Sihlwald, belonging to the city of Zurich, Switzerland, have been heralded over the civilized world. France has her Fountainbleau Forest and Belgium has many war-scarred forests that will take their place in history. These famous forests of the old world are the outgrowth of a forest practice that dates back for centuries. In focusing our at- tention on these historic forests of the old world, we must not keep our eyes closed to the great growing forests of the New World that are now in the making. About 4 miles southwest of Reading, Pennsyl- vania is The Forest of Sheerlund. The name * ^ Sheerlund " is of low German origin and means ^'plowland.'' Many years ago the late Jacob Nolde left his home in Saxony and came to America to seek his fame and fortune. Fortune favored him in the knitting business and his successful business enterprises made it possible for him to follow his natural instinct and in- terest in forestry. He acquired a tract of 1,500 acres of abandoned farm land and woodland near Reading for the purpose of making a country home about which he could practice forestry in a small way. Mr. Nolde inherited a considerable measure of his interest in forestry, for his grandfather was a Forester and he himself served as a forest ap- prentice in one of the elementary forest schools at Agsbach in Austria. One of his ambitions of life was to establish an estate and develop it in a manner similar to the famous forested estates of continental Europe. On numerous Sunday afternoons he hiked over the hills in the vicinity of Reading and finally selected a s[>ot upon which he could carry out his great dream. In 1909 work was started in developing his beautiful forest estate. Early in the development of *^The Forest of Sheerlund" it became evident that technical as- sistance was needed to develop it properly. On *This is the second of a series of articles on "Important Tree Places of Pennsylvania," that will appear serially in Forest Leaves. November 1, 1912, Mr. William Kohout was ap- pointed forester. Forester Kohout came to his new task with a thorough knowledge of technical forestry and many years of practical work. He served as *a forest apprentice with his uncle in Austria for three years, attended a technical forest school in Bohemia and Saxony, and subse- quently studied at the School of Forestry at the University of Vienna. For some time he served as a private forester in Europe and later was engaged in government forest work. Then he came to America, and after spending a few years in this country, he accepted employment as a Forester on the General Oliver Estate at Olivers Mills near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He also served as Forester for the Spring Brook Water Company, and then came to the Nolde estate in 1912. Everywhere in the Forest of Sheerlund one can see evidences of his technical handiwork. For the past 13 years he has been developing this forest until it is now one of the most outstanding tree places of Pennsyl- vania. Foresters from other states, from Canada, and from Europe come here to see the wonderful plantations of forest trees. That the forest is being handled according to a definite and practical working plan is evident on every hand. The entire forest, just as in the case of European forests, is divided into, working sec- tions and through the forest has been developed an excellent primary road system, from which radiate secondary roads and trails. The forest is in miniature what one sees in the big and care- fully managed forests of Europe. Among the most striking objects in The Sheer- lund Forest is the Forester's home. It is an artistic and spacious stone building situated at the foot of a forested hill and dotted about it are numerous ornamental trees and attractive planta- tions. The Forester lives continuously among the trees and is intensely devoted to the woods. The most inspiring natural object near the Forester's home is ^^The Inspiration Tree." It is a princely white pine. It is called the Inspira- tion Tree for it is said that this tree inspired Mr. Nolde to begin his forest work and promote it in such a commendable way. Near the Forester's home is a small forest tree nursery which supplies all the trees required for planting on the forest. In it are grown the right kind of trees needed for filling in the vacancies in the forest. Much of the planting work at the I)resent time consists in filling in the places vacat- ed by the blight-killed chestnut. Gradually this forest is being converted from a forest of hard- woods to a forest of evergreens. Forester Kohout •''/( i Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 2. ^, %fp'.^'-*'--> ^y|k M[. A Small Nursery is Maintained to Stiii>ply Trees for Planting in the Forest. Photo courtesy Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters. ,,.Vv^v^«^V ■^-!^v^: ^**M •T^WPfff ' .>^^Jt5*' »^^' ■.!((•__, />' r <>Ss*^ '■ . f 1 ; • * r ,'f 4 . ( 1 TV >. fir. *• J \ 4 y. •■'\ ^ >- ><^ r • 1 .. ^ V All the Openings on the Forest are Filled by Planting Many Di?ferent Kinds of Forest Trees. Photo courte8> Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters. [•V i WA Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 2. ;)-i;«:.K -rj-. '^ <". V • 4 > ^ s V ":- ■■,♦•■ ^ •"<*•'' « %t^' '■ <* S^J';- Briny"* ■ i \ ■ *,v-. " -^-^ « - ■ r ,* . ■' >^y' ^ii^' 5ib^;i The Douglas Fir, a Native of Western North America, is a Feature of the Forkst of Sheerlund. Photo courtesj Pennsylvania Department of Phoresis and Waters. The Small Sawmill on the Forest of Shkkrlund. All the Blight-killed Chestnut and Other Dead and Mature Wood are Here Made Into Lumber, Posts, Ties and Fuel Wood. Photo courtesy Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters. FOREST LEAVES 25 says, ^^I am crazy for evergreens and look upon forestry as one of the interesting, wonderful, and wholesome professions.'^ He sees God in nature, loves the trees, and appreciates their human side. The forest comprises the major part of the 1,500 acre estate. Only a small section is taken up with the home grounds, the gardens, and a few nearby fields. The plantations established since 1909 now aggregate 560 acres. They are among the most interesting and instructive in the State. Some of the most outstanding plantations of Japanese larch, European larch, European alder, Norway spruce, white pine. Jack pine, Scotch pine, and western yellow pine occur here. It is in these plantations that one can learn in a most practical and comprehensive way the funda- mental lessons of forest tree planting in Penn- sylvania. The writer made a careful survey of this forest and listed 100 different kinds of woody plants. This is truly a tree place rich in natural and planted trees. A journey to this forest is a real treat. Here one can only see forest tree plantations at their best. Ever since the plantations were established they have been carefully studied and complete records of their development are now available. The State Department of Forests and Waters, in cooperation with Forester Kohout, laid out sample plots in each of the important plantations. Care- ful growth records have been kept of all the trees on these plots. These records are available and complete growth data of all the planted trees are of great value to prospective tree planters in Pennsylvania. If you want to know how Japanese larch grows or how European larch will do in Pennsylvania, you can see it on The Forest of Sheerlund. The best Japanese larch and Europ- ean larch plantations in Pennsylvania are grow- ing here. Nowhere in the State can you see better plantations of Norway spruce. Jack pine, Douglas fir, and western yellow pine. Here you can also see the white pine, red pine, and many other planted trees growing thriftily and with promise. From a commercial point of view the Norway spruce is the outstanding tree in The Forest of Sheerlund. It was one of the first trees planted in 1909, when planting operations began. Now one can see Norway spruce trees ranging in size all the way from small seedlings to twenty or more feet in height. When planting began the trees were spaced rather closely, as is the com- mon practice in Europe. As the trees became larger it became evident that they were planted rather closely and as a natural result they came in competition with one another. It then oc- curred to the Forester that something must be done to relieve the competition. Some of the trees had to come out. After considering this important question for some time the thought developed in the Forester's frugal mind that if possible they should be removed and marketed at a profit. It occurred to him that a large num- ber of Christmas trees were being used annually in local markets and it might be possible to market the trees that must come out of the plantations. Today The Forest of Sheerlund is doing a real business in Christmas trees. Mr. Kohout not only retails orders, but wholesales them as well, and has developed a Christmas tree market that is extending far beyond the confines of Berks county. The Forest of Sheerlund is unquestionably the greatest local Christmas tree enterprise within the State of Pennsylvania, for the records show that the annual income from the sale of Christ- mas trees and ornamental stock during seven recent years have been: Year Amount 1917 $3,800 1918 4,300 1919 5,350 1920 6,200 1921 5,333 1922 6,080 1923 6,240 Thus one can see that The Forest of Sheerlund is being handled on a sound business basis. While there is being developed a forest of outstanding interest, all the work is being done on a basis that will ultimately pay good dividends. The idle mountain land, in little more than a decade, has been transformed into a productive forest covered with a complete garment of green, pro- ducing thousands of Christmas trees which bring happiness to thousands of homes, and developing a fine series of evergreen forests that will some day yield large quantities of wood that is urgently needed in Pennsylvania. The Forest of Sheerlund has a wonderful message for us. The best way to learn this great lesson is to visit this forest. It is easy to reach, and when you arrive the Forester will greet you with a hearty welcome and show you a forest that will some day rival the best of Europe. If you will go there you can see for yourself the beginning of a great forest that in days to come will be numbered among the important tree places of Pennsylvania and take its place among the famous forests of the new world. 1 i 26 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 27 UTILIZATION OF BLIGHTED CHESTNUT ON THE MONT ALTO FOREST If! By W. H. Horning b iii THE forest of the Pennsylvania State Forest School at Mont Alto includes about 23,000 acres. This area has been owned by the State since 1900. Most of it has been well pro- tected from fire. Plans for systematic manage- ment have been worked out and are being put into effect as rapidly as pK)ssible. These plans are based on a careful estimate of the timber stand and also on numerous growth studies showing total annual increment. The timber estimate showed the stand to be 25,767,500 cubic feet in 1922. This stand was made up of 9,686,000 cubic feet of oak, 10,584,000 cubic feet of chestnut, 3,256,000 cubic feet of conifers and 2,241,500 cubic feet of miscellaneous hardwoods. It is apparent that chestnut was by far the most imi>ortant timber species, compris- ing nearly 40% of the entire stand. Since chestnut was the dominant species and made the most rapid gi'owth; the first manage- ment plans were designed to favor it. But about 1910 chestnut blight made its appearance in the forest. Efforts were made to eradicate the dis- ease by destroying all infected trees, but it soon became evident that this was impracticable. So it was necessary to revise all management plans and try to utilize as much as possible of the chestnut. Here serious legal difficulties were encountered. The law required all receipts from timber to go into the state treasury. This would have had the effect of turning an already inadequate labor appropriation back into the state treasury. At that time the timber had to be handled through stumpage sales, but it was not easy to find private operators, who would comply with the regulations for slash disposal and young timber protection, or who would pay a fair stumpage price. The result was that little of the chestnut could be utilized. However, in 1920 when a new interpre- tation of the law permitted the payment of tim- ber cutting expenses from the proceeds, a timber operation was started. Following this the rate of chestnut utilization was greatly increased. By the time operations began in earnest in 1920 the ravages of the blight had gone so far that most of the chestnut was practically dead. There was no hope for any of it to remain fit for use beyond five years. If it were to be salvaged at all it must be rushed on the market in large volume. Plans were made accordingly. It was estimated that only about 30% of the chestnut could be utilized because a large proportion of it was small and so far from market that it could not be handled except at a great loss. The plan of utilization carried out has been as follows: First the stands of timber suitable for lumber, telephone poles and railroad ties were cut. This was followed up by large scale pro- duction of cord wood for staves and tannic acid. This utilized everything down to a 4 inch diameter limit. Local demand for fuel wood is cleaning up what is left in the form of slash and small stuff. The result is very close utilization. Practically no slash will be left to interfere with young growth. What little remains after the fuel cutters are through lies so close to the ground that it decays rapidly and adds little to the fire hazard. Some stands of timber suitable for lumber and cross ties were sold on a stumpage basis to private operators. The amount of this was relatively small. The Forest School saw mill was put in opera- tion in 1920 and cut a considerable quantity of lumber most of which was sold to furniture manu- facturers at a good price. Then in the spring of 1921, a good market for telephone poles was located. It was soon found that pvoles offered the best chances for profit. Thus it was possible to log over thousands of acres for scattered trees. Many of these trees eould not have been cut at a profit for lumber whereas in the form of poles a stumpage return of $10.00 to $18.00 per thous- and feet B. M. was realized. After the larger timber had been cut, two stave mills were induced to locate on the forest. These provided a continuous market for large quantities of the remaining small sized timber which was still sound enough for the purpose. When the cutting of stave wood began it was found that the small sized timber had deteriorated to such an extent that nearly half of it was un- suitable for staves. Deep checks in the wood rendered otherwise sound material, unfit for stave production. The result was considerable waste in logging. In addition a heavy slash was being left in the woods. Fortunately it was found that the tannic acid content of the wood had not been affected by the blight. More im- portant still a fair market for extract wood de- veloped. The problem then was to devise some plan for cutting stave wood and extract wood together in the same operation. It was found that a con- tinuous supply of wood could not be counted on from men who were willing to cut by the cord. Nor could they be depended upon to discriminate properly between stave wood and extract wood. This problem was solved by building portable sawing machines operated by 10 H. P. gasoline engines. These machines were built with a circular cut off saw mounted on a swinging frame. A roller on the sawing table supports one end of the log while a small truck running on a track supports the other end. This makes it possible to handle full length trees. As the log is pushed along over the sawing table the operator of the saw swings it outward for each cut. These machines are moved from place to place in the woods, making a set up for every six or eight acres. The crew to operate a machine is composed of 4 choppers to fell trees, 3 men with single horses to drag logs, and 4 men to operate the machine. Such a crew produces on the average about 16 cords per day at a cost of $2.25 per cord. This is only slightly cheaper than the wood can be produced by men chopping by the cord yet the machine possesses a number of advantages. The timber can be handled in large volume. A continuous supply of both stave and extract wood are assured. The wood piles are left along roads where they are easily accessible to wagons. Also the forest is left in good con- dition. During the years 1923 and 1924 the volume of production was as follows : Stave wood 5900 cds. Extract wood 9094 cds. Miscellaneous 3926 cds. EASTERN NATIONAL FORESTS ENLARGED Total 18920 cds. This is equivalent to 1,702,800 cubic feet. About 1,000,000 cubic feet were utilized prior to 1923. The total volume utilized thus far is 2,702,800 cubic feet. Most of the 30% we expected to utilize originally has thus been handled. The remaining timber is so badly checked that it is no longer suitable for staves. For this reason both stave mills closed down during 1924. It now appears probable that an additional 10% can be salvaged in the form of extract wood, fence posts and fuel wood. The condition of the remaining chestnut will probably continue to be satisfactory for these products for at least two years longer. Deteriora- tion proceeds very slowly after the bark falls off the trees, the wood seeming to air season and be- come more resistant to decay. Its use for fuel wood will probably continue as long as any re- mains within reach. THE National Forest Reservation Commis- sion has authorized the purchase of 144,831 acres of land in 10 Eastern States for additions to National Forests. The average cost of the land will be $5.24 an acre. More than 21,000 acres is in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and is partly of heavily forested lands in some of the scenic regions. In Pennsylvania the purchase of 23,320 acres was authorized, thus increasing the area of the Allegheny Forest, which protects the headwaters of the Allegheny River, to nearly 200,000 acres. Additions to purchases were authorized in Virginia of 11,483 acres; in West Virginia to 2,500; in Tennessee, 18,132; in North Carolina 13,320; in South Carolina, 3,046; in Georgia, 39,690; in Alabama, 1,945; and in Arkansas 5,526. The commission went on record in favor of an appropriation of $3,000,000 for the further pur- chase of lands for eastern National Forests. According to W. W. Ashe, Secretary of the Commission, this brings the total area of lands, the purchase of which has been authorized during the current fiscal year up to 247,067 acres, and increases the total area acquired in the 14 years during which purchases have been made for National Forests in Eastern and Southern states to 2,593,421 acres at an average price of $4.96 per acre. The lands not only are of great value in the protection of watersheds of many of the most important streams available for navigation and incidentally for hydroelectric power develop- ment, but are also of material importance in sup- plying timber and for demonstrating to private owners the methods of managing National Forest lands for the productign of timber to make them profitable investments. The timber shortage in the Eastern States necessitated the importation from the West Coast of more than a billion feet of timber last year. All of this might have been produced in the Eastern States, were the available timber lands under good forest manage- ment and fully productive. On account of the fact that the National Park Commission, appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, has under consideration the location of a National Park in the Smoky Mbuntains, the National Forest Reservation Commission rescind- ed its action taken in 1911 for the establishment of a Smoky Mountain National Forest. This permits freedom of action by the Park Commis- sion in considering this region for a National I Park. 28 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 29 SUMMARY DELAWARE RIVER COMPACT ( i > I m I' it FORESTS and streams are inter-allied, and our members will be interested in the fol- lowing resume of a compact just made in regard to one of our principal rivers. This compact defines the rights of the states of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the waters of the Delaware river, which forms the boundary between them. It gives to each state the right to develop tributaries within its own borders in accordance with its own regulations governing such matters, but puts a restriction on the total which may be developed. It prohibits the drying up of the river below any dam and requires that at all times a quantity greater than the minimum flow must be left in the stream. It divides the water in the channel of the Delaware river above Port Jervis equally between the three states and below Port Jervis equally as between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The share of each state, however, is automatically re- duced in proportion as water is diverted from the tributaries. It constitutes the channel of the Delaware river as a carrier for water developed on a tributary or by a dam across the channel, in order that water so developed may be carried to any point lower down, where it may be taken out of the channel. It provides for the construction of dams across the river for storage or for power development and for intakes to make possible the removal of water from the river. A means is provided for any injured party, either within or without the state that creates the damage, to secure just compensation. Rules of sanitation are laid down. A pK)licy for forestation on the Delaware watershed is stated and hydro-electric development of power is specifically provided for. Joint projects between two or more states are authorized and provision is made for the settle- ment of controversies between states and a permanent commission to approve of projects and to observe their operation is provided for. Disclaimers are incorporated as to existing treaties, interference with existing riparian rights and vested rights of diversion. It will be possible under the compact to develop the latent resources of the Delaware river to their fullest extent for hydro-electric power, for water supply or for any other purpose. Up to the present time the water which these resources represent has flowed to waste because of the un- certainty as to what any state might do in the way of conserving them. This compact defines the rights of the states and confers great benefits on all of them. THE FORESTS OF SWEDEN PROF. Geo. S. Perry of the State Forest School at Mont Alto is spending a year in Sweden at the ^ ^ Skogshogskolen ^ ' Stock- holm, as a Fellow of The American-Scandina- vian Foundation. He states that forest fires are rare in Sweden if ordinary precautions are taken. The direct reasons for this immunity are the luxuriant growth of grasses, moss, heath plants, etc., on the forest floor, together with the constant high relative humidity which keeps this vege- tation and the underlying sloil; i)erenniially moist as compared with conditions in most U. S. forests. In places the forests suffer from rising of the ground water level often over large areas, producing the effect known as ^ ^ f orsumpning, ^ ' also drowning out of the forest due to naturally poor drainage combined with ex- treme development of certain mosses and associ- ated plants. On extensive areas also, the trees become densely clad with lichens ; even out among the foliage. Pennsylvania has an average annual rainfall of nearly 45 inches, and a range between 35 and 55 inches, yet forest fires rage almost yearly and tree growth is commonly limited by insufficient moisture. In fact such a low precipi- tation as we find in Sweden (less than 20 inches annually) would in the United States scarcely support an open stand of western yellow pine, or similar drought resistant species and the region would be semi-arid. The luxuriant forests and other vegetative growth here is not entirely due to high relative humidity. Two other factors, in a small degree at least, favor vegetation. (1) The soil possesses a good store of soluble mineral fertility, if un- favorable acid conditions do not develop. In many places the soil is fine, glacial till or clay which is very retentive of moisture; but there are also vast areas of sand, coarse gravel and bowlders, that leach and drain out just as rapidly, if not as completely, as our similar sites. (2) The soil cover is usually much better than found in American forests, since litter decays slowly here because of low soil temperatures; which antithetically, are in a measure due to rapid evaporation from the mosses and other moist vegetation whenever the atmosphere is above the dew-point. Intensive scientific study of forest floor conditions in America would prob- ably yield facts, which in combination with com- plete protection, should give many of our areas better ability to retain moisture in spite of con- tinental climate. Higher soil moisture would also mean greater wood increment. The individual trees in Sweden make less in- crement than trees of the same genus do in America, as a rule, because of our longer growing season and higher temperatures. This is espe- cially noticeable as regards seedlings in the forest nursery and height increment generally. Incre- ment of wood i>er acre however, tends to be as good or better than in American forests, due to the unusual large number of stems per unit of area. ' ' I' ■ \\ The forests of Sweden are more truly produc- tive today than ever before. The forest lands in public ownership, though generally the poorest in the country, have been increasingly well managed since about 1870, or a more recent date of acquisition. Sweden today has a total pro- ductive forest area of 60,000,000 acres, about equal to twice the total areas of Pennsylvania and Dela- ware. There are also 31,000,000 acres of waste land, of w^hich that portion capable of supporting tree growth after drainage or other cultural work is being gradually brought under forest. The total State Forests in 1922 were 15,475,000 acres, but only about 9,500,000 acres are productive, while 3,500,000 acres are held by the church, parishes, municipalities and other public owners. The people and the government are well aware of the importance of their forests. An economic Summary of the productive State Forests from 1911 to 1920 inclusive shows an average annual cut of 15 cubic feet per acre, rang- ing according to location from 11 to 28 cubic feet. The expenses per acre were as follows: Lumbering, transport, etc $0.15 Taxes 0.02 Silviculture and protection 0.01 Drainage 0.01 Roads 0.01 Salaries and fees 0.07 Miscellaneous 0.04 Total $0.31 The average total income was 90 cents per acre, and deducting the expenses as given above leaves an average net income of 59 cents per acre per year. This shows that forestry can pay its way, even while the growing stock is being built up and permanent works executed. The extensive areas in the cold north have some virgin growth yet which is steadily being cut out because of de- cadence. These areas are incapable of very high volume production and tend to keep averages for the whole country very low, yet the net income of 59 cents per acre per annum is considerable on the total acreage of 9,500,000. These forests showed an income a little above the average dur- ing the war years, but times were hard and in- comes below normal just prior to and after the war. It was also difficult to get labor during some of the years of high prices, and the volume cut on many Swedish state forests during the period was actually below normal, so the above figures are nearly representative and show a capital value at 5 per cent, of $112,000,000, in addition to an inestimably greater value as pleasure and recreation grounds for the people, as a guarantee of economic stability, and as pro- tectors of the water supply and streams which supply the power that makes Sweden great. The 3,500,000 acres of forest in the hands of other public owners are, on the average, better situated and capable of higher wood production than the state forest, so it is probable their pro- ductive capital value totals at least $50,000,000. This gives every Swedish family of five a noble forest heritage of 11 acres, worth as a productive investment at least $135 now, and steadily ap- preciating in value with each passing year. TRAVELING EXHIBIT ON ERIE RAILROAD A TRAIN of private cars carrying exhibit material and motion pictures on forestry has made a successful trip on the Erie Railroad through parts of New York and Penn- sylvania. The two cars of exhibit material were arranged in somewhat the following order : Types of lands to be forested. Species to be planted. Examples of growth. Care of the woodlot. Marketing the product. Seedlings were shown at different ages and methods of planting were demonstrated. Orders for plants were taken by the Department of Forests and Waters of Pennsylvania, and the Conservation Commission of New York State. Motion pictures from both States were shown and short lectures given at each of the stops made by the *^ Forestry Special.*' It was estimated that the average attendance was approximately 400 at each stop, and there were 50 stops. This made an attendance of ii 30 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 31 I . lif 20,000 people — farmers, city dwellers, owners of woodlots, high school and grade school pupils and their teachers; in fact, a truly representative group from the communities visited. As a result, some 500,000 trees will probably be planted this spring. In addition to the exhibit and motion picture work a great deal of peppy advance publicity was gotten out, and the extension departments of the two States have planned to follow up the work done here with demonstration plantings this spring. What the harvest will be may only be conjectured, but most of us who were interested feel that a great deal of good must necessarily come of it. It was a new undertaking and there is every possibility that other railroads may be glad to cooperate along similar lines in the future. The Grey Birch By F. H. Dutlinger, District Forester THE grey birch (Betula populifolia) , com- monly known as white birch and in some localities as oldfield or poverty birch, is found in the East from Nova Scotia to Delaware and Westward to Lake Ontario. It is probably found at its best in the New England States, but is quite common in Pike and Monroe Counties and along the streams of the northern counties of Pennsylvania. In Clinton County the grey birch is found growing sparsely, usually on the upper mountain slopes with a northern exposure, and again in the same locality directly across a ravine, it may be found growing equally as well on a southern exposure. This species of the birch family does not con- fine itself to any particular kind of soil or condition, although it naturally grows better under favorable soil and drainage conditions. It is found growing well along streams or in moist soil, and again on dry, gravely, barren soil or high rocky mountain sides. When growing under favorable conditions it is usually mixed with yellow and black birch and black locust. It is often found encroaching on old abandoned fields, end will spring up on burned areas in which case it acts as a protection to the better growth which follows. Ordinarily the grey birch does not produce well from seed unless the ground is free from litter and debris, but it is a prolific sprouter, and it is not unears of age, was just beginning to show traces of the white bark; while in the case of the oldest trees, they were white to the uppermost branches. The attractive bark of this tree makes it the special target of the small boy with a knife, unless the tree be in some inaccessible or out of the way place. Rare indeed is the grey birch found with- out sevcial initials and entwined hearts and ar- rows carved in the bark. Once the bark is cut or removed it never is renewed and always leaves a black scar. From an economic standpoint the grey birch is of little value, but it has its uses. Probably its greatest value is its ability, by rapid growth, to produce a cover on land that ordinarily would not produce any other kind of timber for years to come. In other words, it is a nurse plant for a crop of better trees. The wood of the grey birch is light in weight, soft, is easily worked, but lacks strength and durability. Once the tree dies or is cut and al- lowed to remain exj>osed to the weather, and par- ticular] y in contact with the soil, it decays rapid- ly. The wood is used to a limited extent in the New England States in the manufacture of spools, shoe pegs, hoops or barrels, and wood pulp. It makes a good, clean charcoal, and is much de- sired as a fuel wood, fancy prices being offered for the wood in 3 feet lengths of car-load lots. Birch oil is sometimes made of the branches, and a decoction of the bark and leaves is &upjx>sed to contain certain medicinal properties for the relief of rheumatic and vesical diseases. The form and color of the tree lend themselves read- ily to use by the landscape gardener, but cannot be recommended for forest planting. The seed and buds of this tree are a favorite food of birds during the winter months when the snow is deep. NEW PUBLICATIONS TREE PLANTING IN THE HOLY LAND THE treeless slopes and valleys of Palestine are gradually being reforested, according to an official statement which says that nearly 3,000,000 trees and 1,000,000 vines have been planted in the Holy Land between 1920 and 1924. Palestine became denuded of its forests owing to Turkish misrule and neglect, which resulted in the abrasion of some of the best soil from the hillsides and in the accumulation of malaria swamps in the valleys. The work of afforestation began forty years ago when the first Jewish settlements were found- ed, but received a great impetus after the war when, under the British mandate, greater oppor- tunities for development were opened for Jews. The government department of agriculture plant- ed 1,285,062 trees during the past four years; the Palestine foundation fund, affiliated agencies of the World Zionist organization, 672,933 trees; the supreme Moslem council, 14,700; while the balance were planted by individuals, mostly settlers on the Jewish agricultural colonies. State Highway Foreman Samuel B. Kiner of McVeytown, has recently found what may prove to be the largest white oak in central Penn- sylvania north of the Juniata River. The tree measures 14% feet in circumference one foot above the ground, and 12 feet in circumference two feet above the ground. It is 80 feet high and has a branch spread of 96 feet. The tree stands on the land of George Oppel in Wayne township, Mifflin County, near State Highway Route No. 33 between Atkinson Mills and Mount Union. "The Susquehanna River in New York and the Evolution of Western New York Drainage." By Herman L. Fairchild. 8vo. 99 pages, bound in paper, illustrated. New York State Museum Bulletin No. 256. The University of the State of New York, Albany, N. Y. This Bulletin gives an interesting history of this ancient stream which has a very complex evolution. The story goes back to the earliest times. It experienced many vicissitudes. It suffered the fateful effects of rock control and of robbery by rival streams. It was beheaded, dissected and diverted by pirate streams and in Tertiary time was partly reversed in its direction of flow. In later time it was blocked, reversed and finally entirely extinguished in New York by the resistless Quebec glacier. The final with- drawal of the ice sheet permitted the renewal of the river but with altered and subdued character. Report of the State Park and Forest Commission of Connecticut for the Two Years Ending June 30, 1924. 8vo. 100 pages, illustrated, paper cover. Public Document No. 60, State of Connecticut, Hartford, Conn. During the two years the State Forests have increased from 7,260 to 9,697 acres. In the past three years 194,100 trees were planted on Connecticut State Forests of which there are seven at present. The Connecticut Forestry As- sociation is endeavoring to supplement the work of the State in acquiring State Forests, and has collected over $6,000 to be known as the People's Forest Fund. The proposed purchase unit of ap- pioximately 2,500 acres is on the east bank of the Farmington River between Riverton and Pleasant Valley. About one-fifth of this area had been acquired by Sept. 1, 1924, and sufficient funds have been collected to buy another fifth. The water companies in Connecticut are in- terested in tree covered watersheds. Seven Public Water Boards and 8 private water companies own 45,481 acres of land of which 29,125 are wooded, and have planted 4,226 acres with trees. "Forest Planting in the Intermountain Region." C. F. Korstian, Associate Silviculturist, Ap- palachian Forest Experiment Station, and F. S. Baker, Forest Examiner, Forest Service. 8vo. 57 pages, illustrated, bound in paper. Bulletin 1264, U. S. Department of Agricul- ture. Washington, D. C. This excellent brochure gives interesting facts /■'/> 7 32 FOREST LEAVES in regard to tree planting in the great district of the United States lying between the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the Rocky Mountains proper. A summary of the report shows that in this region direct seeding is impracticable but nursery grown stock is successful under favorable site conditions. The seedlings and transplants should be given suffix?ient water to produce vigor- ous plants. Where necessary protection should be given against intense sunlight, frost, and snow molding. Heavy clay soils should be avoided for nursery purposes. The young trees when planted in the field should have a good root system, and not too large a top. They should be planted as soon as the snow disappears and the soil can be worked. Native species such as the western yellow pine, lodgepole pine, Douglas fir and the spruces are superior to exotics. The best field for planting is in the high mountains, where rel- atively heavy stands can be grown giving higher timber, as well as watershed protection values. ' ' Key to Gall Midges. ' ' By Ephraim Porter Felt. 8vo. 239 pages, illustrated, bound in paper. New York State Museum Bulletin No. 257. The University of the State of New York, Albany, N. Y. This Bulletin is a resume of studies 1-VII Itonididae and presents the more striking and im- portant facts concerning these insects from the economic, biologic and systematic aspects. Through the key to genera and the extensive bibliography it is easy to look up the scattered literature of a large group, which has learned how to compel plants to provide both food and shelter. It will be of great advantage to students of these tiny insects. * * Common Trees of Pennsylvania. ' ' Prof. Joseph S. Illick, Chief, Bureau of Information, De- partment of Forests and Waters of the State of Pennsylvania. 8vo. 112 pages, illustrated, bound in paper. Price, 50 cents. The Times Tribune Company, Altoona, Pa. Prof. Illick is the author of a number of books on Forestry, having written **Tree Habits — How to Know the Hardwoods,'^ ** Pennsylvania Trees, '* ** Trees every Boy Should Know," ** Guide to Forestry," etc. In the author's own words '^This book was prepared to satisfy a growing demand, particu- larly among the young folks, for interesting and helpful information about the common trees of Pennsylvania. The boys and girls of Pennsyl- vania, many of them in person, and others through their teachers, scout leaders, and camp directors, petitioned me again and again to pre- pare for them a handy pocket manual of the trees of our great and glorious State. My love for boys and girls is so great and my interest in Penn- sylvania trees so strong that I could not let these sincere petitions go by unsatisfied. It gives me a full measure of pleasure to send this book on its mission of useful service which I hope will endure long and do great good unto many. It aims to open the pathway to the delightful study of trees and fashion a wholesome attitude toward the great out-of-doors." This handy book describes accurately more than 100 trees that everyone should know, in language so simple that anyone can understand. A picture accompanies every tree description. Do not fail to get the book and read the special chapters on ^^ Historic Trees of Pennsylvania," *' Trees and Great Men," and twenty signed contributions on trees by great living Pennsylvanians written especially for this book. Other chapters of un- usual interest are: *^ Important Tree Places in Pennsylvania," ** Trees are Our Friends," *^A Big Tree Contest," *^ Pennsylvania's Most Mas- sive Tree," and ** Pennsylvania's Most Unique Tree. ' ' Scout Masters, camp directors, and nature study, botany, and vocational teachers will have constant use for this handy, accurate, and inex- pensive book. Nature lovers cannot afford to be without it. Every Pennsylvania boy and girl should have a copy. The 1924 report of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company says: **The past year has witnessed in the United States a growing appreciation of the need for increased efficiency in the use of forest products to offset partially the annual timber deficit. The Bell System, although by no means among the largest users of forest products, has for many years through the employment of pro- gressive methods effectively done its part in minimizing the drain upon the forests. Our most striking contribution to timber conservation has been our research work in studying the actual life extension of poles and crossarms obtained by the use of different preservative methods and processes. Beginning twenty-five years ago, the application of preservative treatment to poles has been gradually extended until at the present time fully ninety per cent of the poles being placed in our plants are receiving preservative treatment of one kind or another. Not only has this practice aided the public policy of conservation but it is resulting in large net savings to the Bell System." I ,!• ■-( II CONTENTS - p^^, Caledonia Tree Plantations Along the Lincoln Highway near Graeffen- burg ?1X' Editorial 33 The Hazleton Meeting 33 Portable Sawmill School at State College 34 Private Forestry 35 Tree Planting in the Gallitzin Forest District, Pa 36 The Proposed Forest Loan Bill Enabling Act 37 Important Tree Places in Pennsylvania 40 Conviction of Forest Incendiaries 41 Fireless Huckleberry Culture 42 The Anthracite Forest Protective Association 43 The Tussock Moth 43 The; Forest Resources of Finland 44 What Trees Are Replacing Our Chestnut? 44 The Need of Forest Preservation 45 School Forest Established in Tioga Forest District 46 The Tobyhanna National Forest 46 New Publications 47 Summer School Courses in Forestry at Cornell University 48 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FOUNDED IN JUNE, 1886 Labors to disseminate information in regard to the necessity and methods of forest culture and preservation, and to secure the enactment and enforcement of proper forest protective laws, both State and National. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE. THREE DOLLARS LIFE MEMBERSHIP. FIFTY DOLLARS Neither the membership nor the work of this Association is intended to be limited to the Stale of Pennsylvania. Persons desiring to become members should send their names to the Chairman of the Membership Committee, 130 South 15th Street, Philadelphia. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents, Robt. S. Conklin. J. F. Hendricks, Samuel L. Smedley. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. Treasurer and Recording Secretary, F. L. Biiler. COMMITTEES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Henry Howson, LAW — Dr. Henrv S. Drinker, Chairman George F. Craig, Hon. Marshall Brown, Miss Laura Bell Frank Buck Miss Mary K. Gibson F. L. Biiler. Mrs. David Reeves, Miss Mary K. Gibson, FINANCE— Dr. Henry M. Fisher, Chairman H. W. Shoemaker. J. Rodman Paul, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman Eli Ki'k Price, MEMBERSHIP— Harold Pierce. Chairman Mrs. Chas. G. Hetzel Mrs. David Reeves Samuel D. Warriner PUBLICATION Albert B. Weimer Dr. W. P. Wilson Egbert S. Gary. Joseph S. Illick. Harrison Souder. WORK — Mrs. Brinton Coxc, Chairman Miss Ethel A. Shrigley, E. E. Wildman. J. Franklin Meehan. FOREST LEAVES Published Bi-Monthly Entered at the Philadelphia Poat-Office at •eoood-daas matter, under Act of March 3d. 187© Vol. XX— No. 3 PHILADELPHIA, JUNE. 1925 Whole Number 226 EDITORIAL THE text of the Enabling Act for the pro- posed Forest Bond issue is given in full on another page. This Enabling Act was passed by both the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of Pennsylvania and signed by the Governor. By this legislation the question of whether there shall be a bond issue of $25,000,000 will be voted on by the citizens of Pennsylvania. The only question remaining is when can this pro- posed amendment to the Constitution be law- fully submitted *? According to the wording of the Constitution: *'No amendment or amend- ments shall be submitted oftener than once in five years." The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania handed down a decision to the effect that 1915 and 1920 were timely years for a vote on amend- ments to the Constitution which would make 1925 also a timely year. Unfortunately, however, in 1923 the citizens were asked to vote on an amend- ment for a $50,000,000 highway loan, and the Su- preme Court ruled that as no objection had been made as to genuineness it was legal. This raises the question whether the forest loan amendment can be voted on in 1925 or in 1928. To reach a legal decision, action was brought in the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin Coun- ty in the case of the proposed $35,000,000 sol- diers' bonus amendment, making it mandatory to bring this amendment before the citizens of Pennsylvania for a vote at the November, 1925, election. This plea was denied by the Dauphin County Court and was appealed to the Supreme Court, and is pending there. The Soldiers' Bonus amendment, owing to the wording of the Enabling Act, does not make the case as clearly cut as the Forest Loan amendment legislation. In order not to lose any possible opportunity for an early vote on this important legislation, the Pennsylvania Forestry Associ- ation as Intervenor, filed a brief before the Su- preme Court through Henry S. Drinker, Jr., who argued the case May 25th. Briefly the argument is that the Constitution meant that any particular amendment could not be submitted again for five years, and that the year 1925, as given in the Enabling Act of the Forest Loan amendment, is timely. An early decision is expected on this impor- tant question. HAZLETON MEETING JUNE 24th, 25th, and 26th are the dates of what promises to be one of the most in- teresting and enjoyable Summer Meetings ever held by the Pennsylvania Forestry Associ- ation. This" year the meeting will be at Hazle- ton, in the heart of the Anthracite region, where it is to be sponsored by the Anthracite Forest Protective Association. Hazieton, a city of some 35,000 inhabitants, is situated on top of a mountain, and offers delight- fully cool summer weather to its visitors. The new million dollar Hotel Altamont has been named as the official headquarters, and members coming to the meeting may rest assured that everything will be done for their comfort while guests there. The Altamont garage, close to the hotel, will serve motorists in a satisfactory man- ner. The evening meetings will be held m the audi- torium of the Vine Street High School, but a short walk from the hotel. Fine programs have been arranged for the evenings of the 24th and 25th. Some of the talks will have a local ap- plication which will make them more than in- teresting to the visitors. The address of wel- come will be given by Hon. John H. Bigelow, a member of the Hazleton Bar, a man well known in legal and political circles throughout the State. Th'e motor trip on the 25th will be into the Schuylkill Valley region, traversing some of ^ < Pennsylvania 's Desert," and some land which has been devastated by the necessities of the mining industry. The site of the first forestry operations in the State will be visited. The larger towns visited en route will be Girardville, Ashland, Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven, Frackville and Shenandoah. Luncheon ($1.60) will be OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATION, 130 S. FIFTEENTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA II I CONTENTS - p^^, Caledonia Tree Plantations Along the Lincoln Highway near Graeffen- Kii«-rr Cover burg Plate Editorial 33 The Hazleton Meeting 33 Portable Sawmill School at State College 34 Private Forestry 35 Tree Planting in the Gallitzin Forest District, Pa 36 The Proposed Forest Loan Bill Enabling Act 37 Important Tree Places in Pennsylvania 40 Conviction of Forest Incendiaries 41 Fireless Huckleberry Culture 42 The Anthracite Forest Protective Association 43 The Tussock Moth 43 The Forest Resources of Finland 44 What Trees Are Replacing Our Chestnut? 44 The Need of Forest Preservation 45 School Forest Established in Tioga Forest District 46 The Tobyhanna National Forest 46 New Publications 47 Summer School Courses in Forestry at Cornell University 48 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FOUNDED IN JUNE, 1886 Labors to disseminate information in regard to the necessity and methods of forest culture and preservation, and to secure the enactment and enforcement of proper forest protective laws, both State and National. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE. THREE DOLLARS LIFE MEMBERSHIP. FIFTY DOLLARS Neither the membership nor the work of this Association is intended to be limited to the Stale of Pennsylvania. Persons desiring to become members should send their names to the Chairman of the Membership Committee, 130 South 15th Street, Philadelphia. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents, Robt. S. Conklin, J. F. Hendricks, Samuel L. Smedley. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. Treasurer and Recording Secretary, F. L. Bitler. COMMITTEES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Henry Howson, FINANCE— Dr. Henry M. Fisher. Chairman H. W. Shoemaker. J. Rodman Paul. Hon. Marshall Brown. Miss Laura Bell Frank Buck Miss Mary K. Gibson F. L. Bitler. Mrs. David Reeves, Miss Mary K. Gibson, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman Eli Ki'k Price, MEMBERSHIP— Harold Pierce, Chairman Mrs. Chas. G. Hetzel Mrs. David Reeves Samuel D. Warriner George F. Craig, Albert B. Weimer Dr. W. P. Wilson PUBLICATION Egbert S. Gary, Joseph S. Illick, Harrison Souder. WORK — Mrs. Brinton Coxe, Chairman Miss Ethel A. Shrigley. E. E. Wildman. J. Franklin Meehan. OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATION, 13* S. FIFTEENTH STREET. PHILADELPHIA FOREST LEAVES Published Bi-Monthly Entered at the Philadelphia Pott-Office as aeoMid-claM matter, under Act of March 3d. 1870 Vol. XX— No. 3 PHILADELPHIA. JUNE. 1925 Whole Number 226 EDITORIAL THE text of the Enabling Act for the pro- posed Forest Bond issue is given in full on another page. This Enabling Act was passed by both the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of Pennsylvania and signed by the Governor. By this legislation the question of whether there shall be a bond issue of $25,000,000 will be voted on by the citizens of Pennsylvania. The only question remaining is when can this pro- posed amendment to the Constitution be law- fully submitted? According to the wording of the Constitution: '*No amendment or amend- ments shall be submitted of tener than once in five years.'' The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania handed down a decision to the effect that 1915 I and 1920 were timely years for a vote on amend- ments to the Constitution which would make 1925 also a timely year. Unfortunately, however, in 1923 the citizens were asked to vote on an amend- ment for a $50,000,000 highway loan, and the Su- preme Court ruled that as no objection had been made as to genuineness it was legal. This raises the question whether the forest loan amendment can be voted on in 1925 or in 1928. To reach a legal decision, action was brought in the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin Coun- ty in the case of the proposed $35,000,000 sol- diers' bonus amendment, making it mandatory to bring this amendment before the citizens of Pennsylvania for a vote at the November, 1925, election. This plea was denied by the Dauphin County Court and was appealed to the Supreme Court, and is pending there. The Soldiers' Bonus amendment, owing to the wording of the Enabling Act, does not make the case as clearly cut as the Forest Loan amendment legislation. In order not to lose any possible opportunity for an early vote on this important legislation, the Pennsylvania Forestry Associ- ation as Intervenor, filed a brief before the Su- preme Court through Henry S. Drinker, Jr., who argued the case May 25th. Briefly the argument is that the Constitution meant that any particular amendment could not be submitted again for five years, and that the year 1925, as given in the Enabling Act of the Forest Loan amendment, is timely. An early decision is expected on this impor- tant question. HAZLETON MEETING JUNE 24th, 25th, and 26th are the dates of what promises to be one of the most in- teresting and enjoyable Summer Meetings ever held by the Pennsylvania Forestry Associ- ation. This year the meeting will be at Hazle- ton, in the heart of the Anthracite region, where it is to be sponsored by the Anthracite Forest Protective Association. Hazleton, a city of some 35,000 inhabitants, is situated on top of a mountain, and offers delight- fully €Ool summer weather to its visitors. The new million dollar Hotel Altamont has been named as the official headquarters, and members coming to the meeting may rest assured that everything will be done for their comfort while guests there. The Altamont garage, close to the hotel, will serve motorists in a satisfactory man- ner. The evening meetings will be held in the audi- torium of the Vine Street High School, but a short walk from the hotel. Fine programs have been arranged for the evenings of the 24th and 25th. Some of the talks will have a local ap- plication which will make them more than in- teresting to the visitors. The address of wel- come will be given by Hon. John H. Bigelow, a member of the Hazleton Bar, a man well known in legal and political circles throughout the State. Th^'e motor trip on the 25th will be into the Schuylkill Valley region, traversing some of <' Pennsylvania's Desert," and some land which has been devastated by the necessities of the mining industry. The site of the first forestry operations in the State will be visited. The larger towns visited en route will be Girardville, Ashland, PottsviUe, Schuylkill Haven, Frackville and Shenandoah. Luncheon ($1.60) will be INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE 34 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 35 served at the Schuylkill Country Club, renowned for the excellence of its cuisine. In addition to the devastated areas to be seen on this trip there will be shown examples of real coal-field forestry as practiced by the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company. The trip on the 26th, the concluding day, will be to the Panther Valley and Mauch Chunk, the ' ' Switzerland of America. ^ ' Forestry operations of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company will be visited and an opportunity will be af- forded of inspecting at Lansford, one of the most modern electric coal breakers in the entire region. Luncheon ($1.00) will be served at Flag Staff Park Restaurant, near Mauch Chunk. From this point a magnificent view of the region around Mauch Chunk can be obtained. Just before returning to Hazleton a visit will be paid to the new home of Mr. Alvan Markle, situated on the brow of Conyngham Mountain. From this vantage point a panorama of Conyng- ham Valley, the beauty spot of Luzerne County, is unfolded before the viewer. Nothing finer can be found in the whole State. Start now to plan for this trip. Make your hotel reservations direct with the Hotel Alta- mont, Hazleton, Pa. For further information write the secretary of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, 130 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, or to the chairman of the local committee, J. M. Sloan, 431 West Broad Street, Hazleton, Pa. PORTABLE SAWMILL SCHOOL AT STATE COLLEGE, PA. OVER 150 portable sawmill men attended the first portable sawmill school to be given in the country which was held at State College, Pa., the third week in April, under the direction of the Department of Farm Fores- try of the Pennsylvania State College. In ad- dition there were many college students and local people. Many who contemplated the purchase of port- able mills, but without experience, were present early Monday morning when the mill furnished by the American Saw Mill Machinery Company was unpacked and placed in position. They took part in assembling the mill, leveling the track and lining up the carriage and saw. Tuesday morning sawing began, and the mill was sur- rounded by men eager to learn how to operate a portable mill or to *'get the feer* of the new mill. Many learned to drive the carriage back and forth and to peel off boards from the logs. One of the events of the week was the saw- ing of a huge cherry log. This log had been re- fused by all the portable mills of the region. It was thought impossible to saw so large a log on a small mill. It measured 56 inches in diame- ter and 10 feet in length. Mr. S. W. Kresge, of Saylorsburg, tackled the big log and in short time had it reduced to inch boards. Many ex- pressed amazement at his skill. There were other problems in the way of irregular logs that were presented for him to solve. Power for the mill was furnished by Advance- Rumley, Huber and Fordson tractors. Each in turn proved its ability to sink the saw deep into the cherry log and keep the saw going. Special interest was taken in the demonstra- tion of the care of cross cut and circular saws given by Chas. II. Cooper, of Henry Disston and Sons. He explained the construction of saws, the proper methods of sharpening, and demon- strated the results of good and poor fitting of saws by trying out the circular saws on the mill and by putting the cross cut saws to actual tests on the logs. Many stated that their chief trouble in the sawing of lumber was in keeping the saws in condition. He also demonstrated the results of too fast and too slow speed for circular saws on the quality of lumber sawn. Many sawmill men were attracted to the saw- mill week by the lectures given by practical and experienced men. Some came to learn the proper methods of seasoning lumber, others how to esti- mate and place a price on timber, while others were particularly interested in the kinds of saw- mill products to manufacture and the methods of selling the products of the portable mill. On Thursday evening, L. E. Staley, Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, formerly a practical saw- mill man, discussed the relation of portable mills to the State Forest; and George H. Wirt, State Fire Warden, spoke of the fire problem as it re- lated to the portable sawmill. On Thursday evening moving pictures were shown of logging and lumbering in different parts of the country, and the care and protection of forests. The films were loaned by the U. S. Forest Service and the Pennsylvania State De- partment of Forests and Waters. As might naturally be supposed, the lectures dealing with the marketing of sawmill products drew the largest crowds. Seth Bloom, of Du- Bois; R. H. Thompson, of Lock Haven; J. R. Guyer, of Tyrone; R. D. Tonkin, of Indiana, and Ralph Smith, of Sandy Ridge, all portable saw- mill men, explained the methods used in the mar- keting of sawmill products in his part of the State. The discussions that followed each of these talks showed the interest of those attending the conference, in disposing of their lumber and other products. It was held that portable saw- mill men need assistance in selling the products of their mills, in adjustment of freight rates, in establishing standard grades for portable saw- mill products, in decreasing the number of thick- nesses into which portable sawmill lumber is cut, and in protection from the fly-by-night buyer of portable sawmill products. PRIVATE FORESTRY By R. Lynn Emerick IN a recent report of the U. S. Census Bureau, it was stated that more than three-fourths of our timber area is under private control and management. In Pennsylvania today more than 90 per cent, of our timber and forest area is privately owned. With so much of the forest area of our State under private control, it is quite apparent that private forestry should be practiced more intensely. The question arises, **How can it be accom- plished?'' To secure the interest of the private owner, the forester must have something definite to offer him in the way of returns. These re- turns may be aesthetic, recreational, monetary, water conservation, or windbreaks. ^^What shall it profit me?" is invariably the first question asked. This request is reasonable, logical, and should be met with a satisfactory answer. Our observation has been that the private owner is not interested so much in the yield in cubic feet but what his woodlot or plantation may reasonably yield him in dollars and cents from present improvement cuttings or returns from thinnings of plantations thirty or forty years after planting and final maturity. Naturally we cannot predict prices thirty, forty, or ninety years from now, neither does the pri- vate owner expect it, but if we calculate upon present day prices, the owner is entirely satis- fied, for it gives him a concrete answer and he realizes that the prices of timber products will be higher in the future. Almost in every instance, the owner will ask, ''Assuming the plantation were fifty years old today, how much could I realize in dollars and cents from thinnings?" He is not desirous to know cubic volume of growth or yield, but wants to know how many cords of pulpwood, number of ties or props, and how many board feet of lumber he may expect year by year, period by period, or the harvest at maturity. The following example is typical of many re- ceived : ''Given a tract of three hundred acres. Soil and moisture conditions good. Planting site admirable. The owner starts planting in the spring of 1925 with 30,000 trees, white pine, pitch pine, Norway spruce, European larch, and red pine. Spacing to be six by six feet, or on the average of a thousand trees to the acre. A ten year planting program of 30,000 trees each year or a total of 300,000 trees. Sparse, natural re- generation of beech, birch, and maple type now on the ground. Fire, fungi, weevil, interest, taxes and cost of investment not to be taken into consideration. At the expiration of thirty years he desires to start improvement cuttings. What amount of returns in money may he ex- pect during the year 1955, and what average amount, each year thereafter until the year 2015, or ninety years, when the remaining trees upon the tract where the planting was first in- augurated have reached their maturity? Thin- nings from subsequent plantings on the area not to be considered. Present prices of timber in use today to be reckoned as the basis of financial returns. ' ' The owner of the tract of land in question is a practical business man, has a comprehensive knowledge of finance and is rated among his associates as a shrewd, practical and successful financier. He desires to know what returns he may ex- pect from a forestry investment and whether or not such an investment would compare favor- ably with one of stocks and bonds as an annuity for his children and their posterity. You will note that cost of investment, plant- ing, interest, fungi and weevil attack are not to be taken into consideration. His position on this is that he can readily determine himself what the principal and amount will be from year to year and at the time of maturity. The same is true of taxes which also shall not be taken into consideration. His contention regarding weevil, fire and fungi is that these are risks which can be compared to the usual risks in any investment. In other words, when it comes to interest, costs, amounts, principal and taxes, he will do his own computations. On the computation of returns, cubic or board feet are not desired, but 36 FOREST LEAVES actual returns in dollars and cents. Present prices of lumber and forest products to be used in computation. For example, if the thinnings at the end of the first thirty years produce a given number of cords of pulpwood, or ciertain number of mine ties, logging material, sprags, or props, he desires to know what they are worth in money, piled on the ground on the tract. This whole area is now being planted. We have heard a great deal, lately, about *' in- terest on investment. '* As stated, in the fore- going problem, more often than one may imagine, it is not so much the interest that the private owner desires us to determine as it is returns. The average individual, we very often find, is entirely satisfied to do his own interest calcula- tions. There is usually some one in a district who has been practicing forestry on a smaller or larger scale, consciously or unconsciously, and who has received creditable returns as a result of forestry practice. There is no better way to interest the private owner than to show him someone in his own immediate locality that is practicing forestry and is making ^^ Forestry pay its way. ^' Examples are the most convincing arguments as they speak for themselves. It is so easy to say, *^The future holds far more in store than we now anticipate," but ap- parently too many private owners have former- ly lived in Missouri, and the ^^show me" is quoted. Consequently, it is up to the forester to ^^show" or he loses a prospective forest prac- titioner. The importance of marketing and utilization must be considered. Few private owners will practice forestry if there is no market for their products, or if the market is too far distant to make it pay. It is true again that we might in- form the owner that ^^ market demands for the future are certain," no matter where his for- est products are located, but we must consider the market conditions at the present time for his improvement cuttings. Utilization and marketing go hand in hand. We should be able to show the private owner a better plan of utilization whenever practical. Recently we came across a private owner who was cutting first class white oak for bridge plank, when he could have, and later did, receive al- most twice the amount he was receiving for his timber by selling it to a furniture factory in the log. The forester should be careful concerning esti- mates on present stands for often they are se- cured solely for commercial purposes when no forest practice is contemplated. Our conclusion, then, is that in the majority of cases if we are to interest private forest land owners in the practice of forestry we must meet their questions and problems with concrete, logi- cal and definite answers. TREE PLANTING IN THE GALLITZIN FOREST DISTRICT, PA. LANDOWNERS are beginning to realize more and more each year the value of re- forestation of idle fields, not only for tim- ber purposes, but also for the esthetic effect obtained, protection of the watersheds and as snowbreakers, as indicated by applications being received by the State Department of Forests and Waters for seedlings to be planted in Pennsyl- vania. Especially is this true of the Gallitzin District, Forester E. B. Miller, states. One of the recent corporations of extensive land holdings to take up this activity is the Pennsylvania Railroad Company which has applied to the State Depart- ment through Forester Miller for 25,000 trees of the Norway spruce, black locust and pitch pine varieties to be used along its tracks on the Pitts- burgh Division. Besides beautifying the land- scape along the railroad, the trees will also pre- vent snow from drifting on the tracks, and make the soil on the sides of cuts more firm at the places where the trees are planted. Water companies in Cambria County are fol- lowing the policy of reforestation for the pro- tection of their watersheds, three already having made application at the local headquarters for trees to be delivered this spring. The Johns- town Water Company officials want to add 20,- 000 more trees on their watershed in the mountains surrounding this city, while the Portage Water Company and South Fork Water Companies have requested 10,000 and 3,000 seed- lings, respectively. Forester Miller and Assistant Forester T. I. Shirey paid a visit to the Cresson Sanatorium and made arrangements with the officials of that institution to have 15 acres planted with trees this spring, extending about one-half mile along each side of the William Penn Highway in that section. About 25,000 trees will be planted on this land. The total number of trees requested for plant- ing in the Gallitizin District almost reached the 1,000,000 mark. The largest number to be given FOREST LEAVES 37 to any landowner at one time is limited to 100,000 seedlings. Coal companies have been pursuing the re- forestation policy for several years chiefly to as- sure a timber supply in the future for mine props and other lumber necessary in their operations. Among those planning to do extensive planting this year and the number of trees requested are listed the following: Berwind-White Coal Com- pany, 100,000; Charles Gull, St. Lawrence, 50,- 000; Bethlehem Steel Company and Bethlehem Mines Corporation, 80,000; Clearfield Bituminous Coal Corporation, 100,000; Saltsburg Coal Min- ing Company, 55,000; Wilmore Coal Company, 100,000; Kier Fire Brick Company, 45,000, and the Peneloe Coal Company, 50,000. — Johnstown Tribune. THE PROPOSED FOREST LOAN BILL ENABLING ACT AUTHORIZING the issue and sale of bonds to the amount of twenty-five millions of dollars by the Commonwealth of Pennsyl- vania, defining the powers and duties of the Gov- ernor, the Auditor General and the State Treas- urer, in relation thereto, making an appropri- ation of the proceeds of such bonds for the pur- pose of acquiring land in the State for forest purposes, providing for the payment of the in- terest on and the redemption of such bonds by the Board of Finance and Revenue, and for the sale and registration of said bonds and making an appropriation to carry out the provisions of this act. Whereas. — An amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was pro- posed by the General Assembly at its session in one thousand nine hundred and twenty-three, seeking to authorize the State to issue bonds to the amount of twenty-five millions of dollars, for the purpose of acquiring land in the State for forest purposes; and. Whereas. — Said proposed amendment is now pending before the General Assembly for fur- ther approval; and. Whereas. — If so approved said amendment will be submitted to a vote of the people of the Com- monwealth at the municipal election, to be held November third, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five, or at the first election thereafter, whether general or municipal, which may be de- termined by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to be a timely election for submission of pro- posed Constitutional amendn^ents to the vote of the people; and Whereas. — There is now no valid provision of law whereby said bonds might be issued if said amendment to the Constitution were adopted; therefore, in order to expedite the issuance of said bonds, if and when said amendment to the Constitution shall be approved by a majority of Pennsylvania citizens voting thereon. Pawer to Borrow Money. — Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen- tatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and it is hereby en- acted by the authority of the same. That in the event that a certain proposed amendment to the Constitution, which is published on page one thousand one hundred and twenty-four of the one thousand nine hundred twenty-three Laws of Pennsylvania, and which reads as follows: *'That article nine be amended by adding thereto the following section: <' Section 16. In addition to the purposes stated in article nine section four of this Con- stitution, the State may be authorized by law to issue bonds to the amount of twenty-five mill- ions of dollars for the purpose of acquiring land in the State for forest purposes," is adopted by the vote of the people at said municipal elec- tion in November, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five, or at the first election thereafter, whether general or municipal, which may be de- termined by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to be a timely election for submission of pro- posed constitutional amendments to the vote of the people, the Governor, in accordance with the provisions thereof, on behalf of the Common- wealth of Pennsylvania, is hereby authorized, with the approval either of the Auditor General or of the State Treasurer, to borrow from time to time on the credit of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for the purpose of acquiring land in the State for forest purposes a sum or sums of money not exceeding in the aggr^igate twenty- five millions of dollars, which sum or sums shall be in addition to any moneys heretofore or here- after borrowed by the Commonwealth for any other purpose. Bond Issues, Maturity Interest, Et Cetera.— Section 2 (a). As 'evidence of the indebtedness herein authorized bonds of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shall be issued from time to time after the approval of said constitutional amendment by the vote of the people, for such total amounts, in such form, in such denomina- tions, and subject to such terms and conditions 38 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 39 of issue, redemption and maturity rate of in- terest not to exceed four and one-half per centum per annum, and time of payment of inter- est as the Governor, with the approval either of the Auditor General or of the State Treasurer, shall direct. Provided, That said bonds shall be issued in series maturing at the rate of one million dollars each year beginning with the year one thousand nine hundred and thirty-one. And provided further, That not more than two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) of the said bonds shall be issued in any one year. (b) All bonds issued under the authority of this act shall bear the "facsimile signatures of the Governor, the Auditor General and the State Treasurer, and a facsimile of the great seal of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and shall be countersigned by two duly authorized officers of the duly authorized loan and transfer agent of the Commonwealth. (c) The principal and interest of such bonds shall be payable in lawful money of the United States. All bonds issued under the provisions of this act shall be exempt from taxation for State and local purposes. (d) Such bonds may be issued with or with- out interest coupons attached. In case interest coupons are attached they shall contain facsimile signatures of the State Treasurer and the Audi- tor General. (e) The Governor, the Auditor General and the State Treasurer shall proceed to have the necessary bonds prepared and printed. The bonds as soon as they are prepared and printed, shall be forthwith deposited with the duly authorized loan and transfer agent of the Commonwealth, there to remain until sold in accordance \vith the provisions of this act. Sale of Bonds. — Section 3. Whenever bonds are issued, as provided by this act, they shall be offered for sale at not less than par and interest, and shall be sold by the Governor, the Auditor General and the State Treasurer to the highest and best bidder, or bidders, after due public advertisement, on such terms and conditions, and upon such open competitive bidding as the Governor, with the approval either of the Audi- tor General or of the State Treasurer, shall di- rect. The manner and character of such adver- tisement and the times of advertising shall be prescribed by the Governor, with the approval either of the Auditor General or of the State Treasurer. Any portion of any bond issue so offered and not sold or subscribed for may be disposed of by private sale by the Governor, the Auditor Gen- eral and the State Treasurer in such manner and at such price not less than par and accrued in- terest as the Governor, with the approval either of the Auditor General or of the State Treasurer, shall direct. No commission shall be allowed or paid for the sale of any bonds issued under the authority of this act. Disposition and Use of Proceed Sr— Appropri- ations.— Section 4. The proceeds realized from the sale of bonds under the provisions of this act shall be paid into the State Treasury, and shall be set apart and be kept in a separate fund which shall be known as **The State Bond For- est Fund.'' All moneys in The State Bond Forest Fund from time to time are hereby specifically appro- priated to the Department of Forests and Waters for the purpose of paying the purchase price and expenses of acquiring land in the State for forest purposes. The Auditor General shall, upon requisition, from time to time, of the Secretary of Forests and Waters, draw his warrant upon the State Treasurer for the amounts specified in such re- quisitions not exceeding, however, the amount in such fund at the time of making such requisi- tions. • Deposits with State Depositories. — Section 5. The State Treasurer, with the approval of the Governor, and the Auditor General, is authorized to deposit any of the moneys" in the State Bond Forest Fund not requisitioned by the Secretary of Forests and Waters in any of the qualified State depositories of the Commonwealth. All such deposits shall be secured in such manner, and shall be made upon such terms and con- ditions as are now provided for by existing law relative to State depositories. Registration of Bonds. — Section 6. The Audi- tor General sTiall prepare the necessary registry books to be kept in the office of the duly author- ized loan and transfer agent of the Common- wealth for the registration of any bonds, at the request of owners thereof. All bonds which are issued without interest coupons attached shall be registered in the registry books kept by the duly authorized loan and transfer agent of the Commonwealth. Information to General Assembly. — Section 7. It shall be the duty of the Governor during the biennial sessions of the General Assembly to give to the General Assembly full information in re- lation to the issuing of bonds for the purpose of acquiring land in the State for forest purposes, under the provisions of this act, to enable the General Assembly to provide by appropriation the moneys necessary for the sinking fund of the Commonwealth for the payment of the in- terest of said bonds and the principal thereof at maturity. • The Auditor General shall also give to each General Assembly a statement of the compensa- tion due the duly authorized loan and transfer agent of the Commonwealth for its service, pay- ment of which shall be made by appropriation on a basis to be fixed by the Governor, the Audi- tor General and the State Treasurer, but not to exceed thirty cents per one thousand dollars for the original certification and registration, and aiter the original issuance and sale oi such bonds by the Commonwealth the duly authorized loan and transfer agent of the Commonwealth shall receive as compensation for the transfer and registration thirty cents per one thousand dollars of bonds so transferred and registered in any one year. Sinking Fund Investments, Redemption of Bends. — Section 8. All bonds issued under the authority of this act shall be redeemed at maturity, and all interest due from time to time on such bonds shall be paid by the Board of Finance and Revenue of the Treasury Depart- ment of the Commonwealth. For the specific purposes of redeeming said bonds at maturity and paying all interest thereon, and in accord- ance with the information received from the Governor, as provided in section seven of this act, the General Assembly shall appropriate bi- ennially the moneys necessary for the pay- ment of the interest on said bonds and the principal thereof at maturity. All moneys so appropriated shall be paid into the sinking fund by the State Treasurer, and all such moneys not necessary to pay accruing interest shall be in- vested by the Board of Finance and Revenue in such securities as are provided by law for the investment of the sinking funds of the Com- monw^ealth. The investments and moneys and the accumu- lations thereon in the sinking fund shall be de- voted to and be used exclusively for the pay- ment of the interest accruing on such bonds and their redemption at maturity. Provided, how- ever, That the Board of Finance and Revenue is authorized at any time to use any of such funds for the purchase and retirement, at not more than par, of all or any part of the bonds issued under the authority of this act. In the event that all or any part of said bonds shall be purchased by the Board of Finance and Revenue, they shall be cancelled and returned unto the State Treasurer as cancelled and paid bonds, and thereafter all payments of interest thereon shall cease, and the cancelled bonds and coupons shall be destroyed within two years after cancellation in the presence of the Governor, the Auditor General and the State Treasurer, and a certifi- cate evidencing the destruction satisfactory to the duly authorized loan and transfer agent of the Commonwealth shall be furnished to it. All cancelled bonds and coupons shall be so marked as to make the cancelled bonds and coupons non- negotiable. Report of State Treasurer. — Section 9. The State Treasurer shall in his report furnish to each General Assembly, and so long as any bonds of the Commonwealth, issued under the pro- visions of this act are outstanding, a detailed statement of the total amount of bonds issued, redeemed, cancelled and destroyed, and the total amount of the proceeds thereof used by the De- partment of Forests and Waters for the purpose of acquiring land in the State for forest pur- poses. Appropriation. — Section 10. In order to de- fray all necessary expenses, including printing, engraving and advertising connected with the issuance of bonds authorized by the provisions of this act, the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,- 000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby specifically appropriated. Payments from said appropriation shall be made on order of the Governor by warrant of the Auditor General on the State Treasurer. Approved the 6th day of May, A. D. 1925. (Signed) GIFFORD PINCHOT. The historic Campbell Oak, standing on the Henderson farm, about 3 miles north of Belle- ville, has just been added to the list of historic Pennsylvania trees. Dr. M. D. Campbell, of Loganton, Clinton County, supplied the follow- ing notes about the tree: *^My great grandfather and family camped under this tree the night of May 1, 1774. He also built the old stone mansion which stands on the farm in good condition to this day.^^ m According to a count just completed by the U. S. Forest Service, there were more than 687,- 000 head of big game animals on the 159 National Forests, at the close of the year 1924. >i , ■^MWi'^B -jr, -^-rr- 40 FOREST LEAVES :;! IMPORTANT TREE PLACES IN PENN- SYLVANIA III. The Caledonia Plantations* By Joseph S. Illick BORDERING the Lincoln Highway midway between Chambersburg and Gettysburg, are the most talked of forest tree planta- tions in Pennsylvania. Standing on both sides of a new ribbon of highway cement are orderly rows of green growing trees in the prime of life. Here tourists from every State of the Union and from many foreign lands idle their motors and train their happy eyes on a sylvan treat that is hard to beat. Not many years ago the site of these beautiful plantations comprised a number of abandoned fields covered with irregular mats of coarse grass dotted with brush patches. It was in 1906 —less than 20 years ago— that the first small army of tree planters, under the direction of a technically trained forester, began to set out small baby trees. These tree planters told me that they were proud of their work, but to a man admitted their uncertainty about the out- come of their efforts in a new working field. Not one of them even dreamed of the degree of suc- cess that now crowns their faithful undertaking and fiuitful efforts. Green growing forests of planted white pine, white ash, black locust, and Scotch pines now lift their friendly green crowns toward the sky, where several decades ago were only idle acres in abandoned fields. These planted trees are full of promise, and please thousands of travellers who linger long to see this wonderful tree layout. Practically everybody who sees these planta- tions is impressed with the close spacing of the trees. There is a definite purpose back of this close grouping. It is a means to an end, for for- esters learned many years ago that the best lumber is produced by trees that stand in close formation. Trees standing in a compact forma- tion lose their side branches early, and thus eliminate the production of knotty lumber. When planted, the trees were spaced 4 by 4 feet. This means an average of 2,750 trees per acre. Naturally, not all the trees lived. Some died from the shock of transplanting. Others were killed by a variety of diseases. But in ♦This is the third of a series of articles on Important Tree Places in Pennsylvania. spite of many ailments and numerous handicaps most of the trees grew, and there remain today dense stands of thrifty trees that promise a big yield of choice timber in years to come. The writer is confident that these plantations will in time Compare favorably with the best of Europe. Several years ago the feeling was broadcasted that these wonderful plantations should be ex- hibited to the public. Most of them were hid- den from public view by ugly screens of infe- rior trees and other scrubby growth. . Two years ago work was started to dress up this important tree place, and to demonstrate each year to thou- sands of people in a most practical and obvious way the wisdom of reforestation. All the in- ferior growth was cut away. Dead trees were cut out, and the dead side branches were re- moved. In most places the stems of the planted trees were cleared of dead branches for 10 to 15 feet from the ground. Many people who knew the history of these plantations were surprised to see how large some of the trees had become. Trees that were less than 6 inches high when planted in 1906 are now more than 30 feet high, and many of them more than 6 inches in diam- eter. These plantations do more to teach the practi- cal lessons of reforestation than countless yards of printed matter. Here can be seen the re- sults of forest tree planting, amidst one of the beauty spots of southern Pennsylvania. It is significant that THE CALEDONIA PLANTA- TIONS border the CALEDONIA STATE FOR- EST PARK, the only State Forest Park along the entire route of the Lincoln Highway between the Atlantic and the Pacific. The Caledonia State Forest Park is one of the most charming spots in the South Mountains. It covers about 250 acres and is a part of the Michaux State Forest, named in honor of the celebrated French botanist and traveller, Andre Francois Michaux. Within this picturesque park are found more than 100 native woody plants. This natural wealth of plant life and the extensive plantations of forest trees fully justify the placing of Caledonia among the ''Im- portant Tree Places of Pennsylvania.'^ Beautiful Birch Run empties into the Cono- cocheague within the Caledonia State Forest Park. By wandering along this stream one can readily see why it is called ''Birch Run,'' for it is bordered by the most attractive groupings of birch trees found in southern Pennsylvania. Strolling among these birch trees one is im- })ressed vv^ith the luxuriant growth of Rhododen- Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 3. Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 3. The Caledonia Plantations Dot the Route of the Lincoln Highway about Graeffenburg Inn IN the South Mountains of Pennsylvania. Photo. Courtesy Department Forests and Waters. The Best of Care is Given to Planted Trees at Caledonia, Pa. The Dead Branches are Pruned off and the Forest Floor is Kept Clean. Photo. Courtesy Department Forests and Waters. I i White Pine Plantations at Caledonia, Pa. Photo. Courtesy Department Forests and Waters. Near the Caledonia Plantations is a State Forest Park, Public Camps, and Many Forest Cottages. These are the Most Talked of Plantations on the State Forests of Pennsylvania. Photo. Courtesy Department Forests and Waters. I FOREST LEAVES 41 dron, and if one^s eye is trained to noting the different trees and shrubs, one may perchance observe one of the rarest trees native to the State, whose leaves somewhat resemble the Rho- dodendron, but are more delicate in texture and decidedly silvery white on the lower surface. It is the Sweet Bay or Laurel Magnolia {Magnolia Virginia L.). Miss Mira L. Dock, who served so long and so well and contributed .so generously to the cause of forestry in Pennsyl- vania and our Nation, described this small tree most accurately and completely in the columns of botanical journals, and reported this station as the most western outpost in the tree^s entire natural range. No one can question the richness of the for- est-flora of Caledonia. It was one of the favor- ite outdoor spots of the late Dr. Thomas Conrad Porter, who was for many years one of the out- standing figures among the American botanists. Amidst these wonderful forest tree planta- tions and natural arborescent wealth is the home of a District Forester. Here also lives an As- sistant Forester and a Forest Ranger. These guardians of the forest are constantly watching the Caledonia Plantations and tell their in- teresting story over and over again to the thou- sands of tourists that annually frequent this beauty spot in the South Mountains. If you will go to Caledonia you will see a sylvan treat that is hard to beat. When you get there you must not fail to stop and walk among the princely pines that are now in their growing glory. Their garments of green border the pic- turesque Conococheague, whose crystal water is gradually warmed as it makes it way to the beau- tiful Potomac in the sunny southland. CONVICTIONS OF FOREST INCENDIARIES About 1,000,000,000 pencils are manufactured from American wood every year. The average pencil will probably bring about 5 cents apiece, which means that the billion pencils represent a total value of $50,000,000 annually. In 1861 the first pencil factory was established in the United States. The Weyerhaeuser Logged-Off Land Company is being incorporated with capitalization of $1,000,000, for the purpose of taking over the cut-over lands of the Weyerhaeuser Timber Com- pany and to carry on reforestation work with the intention of making it a commercial success. — National Lumber Bulletin. ONE of the best indications of a better knowledge of forestry is the arrest and conviction of those starting forest fires. Among those may be mentioned the following: District Forester Stadden recently arrested Joseph Boehm, of Lackawaxen, Pike County, for causing a forest fire by brush burning. The fire burned over 150 acres and cost the Common- wealth $101.25 to extinguish. Mr. Boehm has paid the total cost of extinction and is under bail to appear before the Pike County Court in May. District Forester Miller reports J. Kunvla, of Graceton, started a forest fire near Homer City by tossing a lighted match in dry leaves. The fire burned over about 1,000 acres of forest land. Fire Warden Weller arraigned Kunvla before a Justice of the Peace, who committed him to jail in default of $1,000 bail for the June term of court. Three boys, 12 to 15 years old, were arrested for starting a forest fire in Fayette County which burned over one-half of an acre of wood land. Railroad torpedoes and dynamite caps were ex- ploded by the boys in a hollow tree which caught fire and later spread to the forest. The costs, which were $16.00, were placed on the defend- ants. Charles Kelley, aged 55, of Five Points, near Parkerford, was arrested on the charge of arson and starting a forest fire. He was given a hear- ing and held in $500 bail for court. Kelley started a fire at the edge of woodland, and so close to the home of Clarence Keeley, a neigh- Bor, that the house was ignited. William Mowrey, a school teacher in Bedford County, was fined $10.00 for refusing to help extinguish a forest fire. Delbert Eyre, who was placed in the Clinton County jail April 14th, for setting forest fires, is now on parole. The parole states that he must stay within the city limits of Tjock Haven. John Lights, contractor for McKelvey Bros., sawmill operators of Duncansville, was served with a non-abatement notice in March, to which I 42 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 43 he paid little attention. At a hearing recently Lights was fined $50.00 and costs which amounted to $15.10. He refused payment and was sent to jail; however, the McKelvey Bros, paid the fine and secured the release of their contractor. Inspector Shelhamer, of the Weiser Forest Dis- trict, arrested Mike Krovinke, on the charges of permitting his brush fire to escape to woodland and refusing to help extinguish the fire, which burned over about 20 acres of fine young tim- ber. Krovinke refused to pay the fine of $10.00 and costs imposed upon him for refusing help, and was committed to jail. He was also held in default of $500 bail to appear in court. Josef Nonkosky, of Johnstown, was sentenced by Judge Nevin Wanner, in the York County Court, Monday, April 13th, to two years in the Eastern Penitentiary for starting incendiary forest fires. Nonkosky confessed that he set fire to the woodland on March 24th in five different places near Dillsburg, York County, and as a result more than 700 acres were burned over. Men fighting one of the fires caught Nonkosky starting another and immediately fire wardens aiTCsted him and put him in York County jail. FIRELESS HUCKLEBERRY CULTURE By Charles E. Zerby, District Forester ONE of the reasons why good natural second growth did not follow the removal of the virgin forests in many places in Pennsyl- vania was because of the mistaken belief that the cut-over land had to be burned each year to produce a huckleberry crop. Huckleberries were then considered of more value than the young timber. This idea and the practice were both wrong. Repeated burning caused the huckle- berry bushes to be replaced by worthless ferns and fire weeds. The only trees surviving were scrub oak, fire cherry, and a few other inferior trees. While huckleberry Culture has proven success- ful and improved varieties of this delectable berry are on the market it is doubtful whether success has been achieved anywhere with less expendi- ture of time and capital than in the case of W. A. Home of Brookville, Pa. Mr. Home had more land in Pine Creek town- ship, Jefferson County, than he could conveniently farm. Three acres had been cleared for buck- wheat on a hill with thin, somewhat stony soil. The following year while planning to remove the stumps from this patch he found huckleberries growing abundantly around the stumps. This gave him the idea of sowing the whole patch to huckleberries. So in the month of August following the buck- wheat crop the area was sown to huckleberries. They were then heavily laden with fruit. The plants were pulled up and the rif>e berries shaken off over the patch around the old buckwheat stubbles and thin grass. No soil preparation was made before or after these berries were sown. This unique experiment took place ten years ago and the bushes that grew from this sowing have borne fruit every year since they reached the seed bearing age. Even in years when late fiosts have destroyed the huckleberry crop else- where Mr. Home has had an abundance for his own use. This patch has averaged 1,000 quarts each year for the ten years it has been in bearing. No cultivation has been given thvi bushes at any time although now forest growth is shading the patch to some extent and must be removed. No additional seeding will be required as the huckle- berry bushes are naturally filling in the fail places from the original sowing. As might be exj>ected from such chance selec- tion of the original seed the berries are of several native kinds. The Sweet High Blue is the principal variety. When ripe, people come from a great distance to buy these berries or to pick them on shares. The berries can be picked much faster and more conveniently than when gather- ing the rapidly disappearing wild huckleberries, no time being lost in searching for the bushes, falling over logs, or dodging rattlesnakes. This venture has been sound from the financial standpoint. The labor of pulling the bushes and scattering the berries over the field required only about one day. No further cultivation was given the patch though doubtless harrowing the old buckwheat ground before or immediately after sowing would have insured a denser stand of bushes. This patch has produced an average of 1,000 quarts of berries each year which sold at 20, 25, and sometimes 30 cents per quart — an an- nual income of no less than $75.00 per acre. This surely equals the income from the average well cultivated acre of agricultural soil. There is no secret art in raising these berries. Any thin sour soil or stony hill such as is commonly over- run by sun grass or weeds is suitable for this purpose. Fire is absolutely unnecessary in huckleberry culture. THE ANTHRACITE FOREST PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION THE Anthracite Forest Protective Associa- tion, which is sponsoring this year's Sum- mer Meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association at Hazleton, operates throughout the entire Anthracite region, having members in eight counties. It was organized in 1917 iat the suggestion of the Department of Forestry. Or- ganization meetings were held in Hazleton, Potts- ville, Wilkes-Barre and Shamokin. On May 9, 1917, officers and directors were elected. Mr. H. C. Mason, of Wilkes-Barre, was named to the presidency and served in that capacity until his death in August, 1923. It was at this same meet- ing that Mrs. Eckley B. Coxe and Dr. Henry S. Drinker were elected to Honorary Membership. Mr. H. A. Christian, of Palmerton, succeeded Mr. Mason as president upon the latter 's death. H. C. Weiner, J. E. MacNeil and A. C. Neu- muller have served at various times as secretary, carrying on the business of the Association in connection with their regular duties. A. C. Sil- vius was the first full-time secretary, serving for a short time only and was succeeded, after an interval of a year, by J. M. Sloan, the present incumbent. The following have served, or are serving on the Board of Directors : H. C. Mason, A. C. Neumuller, H. B. Fell, L. W. Conrad, H. A. Christian, 0. M. Lance, E. R. Pettebone, James Archbald, Richard Coombs, C. B. Kun- kle, H. G. Haupt, Geo. H. Wirt, Thomas Kelshaw, Samuel W. Gangwer and C. F. Keller. During the past the Association has carried on an active fire prevention and fire extinction campaign. Six steel towers were erected and one wooden tower renovated and placed in ser- vice. These towers were the first in the dis- trict and were taken over and operated by the State in conjunction with the towers since erected. A motor-cycle patrol was at one time operated over a portion of the district. The present activities of the Association are confined mostly to directing the forestry work of some of its members, and in co-ordinating the extinction forces of members with those of the State. An educational and publicity campaign is also waged at all times. The citizens of the State of New York, at the November, 1924, election, approved a bond issue of $15,000,000 lor the development and extension of State Parks and Forest Preserves. One third of the amount, $5,000,000, is apportioned to the State Forest Preserves. THE TUSSOCK MOTH i A STATE- WIDE campaign against the white- marked tussock moth early this summer is urged by A. B. Champlain, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, Pennsylvania Depart- ment of Agriculture. He issued a statement recommending active work by school children and scout organizations as an effective means of controlling the pest which causes extensive dam- age to shade and fruit trees in this State every year. Describing the leaf-eating caterpillar, its method of attack, and ways of combatting it, the statement said: '^ There are two broods of the moth each year in Pennsylvania and nearby States, the first ap- pearing in May. The insect spends the winter as an egg in conspicuous, white, foamy egg masses which contain from 100 to 400 eggs. The eggs hatch in May and the small caterpillars feed on the underside of the leaves. As they increase in size they eat the larger portions until all but the largest veins are devoured. They prefer leaves of poplar, horse chestnut, soft maple, elm, linden, and most varieties of fruit trees. ''They may be identified easily and the cater- pillars are of striking appearance, being marked with beautiful colors and long black plumes. A pair of plumes protrude over the bright red head and a single plume rises from the opposite end of the body. A broad black band, bordered with yellow, extends the full length of the back. Four white brush-like tufts of hair, or tussocks, stand upright in a row on the back, and from these the moth derives its name. ''These destructive pests may be controlled with relative ease. A thorough spraying of the foliage with lead arsenate, one and one-half pounds of the powder to 50 gallons of water, during June will destroy the first brood. A sec- ond application in August will clean up the sec- ond brood if the first spray does not completely answer the purpose. Scraping off and burning the egg masses is another means of control. A sponge soaked in crude creosote, mounted on a long pole and pressed against the egg masses, is also an effective treatment. Banding trees with sticky substances is not considered a satisfac- tory means of controlling this insect.'* More than 100 men are now at work in the Hudson River Valley to keep the gypsy moth out of New York State. This is being made a barrier zone, and its advance has been halted. 44 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 45 THE FOREST RESOURCES OF FINLAND i THE following is a summary of an exhaus- tive report on ^^The Forests of Finland," by Dr. Yrjo Ilvessalo, of the Forest Re- search Institute: In Finland forests occupy 62.4 million acres (=25.2 million hectares), i. e., 73.5 per cent, of the total land area. Finland is thus relatively the richest country in Europe with regard to for- est. Next to Finland in this respect comes Swed- en, where the forests comprise 58.5 per cent, of the land area of the country. Also with regard to the absolute area of forest, only spacious Rus- sia, according to the latest information, surpasses Finland. The proportion of forest to other lands varies greatly in different parts of Finland, being high- est in East Finland, and lowest in the thickly- populated coastal regions of the south and the extreme north of Finland, which consists mostly of wide barren stretches of fells. Per head of population the area of forest is for the whole of Finland 18.3 acres (=7.4 hectares), varying be- tween 4.0 acres in the Province of Uusimaa (Ny- land), and 80.3 acres in the Province of Oulu (Uleaborg). The predominating tree in the forests of Fin- land is the pine (Pinus silvestris), forests in which the pine predominates, accounting for more than half of the total forest area. Next to the pine the most prevalent tree is the spruce (Picea excelsa), followed by the birch {Betula verrucosa and B. odorata) and lastly, with but little significance to the total, the alder (Alnus incana) and the aspen (Populus tremula). The present growing stock of the forests of Finland, according to the results obtained in the present survey, is 57,214 million cubic feet (=1,620 million cubic metres). The total growing stock of the forests of Fin- land represents, at an extremely cautious esti- mate, an asset of at least 500 — 600 million dollars (about 20 — 25 milliard Finnish marks). The forests of the southern half of the country contain almost two-thirds and those of the north- ern half slightly over one-third of the total grow- ing stock, although the area of forest is in each case approximately the same. That this is so is due to the barren nature of the northern forest lands. According to the present investigations the an- nual growth of the forests of Finland is 1,568 million cubic feet (44.4 million m.s). As the an- nual cuttings amount, according to the latest figures, to about 1,413 million cubic feet (about 40 million m.s), the growth is thus about 155 million cubic feet (about 4 million m.s) above the amount felled. While the growth is there- fore in relation to the whole country larger than the total cuttings, local excessive cuttings are, however, apparent, particularly where means of communication are favorable. WHAT TREES ARE REPLACING OUR CHESTNUT By Herbert M. Nicholas IN connection with the general forest organi- zation work on the Michaux State Forest, it is possible to make some interesting obser- vations in relation to the replacement of the chestnut. Ever since the chestnut blight ap- peared there has been a gradual decrease of this important forest tree. There have been many guesses as to the future make-up of the forest and the place the chestnut would hold in the forests of the future. There are still some who think that the days of the chestnut are not over, but the majority believe that the chestnut cannot be depended upon as a wood producer in the future. It is probable that in less than ten years our chestnut will be replaced by a new growth of trees composed of a mixture of several species, and in some places of many species. The Michaux State Forest has been divided into 24 blocks or working compartments. Most of the field work of the survey has been com- pleted. In addition to the main purpose of the survey, many other interesting observations were made by the surveying crew. One of the important results of the survey is a fuller knowledge of the quantity of Southern yellow pine {Pinus echinata) that was at one time prevalent on the sloi)es of the mountains. From all indications this tree at one time covered a large part of this section. Records show that nearly all of this Southern yellow pine was cut in the early eighties by the New York Company, which then owned the Caledonia Furnace prop- erty. Another striking result of the survey was a better understanding of the extent to which natural regeneration of valuable trees is coming in on the scrub oak areas. In many places, where ten years ago it was exceedingly difficult to pass over an area because of the thick scrub oak growth, one can now walk among the thrifty young stands of oak and pitch pine without great trouble. In the forest survey, notes were taken of all the different species of trees that occurred upon the area. In the office compilation five distinct groups were established, namely: 1. The oaks. 2. Chestnut. 3. White pine and hemlock. 4. Pitch pine, yellow pine and other hard pines. 5. Miscellaneous hardwoods. All the trees were grouped in these five general classes and measurements were taken as low as 3^/4 inches. All the trees were measured except those which were in too bad condition to become merchantable. The following summary statement gives the estimated number of board feet of wood in the Michaux State Forest by the five classes: Quantity of Wood Kind of Wood (Board Feet) * Oak 54,300,000 Chestnut 19,000,000 Pitch and other hard pines.. 56,300,000 White pine and hemlock 8,400,000 Miscellaneous hardwoods . . . 6,000,000 Total 144,000,000 The above table shows that the oaks and the pitch pine and other hard pines make up a much greater quantity of w^ood than the chestnut. Formerly chestnut was the prevailing tree in this region, but it is being gradually eliminated from the forest structure. The damage bv the blight and the cutting of the blight-killed trees has been the main factor in the elimination of this im- portant forest tree. Even on areas where the chestnut has not been cut, the same tendency is evident, for the dead trees are gradually giving way to the thrifty oaks and pines. The above table supports field observations that in each case where the chestnut is being removed by log- ging or eliminated by the blight, young oak and hard pine regeneration is common and prolific. The above table does not give full justice to the oaks, for there is present upon the ground a dense and thrifty young growth of oaks below the limit that measurements were taken. Naturally, different sites vary in the kind of new growth produced. We find that on ridges the new growth consists nearly entirely of rock oak and pitch pine. Traveling down the slopes there is still a preponderance of rock oak and pitch pine, but there white oak is taking hold rapidly. In the valleys and moist sites, white oak is much more plentiful, with pitch pine and rock oak likewise very abundant. Here we also find quantities of scarlet oak. In localities where *219 cubic feet equivalent to 1,000 board feet. large white pine and hemlock are plentiful, their seedlings have slightly increased in growth and number since the removal of the chestnut, but the removal did not materially affect the density of these stands. In my opinion it is evident that the Michaux State Forest, which is essentially a hardwood forest, intends to remain so in spite of the ravages of the chestnut blight. THE NEED OF FOREST PRESERVATION* DID it ever occur to you that we owe much of the privilege and comfort of travel to the forest? Under every mile of railroad lie about 3500 cross-ties. The rail- roads of the United States use annually 125,000,- 000 ties. In the time spent at your meal in this car about 10,000 new ties are placed under the steel rails in our country. The menu before you is a forest product: 72,- 000,000 board feet of lumber are used annually in the United States for matches and toothpicks, and you ride in greater comfort because a band of compressed wood fibre is placed about the car wheel just within the rim. The products of the forest play an important role in the running of every train in more than a hundred different ways. We use wood every day of our lives. From the cradle to the coffin it helps us live and makes our lives comfortable, yet our wood supply is becom- ing so low that the situation is serious. To in- sure an adequate wood supply our forests must be protected and cared for. The greatest enemy of the forest is fire. In an average year 33,500 forest fires occur in the United States. They burn above 7,000,000 acres and do a damage in property alone of $16,500,- 000. The first step in forest restoration is to stop forest fires. Will you help? Spread the slogan, PREVENT FOREST FIRES— IT PAYS. For your own part, do not throw lighted matches, cigarettes and cigars from the car win- dow. It may start a fire that will despoil beauti- ful scenery, kill wild life, suppress springs that supply pure water, and deprive our citizens of the wood they need. We must have forests to prosper as a people, and to have forests we must give the trees a chance to grow. It is estimated that there were 822 million acres of original forests in the United States. Of these only 138 million acres remain and, with 250 million acres of second growth timber which now is of no commercial value, they make up our *From dining car menu, Pennsylvania Railroad. 46 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 47 f-| present forest resources. Possibilities for further development lie in 81 million acres of land which, though unproductive now, could be utilized for forest growth. We have enough forest land to satisfy our human needs. By giving it good care we will insure an ample Avood supply, provide good water, and make available ample play places. It is our patriotic duty to handle our forests so that they will serve us well and long. Pennsylvania State Department of Forests and Waters. SCHOOL FOREST ESTABLISHED IN TIOGA FOREST DISTRICT DISTRICT FORESTER MULFORD states that last year he was invited to speak to the school children at Antrim. He went to the meeting prepared to talk for about 20 minutes, but it developed that the scholars be- came so intensely interested in forest tree plant- ing and other phases of forest conservation that this meeting continued for about two hours. At that time he made a special appeal to the school children of Antrim to plant a school forest on a nearby tract of land. As a result of this ap- peal an area was selected, the trees were ordered, and early in April of this year a day was sched- uled for the planting. Just about the time the planting was to begin, a spark from an engine set fire to a field of dry grass along the tracks. The pupils of the schools immediately started to extinguish the blaze to save the forests and their own homes, both of which were endangered. The tree planting exercises, because of this fire, was postponed until April 13th, when about 200 pupils, under the direction of Prof. Claude Ely and his assistants, led by a home talent band, composed of Boy Scouts and Camp Fire Girls, marched to the planting site. The planting area comprises one acre, and was made available by the Fall Brook Coal Company. Eighteen hundred trees were planted in a short period of time. The holes for the trees were made by little mine picks and the trees were planted with great care. The little town of Antrim now has its school forest, which is pro- tected by a substantial wire fence, and the chil- dren of this school district have set a worthy example for the people of Tioga County. It is hoped that the school forest tree planting idea will spread all over the State. THE TOBYHANNA NATIONAL FOREST NEW PUBLICATIONS A SECOND National Forest has been cre- ated in Pennsylvania. This National For- est is one of eleven similarly created on existing military reservations under the author- ity conferred by Section 9 of the Clarke-MicNary Act, which provides that National Forests may be established on military or naval reservations subject to the concurrence by the secretaries con- cerned in a set of Rules, Regulations and General Plan of Management. It is expected that the military uses of Tobyhanna Military Reserva- tion will continue as heretofore. The creation of the National Forest gives an opportunity for the growing of forest products on the portions of the area which are not subject to intensive military use. It is manifest that the Government must itself set an example in the practice of for- estry and must put its idle lands to work. This idea has received the cordial indorsement of Secretary Weeks, as has been stated, a num- ber of National Forests have been created on areas which will be retained by the War Depart- ment for military purposes, such as the training of troops, maneuvers, target practices, etc. The military use of this unit is confined to a brief summer training season and the opportunity for the growing of timber on this area seems to be unequaled. Tobyhanna has an area of 21,100 acres, of which 230 acres are retained for the exclusive use of the War Department; the remaining land has been created a National Forest subject to the unhampered use of the War Department. This area was logged by the Dodge interests. I^og- ging operations ceased in about 1900 and the reservation was a part of an area sold to the Monroe Water Supply Company, which in turn sold it to the War Department in 1916. The area has been devastated by fire in the past but now contains a ten to fifteen year old stand of gray birch, maples, beech, and popple with some spruce. This young timber will soon attain a size which will make it merchantable for mine props and other domestic uses. The Wye Oak is located near Wye Malls in Talbot County, Md. This tree is 6% feet in diam- eter at 45^ feet above the ground. It is 89 fjBet high and has a spread of 140 feet. It is estimated to be 400 years old. Dr. Chas. S. Sargent calls it the king of oaks. A Guide to the Tre€s.— Prof. Charlton C. Curtis. 8 vo. 208 pages, illustrated, bound in cloth. Price, $1.50. Greenburg Publisher, Inc., 112 E. 19th St., New York, N. Y. Prof. Curtis is Professor of Botany at Colum- bia University and has prepared a simple, easily understandable description of every variety of tree in the area from Tennessee west to Kansas, and then north to the Arctic Circle. There is a short key by means of which any tree can be quickly classified without diffieulty. This key is based on a special arrangement so as to simplify identification. The various trees found in this section are also described in detail with illustra- tions of the leaves, blossoms and fruit. The book was designed for campers, Boy Scouts, Botanists and all who may be interested in the identification of trees. The Diagnosis of Decay in Wood.— Ernest E. Hubert. 8 vo. 46 pages. Illustrated. Bound in paper. Reprint from Journal of Agri- cultural Research. Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. This interesting paper, prepared by Ernest E. Hubert, Assistant Pathologist of the Bureau of Plant Industry, takes up the wood rot problem. It deals specifically with the diagnosis of decay, and the author shows how gross, histological and cultural characters may be applied to the diag- nosing of decay commonly found in wood and wood products. There is also a study of a num- ber of wood destroying fungi of economic im- portance. The illustrations are most instructive. Report of the Board of Commissioners of Agri- culture and Forestry of the Territory of Hawaii for the Biennial Period Ending Dec. 31, 1924. — 8 vo. 49 pages. Paper bound. Illustrated. Board of Agriculture and For- estry, Honolulu, Hawaii. C. S. Judd, Superintendent of Forestry and Chief Fire Warden, states that the chief activity during the past year has been the extension of the forest reserve system, especially on the Island of Oahu where the water situation is be- coming acute. On Hawaii the boundaries of Ko- hola Mountain Reserve have been adjusted and partly surveyed. In Puna a new reserve of 1620 acres has been surs-eyed, and the proposed Monowaialee reserve of 3,015 acres in Hamakua, has been surveyed and reported upon. On Maui an addition of 10,376 acres to the Koolan reserve has been proposed. In 1923 a total of 746 acres were withdrawn from the forest reserves, reduc- ing the total area on the 49 reserves throughout the territory to 840,984 acres, of which 579,905 acres are Government land. Additions to present reserves and new reserves on Oahu will add 47,- 064 acres. There were six fires which burned over a total area of 9,798 acres. In 1923 and 1924 a total of 115,757 trees were planted. To the 3,370 Chaul- moogra trees previously planted at Waiahole, 610 trees of the best oil-producing species (Tarahto- genos kurzii) were added. The older trees are doing well, some having attained a height of 13 feet in less than three years. The Role of Fire in the California l>ine For- ests.—Department Bulletin No. 1294. By S. B. Show, Silviculturist, and E. I. Kotok, National Forest Inspector. 8 vo. 80 pages. Paper bound. Illustrated. Forest Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washing- ton, D. C. This monograph shows two major conclusions: First, fire in the virgin forests, in restocking brush fields and on cut-over lands is important, not only in the loss of timber resources it causes, but also because each fire paves the way for greater and more serious losses from subsequent fires. Second, fires in the virgin forests of the Cali- fornia pine region rarely are catastrophies, for they do not wipe out at one stroke the entire stand over a large area. Indeed, they are gener- ally distinguished by the fact that much of the damage is relatively inconspicuous. But a study of the fires of the past and those of the present shows unmistakably that attrition is the inevi- table concomitant of repeated fires. Fifth Annual Report of the Department of Con- servation of the State of Indiana for the Year Ending Sept. 30th, 1923.— 8 vo. 168 pages. Paper bound. Department of Con- servation, Indianapolis, Ind. Our readers will be principally interested in the report of Charles C. Deam, State Forester. This shows that Indiana uses three times as much tim- ber as she produces. There are thousands of acres of abandoned farm lands, and of typical forest lands which should be bought by the State and reforested. The Clark County State Forest has an area of 2,898 acres. There are at least 50,000 acres of very hilly and broken land join- It ^' 48 FOREST LEAVES ing the Clark Forest that should be purchased by the State. Chesttnut and the Chestnut Blight in North Caro- lina.— Economic Paper No. 56. 8 vo. 23 pages. Paper bound. Illustrated. North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey, Raleigh, N. C. This publication consists of four papers: *' Chestnut in North Carolina,'* by P. L. Butt- rick; ''The Present Stand of Chestnut in North Carolina and in the Southern Appalachians,'' by E. H. Frothingham ; " ''The Chestnut Blight in North Carolina," by G. F. Gravatt, and "The Marketing and Utilization of the Remaining Chestnut in North Carolina," by E. Murray Bruner. The chestnut tree in North Carolina forms an average of 27 per cent, of the merchant- able standing timber, making a total of 3,370,- 000,000 board feet. The chestnut tree blight has spread across Virginia and is now in North Car- olina, and the advance infection has progressed to the southern border of the State. This disease will undoubtedly in time destroy this valuable State asset. The Rainbow Forest Plantations. — Bulletin 262. Forestry Publication 15. 8 vo. 38 pages. Paper bound. Connecticut Agricultural Ex- periment Station, New Haven, Conn. This is a report of progress in 1924 by Henry W. Hicock. The Rainbow Mountain Forest Plan- tations occupy 100 acres in the towns of Windsor and East Granby. The plantations were begun in 1901 and divided into 70 plots. The forestry operations consisted of planting different varie- ties of trees in the plots, cleaning, a small amount of thinning and control of the white pine weevil. The report gives data as to the results obtained from the plantings of various species of trees. Second Report of the Tree Protection Examining Board. — Bulletin 263. 8 vo. 64 pages. Paper bound. Illustrated. Connecticut Agricultur- al Experiment Station, New Haven, Conn. This report covers the three years ending June 30, 1924. It gives the text of the laws under which the Board functions; also a list of firms «and individuals to whom certificates have been issued. It contains articles on "Tree Surgery," by W. 0. Filley; "Cavity Work," by J. Fiank- lin Collins;; "Some of the Principal Insects At- tacking Shade Trees in Connecticut," by W. E. Britton; and "Fungus and Non-Infectious Troubles of Ornamental Trees," by G. P. Clin- ton. Report Off the National Conference on Utilization of Forest Products.— U. S. Department of Agriculture, Miscellaneous Circular, No. 39. 8 vo. 109 pages. Paper bound. Illustrated. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washing- ton, D. C. As its name implies, this brochure gives the proceedings and papers presented at the National Conference on Utilization of Forest Products held at Washington, D. C, November 19 and 20, 1924. Its object was the foundation of a program to combat timber waste in all stages of manufac- ture and use. Many valuable suggestions to eliminate waste were made by forest and timber manufacture experts. As a result of this meet- ing a National Committee on Wood Utilization was formed to carry on the work. Its first meet- ing was held in Washington on May 2nd, 1925. SUMMER SCHOOL COURSES IN FORESTRY AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY CORNELL UNIVERSITY offers two sum- mer courses in forestry, both given by Pro- fessor Ralph S. Hosmer, head of the De- partment of Forestry at Cornell. They are de- signed to help teachers who, on the basis of fundamentals in nature study and biology in the lower grades, wish to teach more advanced subjects. One course on forest trees, is elemen- tary dendrology, which emphasizes simple means of identifying the forest trees fouiid in north- eastern United States. It is non-technical in method of presentation, since it seeks to intro- duce the student to the more common trees and to help in bettering an acquaintance with them. Field periods supplement lectures and bring the student into intimate contact with trees, as they grow in the open and under forest conditions. Forests and forestry, the second course, is a series of lectures supplemented by field trips to woodlands which are under forest management, and, therefore, illustrate the points under discus- sion. This course aims to give the student an understanding of the field of forestry; its scope, its relations to agriculture and the other applied arts, and its bearing on the broad problems of the conservation and wise use of all the natural re- sources of the nation. The Summer School at Cornell is in session from July 6th to August 14th, inclusive. A complete announcement may be had by address- ing the Secretary, New York State College of Agriculture, Ithaca, New York. ^%y^t " .^f*'-* • s -. ^ saesaam ■•MB _ PUBLISHED BY THE PENNSyiVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCl PHILADELPH I A . PA. ^v^^ moN ( 48 FOREST LEAVES in*,^ the Clark Forest that should be purchased by the State. Chestnut and the Chestnut Blight in North Cara- lina. — Economic Paper No. 56. 8 vo. 23 pages. Paper bound. Illustrated. North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey, Raleigh, N. C. This publication consists of four papers: '^ Chestnut in North Carolina,'' by P. L. Butt- rick; ^'The Present Stand of Chestnut in North Carolina and in the Southern Appalachians," by E. H. Erothingham ; " ''The Chestnut Blight in North Carolina," by G. F. Gravatt, and ''The Marketing and Utilization of the Remaining Chestnut in North Carolina," by E. Murray Bruner. The chestnut tree in North Carolina forms an average of 27 per cent, of the merchant- able standing timber, making a total of 3,370,- 000,000 board feet. The chestnut tree blight has spread across Virginia and is now in North Car- olina, and the advance infection has progressed to the southern border of the State. This disease will undoubtedly in time destroy this valuable State asset. The Rainbow Forest Plantations. — Bulletin 262. Forestry Publication 15. 8 vo. 38 pages. Paper bound. Connecticut Agricultural Ex- periment Station, New Haven, Conn. This is a report of progress in 1924 by Henry W. Hicock. The Rainljow JMountain Forest Plan- tations occui)y 100 acres in the towns of Windsor and East Granby. The plantations were begun in 1901 and divided into 70 plots. The forestry oi)eiations consisted of planting different varie- ties of trees in the plots, cleaning", a small amount of thinning and control of the white pine weevil. The report gives data as to the results obtained from the plantings of various species of trees. Second Report of the Tree Protection Examining Board. — Bulletin 263. 8 vo. 64 pages. Paper bound. Illustrated. Connecticut Agricultur- al Experiment Station, New Haven, (^onn. This report covers the three years ending June 30, 1924. It gives the text of the laws under which the Board functions; also a list of firms and individuals to whom certificates have been issued. It contains articles on "Tree Surgery," by W. 0. Filley; "Cavity Work," by J. Frank- lin Collins;; "Some of the Principal Insects At- tacking Shade Trees in Connecticut," by W. E. Britton; and "Fungus and Non-Infectious Troubles of Ornamental Trees," by G. P. Clin- ton. Report of the National Conference on Utilization of Porest Products. — U. S. Department of Agriculture, Miscellaneous Circular, No. 39. 8 vo. 109 pages. Paper bound. Illustrated. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washing- ton, D. C. As its name implies, this brochure gives the proceedings and papers presented at the National Conference on Utilization of Forest Products held at Washington, D. C, November 19 and 20, 1924. Its object was the foundation of a program to combat timber waste in all stages of manufac- ture and use. Many valuable suggestions to eliminate waste were made by forest and timber manufacture experts. As a result of this meet- ing a National Committee on Wood Utilization was formed to carry on the work. Its first meet- ing was held in Washington on May 2nd, 1925. SUMMER SCHOOL COURSES IN FORESTRY AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY CORNELL UNIVERSITY offers two sum- mer courses in forestry, both given by Pro- fessor Ralph S. Hosmer, head of the De- partment of Forestry at Cornell. They are de- signed to help teachers who, on the basis of fundamentals in nature study and biology in the lower grades, wish to teach more advanced subjects. One course on forest trees, is elemen- tary dendrology, which emphasizes simple means of identifying the forest trees fouYid in north- eastern United States. It is non-technical in method of presentation, since it seeks to intro- duce the student to the more common trees and to help in bettering an acquaintance with them. Field periods supplement lectures and bring the student into intimate contact with trees, as they grow in the open and under forest conditions. Forests and forestry, the second course, is a series of lectures supplemented by field trips to woodlands which are under forest management, and, therefore, illustrate the points under discus- sion. This course aims to give the student an understanding of the field of forestry; its scope, its relations to agriculture and the other applied arts, and its bearing on the broad problems of the conservation and wise use of all the natural re- sources of the nation. The Summer School at Cornell is in session from July 6th to August 14th, inclusive. A complete announcement may be had by address- ing the Secretary, New York State College of Agriculture, Ithaca, New York. PUBLISHED BY THE PENNSyiVANIA FOREST^/ ASSOCt PHILADELPHIA. PA. ^^^ INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE '1 I :' i CONTENTS Pagr Roadside Improvement Near Schuylkill Haven, Pa ^f'f^J The Forest Loan Act 49 Summer Meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association 49 Remarks of John H. Bigelow, Esq 53 Forest Fires 53 What the Forests of Pennsylvania Can Do 55 The Goal in Pennsylvania Forestry 57 Resolutions Adopted by the Pennsylvania Forestry Association at Its Hazleton Meeting 58 Letter of Thanks 58 Big Wild Cherry Tree in Juniata County 58 The Largest Swamp White Oak in Pennsylvania 59 Address by Henry S. Drinker, LL.D 59 History of the California Big Tree 63 Another Big White Oak 64 Forest Area of Pennsylvania 64 Blight Resistant Chestnut Trees 64 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FOUNDED IN JUNE, 1886 Labors to dissemlnale information in regard to the necessity and methods of forest culture and preservation, and to secure the enactment and enforcement of proper forest protective laws, bolli State and National. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE. THREE DOLLARS LIFE MEMBERSHIP, FIFTY DOLLARS Neither the membership nor the work of this Association is intended to be limited to the Stale of Pennsylvania. Persons desiring to become members should send their names to the Chairman of the Membership Committee, 130 South 13th Street. Philadelphia. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents. Robt. S. Conklin, J. F. Hendricks. Samuel L. Smedley. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. Treasurer and Recording Secretary. F. L. Biiler. COMMITTEES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Henry Howson, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman George F. Craig, FINANCE— Dr. Henry M. Fisher, Chairman H. W. Shoemaker. J. Rodman Paul, Hon. Marshall Brown, Miss Laura Bell Frank Buck Miss Mary K. Gibson F. L. Bitler, Mrs. David Reeves, Miss Mary K. Gibson, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman Eli Kirk Price, MEMBERSHIP— Harold Pierce. Chairman Mrs. Chas. G. Hctzel Mrs. David Reeves Samuel D. Warriner Albert B. Weimer Dr. W. P. Wilson PUBLICATION Egbert S. Gary, Joseph S. Illick, Harrison Souder. WORK — Mrs. Brinton Coxe, Chairman Miss Ethel A. Shrigley, E. E. Wildman. J. Franklin Meehan, OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATION, 130 S. FIFTEENTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA FOREST LEAVES Published Bi-Monthly Entered at the Philadelphia Poat-OflSce as aeaoad-daM matter, under Act of March 3d. 1870 Vol. XX— No. 4 PHILADELPHIA, AUGUST. 1925 Whole Number 227 THE FOREST LOAN ACT AS narrated in '* Forest Leaves'* for June, the question of whether the proposed amendment to the Constitution authoriz- ing a loan of $25,000,000 for the purchase of lands for State Forests can be voted on by the people in 1925 was taken up by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, after an adverse decision by the Dauphin County Court. The Pennsylvania Forestry Association inter- vened in the Supreme Court in the Bonus Case, and made an argument by counsel before it in May. On Saturday, June 27th, the Supreme Court handed down its decision, stating that the pro- posed amendment could not be voted on until November, 1928. Justice Sadler wrote the decision and said, *^The Pennsylvania Forestry Association, like- wise interested in the question involved presented its views by brief submitted. To the answer filed .by the Attorney General a demurer was inter- posed, and the learned court below reached the conclusion that the order prayed for could not be made. This appeal followed: **The Constitution may be altered as provided by Art. xviii. Sec. 1. So that changes should not be accomplished without due consideration, pre- liminary action was required at two sessions of the Legislature, but no amendment or amend- ments shall be submitted oftener than once in five years. When two or more amendments shall be submitted they shall be voted on separately. ' ' • • • • **A similar enactment authorizing the issue of bonds to the amount of $25,000,000 for the pur- pose of acquiring land in the State for forests, was adopted in 1923 and again in 1925, and furnishes the reason for the intervention at argument, on behalf of the appellant. '* .... Although the Supreme Court in a prior de- cision had held that 1915 and 1920 were timely years, which would make the next timely year 1925, it held that as an amendment to the Consti- tution had been voted on and passed in 1923 with- out objection filed it was legal — and the present five-year period must date from 1923. In this con- nection the Supreme Court says ** Legal com- plaints to the submission may be made prior to taking a vote, but if once sanctioned, it is em- bodied therein, and cannot be attacked, either directly or collaterally, because of any mistake antecedent thereto. Even though it be submitted at an improper time it is effective for all purposes when accepted by the majority.'* • The postponement of the vote on the forest loan bill until 1928 is regretted for it puts off for three years any extended acquisition of forest lands in Pennsylvania. SUMMER MEETING OF THE PENNSYL- VANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION THE Summer Meeting was held at Hazleton, Pa., on June 24th, 25th and 26th, 1925. The opening session was in the Vine Street High School at 8 P. M., the Address of Welcome being made by John H. Bigelow, Esq., and the Response by Dr. Henry S. Drinker, President, Pennsylvania Forestry Association. The following addresses were then made: ' ' Forest Fires ' '—Oeorge H. Wirt, Chief Forest Fire Warden of Pennsylvania. *^ Forests and Our Game''— Seth E. Gordon, Executive Secretary, Board of Game Commis- sioners of Pennsylvania. *^The Goal in Pennsylvania Forestry'* — Major Robert Y. Stuart, Secretary of the Department of Forests and Waters. 'ortion of these trees have now reached a height of over 12 feet. The insect damage has been very slight. The party then proceeded to the Locust Moun- tain Strippings, where a magnificent view of this section of the anthracite region was had from the top of the spoils bank. The top of this mountain was said to have been the site of the first forestry operations in the state and one of the earliest in the United States. The Girard Estate began planting this area in 1877, and until 1900 the Estate together with the Girard Water Company planted a total of 252,050 forest tree seedlings of various kinds, to de- termine those best suited to the locality. The trees planted consisted of 143,750 European larch, 3,000 Douglass pine, 42,100 Scotch pine, 1,000 Russian mulberry, 32,900 white pine, 1,000 white oak, 24,500 Catalpa Speciosa, 200 Austrian pine, 3,500 wild black cherry and 100 Norway spruce. Of the trees planted up to the time of their re- moval due to the mining operations, the European larch, which was planted in larger quantity, ap- peared to be the most thrifty, and furnished along with other si>ecies considerable mine timber. In the latter part of 1910 and in 1911 diamond drill- ing proved the existence of large quantities of coal beneath the plantations, and it was decided to abandon the watershed and one of the three reservoirs. A lease to the Locust Mountain Coal Company was executed in 1912, and active stripping opera- tions, which began on June 1st, 1913, have al- most obliterated the beautiful forest which had been planted. The stripping operations when completed in 1928, will be approximately 3 miles in length covering an area of 383 acres of excava- tion. The estimated total content, overburden, and coal is 11,188,511 cubic yards, of which 9,130,378 cubic yards have been removed up to March 31, 1925. It is divided into two main sec- tions, the Eastern section is about 4,800 feet in length, 700 feet wide, and 180 feet deep. The Western section is approximately 10,000 feet long, wide and shallow. The material removed from the pits would form a wall 2 feet wide and over 11 feet high extending from New York to San Francisco. The party then proceeded to Girardville and Ashland, through that town and Gordon, ascend- ing the Broad Mountain, the divide between the Susquehanna and Schuylkill River Systems, pass- ing the Hadesty Road Fire Line to Mt. Pleasant. The Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Com- pany maintains 350 miles of such roads, trails and fire lines. The Peters Fire Line to Glendower and Mt. Hadesty was also seen. The party then went to Heckscherville, and passed through Glen- dower to Buck Run Community House where a stop was made. This provides social and recre- ational facilities for the employees of the Buck Run Coal Co. at practically no eost to them, in a comparatively isolated section, where such facil- ities are much appreciated by the beneficiaries. The houses surrounding are also owned by the company and leased to employees at a nominal rental. The next point of interest was the road- side thinnings of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co. Passing the Lytle Colliery of the Susquehanna Collieries Co., and through . the village of Primrose, a fine view was secured to the east and west to Tamaqua and Tremont. The logging operation of the P. & R. C. & I Co. in a stand of white pine was inspected. The clean condition of the forest floor was due to utilization down to 2 inch sticks for laggings while the slash was carefully burned. At the Phoenix Park Saw Mill, a stop was made to observe the operation of timber sawing. On the left was a fine stand of pine and hemlock. Turning at Llewellyn towards Pottsville a stop was made to see selection cutting on the Salem lands of the P. & R. C. & I. Co. These comprise 1300 acres. In the last fifteen years the entire area has been cut over by the Company's woodsmen, everj'thing being utilized down to two inch material, and the remaining slash burned. Returning to the main road to Pottsville the party passed over the old Reading-Sunbury Turnpike constructed as a post road 110 years ago, and at that time the only road across the FOREST LEAVES 51 mountains to Fort Augusta and the frontier be- yond. Passing through the village of Mt. Carbon and Pottsville Gap a rich agricultural valley was entered between the Blue and Second Mountains. A stop was made at the Schuylkill Country Club, where luncheon was served. Returning through Schuylkill Haven towards Pottsville to the beautiful Tumbling Run, a stop was made at the Ball Park Plantation. The sec- tion on the right had suffered through suppression due to heavy sod and grass. That to the left was damaged by insects in 1923. This entire valley is held for water supply. Organized protection was first given in 1920, and since then but little damage has been done by forest fires. Lumbering was in progress, removing blighted chestnut and other defective trees. The next stop was at the Forest Tree Nursery and Ranger Headquarters. The nursery was established in 1922, and is used for the develop- ment of transplants. There is a plantation of red pine made in the spring of 1920, set out with 4 year once-transplanted trees. Trees now have had 10 seasons growth. As you proceed up this valley you pass through timberland cut over in the past 3 years. Good reproduction was every- where present. A red pine plantation set out in the spring of 1921 with 4 year-old once trans- planted trees was then seen. These trees came from the Keene Forestry Co., Keene, N. H., and are 9 years from seed. The next plantation was of pitch pine set out in the spring of 1921 with small 2 year old seedlings from the State De- partment of Forestry. They were dibbled in with a pointed stick, and are growing rapidly. Pitch and red pine plantation set out in the spring of 1921 with 2 year seedling pitch pine and 4 year transplants of red pine came next. The trees were supplied by the State Department of Forestry, and were well established. The party then proceeded up Tumbling Run across the mountain, passing through Middleport to Port Carbon, then to St. Clair and Frackville. This valley carries the tracks of the Pennsylvania R. R. and Reading R. R. up the Broad Mountain, and has been the starting point of many dis- astrous fires in the past. Going through Frack- ville to the top of the mountain a beautiful view was secured of Shenandoah ^'Daughter of the Stars." The party then passed through Shenan- doah, going over Locust Mountain to Brandon- ville in the Ringtown Valley, and following the same road traversed in the morning back to Hazleton. In the evening another session was held at the Vine Street High School where the following addresses were made. *' Pennsylvania's Pre-historic Vegetation Furn- ishes Her Power Today" (illustrated)^-Dr. George H. Ashley, State Geologist of Pennsyl- vania. ''What the Forests of Pennsylvania Will Do" — Joseph S. Illick, Chief, Bureau of Information, Department of Forests & Waters. ''Forests and the Anthracite Industry" — ^A. C. Silvius, Forester, Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co. "The Influence of Forests on Stream Flow, Floods and Droughts "—Chas. E. Ryder, Chief Engineer Water and Power Resources Board. On Friday June 26th, the party proceeded by motor through the same recently burned areas seen on the previous day to Beaver Meadows, and then up the hill to the top of Spring Mountain. Elevation 1526 feet. From here a beautiful view was secured of the Quakake Valley and the Broad Mountain. On the ridge of Broad Moun- tain could be seen the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co's. fire tower, and to the southeast is the Broad Mountain Tower operated by the Department of Forests & Waters. This entire mountain has been visited by repeated forest fires, originating mostly along the Lehigh Valley Railroad at the northern base of the mountain. Passing through Hudsondale in the valley there were seen the pumping station of the Wyoming Valley Water Supply Co., from which part of the water supply of Hazleton comes, and the pumping station of the Tide Water Pipe Co., Ltd., on the oil pipe line from Illinois to tide-water at Bayonne, N. J. The ascent of Broad Mountain begins at this point. It is 6 miles across the mountain. One mile west of this point is the Broad Mountain Tower. It is a 64 feet steel tower, ladder type, open top, erected in 1918 by the Anthracite Forest Protective Association in co-operation with the Department of Forestry. It stands at an elevation of 1832 feet and was the first steel tower erected in the district. Going down the southern slope of the Broad Mountain all the lands outside of the coal measures are maintained as a water shed for the supply of the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company's operations. It forms the domestic supply of Nesquehoning, Coaldale & Lansford. 20 miles of fire lanes are maintained, and 350,000 trees of various species have been set out in plantations. Safety strips burned by the Central Railroad of New Jersey this spring were noted. Passing through Nesquehoning, and by the 52 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES S3 « Lehigh Coal & Navigation Go's. Shaft No. 2, roadside thinnings could be seen on both sides of the highway. It was underplanted in 1924 with 130,000 larch, white pine and Norway spruce for educational purposes. The Summit Forest Tower was then seen. It was erected in 1919 by the L. C. & N. Co., and maintained by them. It over- looks all the Panther Valley lands from Mt. Pisgah to Tamaqua. A stop was made at the Forest tree plantation where 2,000 whitQ pine seedlings were planted by the Lansford High School on Arbor Day, 1923. 1970 are still grow- ing. Of the 30 lost, 20 were stolen. A trans- mission line which had been cleared and utilized as a safety strip was seen. A clause in the lease of the power company requires that all such lines • be cut and cleaned annually. The New Lansford Colliery Breaker, the largest in the world was seen. It is 201 feet 6 inches high, built of steel and concrete, and will be electrically lighted and operated. A stop was made at the No. 5 Timber Wharf of the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co. The annual amount of timber received here is. Chute timber 350 cars. Gangway timber 148 cars, oak lumber 226 cars, mine ties, 5,340, oak poles 932,000 lineal feet, laggings, 262,000 pieces. A rest was taken at the Old Company Club. The Coaldale Breaker was then inspected. This was erected in 1922 at a cost of more than $1,250,- 000. It has a maximum capacity of 5,000 tons of coal per day. It is of concrete and steel con- struction, 2,500 tons of steel being used. It is electrically driven throughout. 1400 men are em- ployed, including both inside and outside men. The annual product is 800,000 tons of coal. Returning toward Lansford the No. 9 saw mill was seen. It is used for the reclamation of dis- carded mine timbers. There are three such mills in the valley. The annual amount reclaimed at this mill is 7,000 B. F. oak boards; 20,000 B. F. yellow pine boards; 3,000 B. F. of yellow pine strips; 1,000 mine ties; and 500 loads of car patching. The route then led past the local office of the L. C. & N. Co. to the summit of Nesquehoning Mountain, elevation 1520 feet. In the valley to the south could be seen Lansford, Coaldale and Tamaqua. On the crest of the mountain to the south is Summit Hill. The mines of the L. C. & N. Co. on either side of the Panther Creek Valley in Carbon and northeastern Schuyl- kill Counties extend from Tamaqua on the west to Mauch Chunk on the east a distance of 12 miles. The company's holdings comprise 8,600 acres, and upon them are located 6 modern col- lieries with a productive capacity of approxi- mately 5,000,000 tons annually. The Company employs 8,000 men and has an annual pay roll of $15,000,000. Total production of these mines to date has been over 125,000,000 tons of coal. The Hauto power plant in the valley to the north was built and once operated by the L. C. & N. Co. Its capacity has been increased to 110,000 K. W. Its boiler plant contains 14 units with a total horse power of 15,000, equipped to burn No. 3 Buckwheat or barley coal. Further down the valley could be seen the Hauto Storage yard of the L. C. & N. Co. built in 1907, having a capacity of 280,000 tons. The party then proceeded through Nesquehon- ing to and through Mauch Chunk to Flag Staff Park, having an elevation of 1300 feet, where luncheon was served. The Resolutions prepared by the Resolutions Committee were presented and unanimously adopted. These will be found on another page. From this point a magnificent panorama can be had of the ** Switzerland of America.*' On the east side of the Lehigh River is East Mauch Chunk and Bear Mountain. Oto the west side Mauch Chunk, Upper Mauch Chunk and Mt. Pisgah. On Mt. Pisgah is seen the top of the first plane on the Switchback Railroad built by the L. C. & N. Co. The down track ex- tends from Summit Hill to Mauch Chunk, and was first graded as a wagon road to haul coal to Mauch Chunk. The railroad was begun on January 18, 1827 and completed in May of the same year. The return track and planes were completed in 1844. This is said to be the oldest continuously running railroad in America. It was abandoned as a coal carrying road upon the completion of the Lansford-Hauto tunnel and sold to the C. R. R. of N. J. in 1873. It now affords a most interesting scenic ride. The trip then continued back to Mauch Chunk to Nesquehoning Junction and Beaver Meadows past the Drecks Creek watershed of the Wyoming Valley Water Co., Stockton and Lattimer Mines to the Hazleton-Wilkes-Barre road. The large Lattimer strippings, now exhausted, were seen, and the party continued to the home of Mr. Alvan Markle, from which can be secured a panorama of the Conyngham Valley, the beauty spot of Luzerne County. On the return to Hazleton can be seen the roadside thinnings of the Hercules Powder Company. This completed one of the best Summer Meetings of the Association. REMARKS OF JOHN H. BIGELOW, ESQ. Mr. Bigelow stressed the importance of the work upon which the Association is engaged, and the success which was bound to crown its efforts. He spoke of the ease with which the people of today are interested in any political progi'am or in anything dealing in dollars and cents, while really worth while issues, such as forestry, are largely neglected. He also spoke of the forest bond issue and the great good that would accrue to the State were it passed in the forthcoming election. FOREST FIRES The Irish Government has acquired 29,524 acres of land for afforestation and is negotiating for additional purchases. By CJeorge H. Wirt Chief Forest Fire Warden of Pennsylvania THAT the people of the United States use large quantities of wood, the principal raw product of the forest crop, is evidenced by the latest reports of timber producers and timber users. Between thirty-five and forty billion feet of sawed material is cut and used annually. In addition there are billions of cubic feet of wood used without being sawed. That we could get along with less wood is no doubt true, but when we do it will mean a considerable change in our manner of living and considerable incon- venience. Pennsylvania has approximately one-tenth of the population of the United States, and uses probably a little more wood in proportion than most of the other states because of our manu- facturing and transportation industries. This in- dicates that Pennsylvania is now using between three and one-half and four billion board feet of sawed lumber. The best records we have show that probably not more than 500 million board feet of timber is being sawed annually from the forests within Pennsylvania. Several years ago an investiga- tion of the needs of wood users showed that less than twenty percent of the sawed material used annually within the State came from forests within the State. Evidently that percentage is now reduced. It is probable that not more than 10 percent of the actual lumber needs of Penn- sylvania citizens comes from Pennsylvania forests. Such being the facts at home, from where does our lumber comet We know that New England, the states around us, the Lake States and many of the Northern States are importing lumber just as Pennsylvania is doing. The far south and the extreme northwestern states still have forests and from there comes our lumber supply. This means that Pennsylvania citizens pay to people of other states millions of dollars annually for a product of the soil, for labor, for interest on their capital, for transportation and for other services. On lumber from the south the freight into Penn- sylvania is usually about the same amount as the lumber costs in the South. On lumber from the West freight usually costs more than the cost of the lumber itself and the individual has to pay here the pyramiding profits to wholesaler, re- tailer and others on these charges. From the standpoint of good business this condition of affairs is not a good recommendation for the business men and women of our Commonwealth. If it were true that all of the land area within Pennsylvania was better adapted to farming and manufacturing than to the growing of a forest crop and consequently yielded higher returns from the former industries than from the latter, there might be some justification for a continu- ance of the existing arrangement of timber pur- chase and transportation. But such is not the condition. There are several hundreds of thousands of acres of culti- vated land in the State fewer now, than there were ten years ago. Farm land is being aban- doned. Little new land is being prepared for farming. There are at least 15,000,000 acres of Pennsylvania soil not being used for any higher purpose than that of growing timber and probably will find no better use for the next generation. The productive forces of these 15,000,000 acres, (13,000,000 acres of forest land and 2,000,000 acres of waste larm land) constitute not ** Penn- sylvania's Desert '^ as part of the area has been called, but Pennsylvania's ''Eldorado" or ''Kim- berly.'* They can be crystallized into a form of carbon which will mean much gold and many diamonds to Pennsylvania citizens. These forces can be controlled by man and transmuted into a crop of wood as readily as other soil forces can be transmuted into wheat or potatoes. Summarizing, we need wood and are using large quantities. Most of it is being grown and manu- factured in far distant States and transported long distances for us. We have within our own State the possibilities for the production of wood just as good if not better than what we are now getting. Why is it not the height of wisdom to grow our ownt There are other factors in the correct and com- plete answer to this question, but the outstanding fact in thftt the forest crop in Pennsylvania is 54 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 55 not reasonably safe from fire. It is true that conditions in this regard have improved and are improving but nevertheless the risk to which every acre of forest land is exposed for about 300 days a year and for a period of from thirty to eighty years is still too great to offer much in- ducement to the average private forest land owner. When one stops to think of 13 million acres of forest land in a State with a population of about 10 million people pretty well scattered over it, with half a million fishermen in the woods in spring, and a million hunters in the woods in fall, and many millions of others throughout the year, with 12000 miles of fire-using railroads and the many other hazards, the wonder is not that we have 3600 forest fires in a year, but that we do not have many times that number. There must be some degree of respect paid to the forest. Not many years back it was reported that at least 1 million acres of forest land burned over in one year in Pennsylvania. I have every reason to believe that the report was not exaggerated. In 1913, when we began to keep more accurate records of forest fires there v^as reported to us aa area of 386,000 acres burned over. This was equivalent to a strip across the State from New York to Maryland 4 miles wide. The Department set out to prevent, if possible, this annual swath of devastation. Some improvements followed our efforts. In 1919 the loss was reduced to 126,000 acres, but then a scries of unfavorable seasons hit the State and in 1923 the acreage again went up to 375,000. The State properly, I believe has assumed the obligation of detecting and extinguishing forest fire, to protect forest owners as far as possible from a damaging force for which they are not themselves responsible. There will be completed this summer a system of forest fire towers for forest fire detection which is not excelled any- where. Every tower is connected by telephone with extinction forces. There is a forest fire organization covering the entire State affording protection to practically every acre of forest land. Including the foresters, fire wardens and crews there are probably 20,000 men ready to respond to an alarm of fire in the forest. Many more thousands are available on short notice. The average fire now is close to fifty acres as against 500 or more in 1913. ■'"For almost forty years the Pennsylvania Fores-try Association has been busy educating the people of the State to appreciate the forest. The Department for 25 years has been educating the people as to the need and use of wood and the necessity for the prevention and control of forest fires. Recently fire education has been intensified until it would seem that no man, woman or child in Pennsylvania can be ignorant on the subject. Notwithstanding these things this spring we had over 2000 fires that came from just 2000 careless acts. Now it seems to most of us that general edu- cation can go so far and no farther. Most people can be educated and will act in accordance with their training. But there are some who will not do willingly anything that they know ought to be done. They do not have a sense of community rights and obligations. From the standpoint of forest protection, the question now facing us is what is to be done with these people who, in spite of all that has been done and is being done, persist in doing the thing that is causing a tremendous community loss? In the October 1905 issue of Forest Leaves, some person reviewing the Department of For- estry report for 1903-04 states, * * At present there is a growing realization of the fact that it is a crime to start a forest fire.*' Let me state that whoever wrote that was an optimist. After twenty years for this realization to be intensified, let me state that as a law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth, I wonder sometimes if any one believes it to be a crime to start a forest fire, in these days of maudlin sympathy and with everything possible built up to protect the criminal against society, instead of to protect society against those who have no respect for the rights of their fellows individually or col- lectively. Friends of Forestry, in the most forceful manner possible, I appeal to you, that you realize fully that fire in the forest is not a natural con- dition. It gets there only by the help of man (a very few lightning fires excepted) and if it gets beyond control, it does so by reason of someone's carelessness, not as the result of an **Act of God." A fire in the forest is not excusable but it is something which indicates and definitely sets forth prima facie evidence of carelessness. A forest fire is an attack on community welfare. The person responsible, whether rich or poor, noble or ignoble, educated or uneducated, native or foreign, has struck at the welfare of the Com- monwealth and so brands himself as a criminal in the full sense of the term. This realization must be borne out in practice and expressed definitely so that the paltry 2000 careless criminals be adequately punished. WHAT THE FORESTS OF PENNSYLVANIA CAN DO By Joseph S. lUick WHAT the forests of Pennsylvania can do is a problematical question. An answer to this important question is conditioned upon many factors. That it may be answered in a practical way and with a measure of accuracy, it is necessary to state what a forest actually is. Different people look at the forest in different ways. As a result there are many different defini- tions. Some years ago when I began my pro- fessional career in forestry, I had a rather technical concept of the forest. Since then I have given up this technical definition and now regard the forest from a naturalistic point of view. To me the forest is as a complex com- munity of living things. It is made up of trees, shrubs, ferns, wild flowers, the feathered folks, and many other kinds of wild animals, all of them an integral and vital component of the forest. With this broad angle and naturalistic defini- tion of the forest, I feel that we can proceed to think more definitely of what the forests of Penn- sylvania can do. In analyzing the forest ^s ability to do, we must remember that the forest is essentially made up of living things, and in order to measure its ability to do we must give con- sideration to the forest condition, for without measuring the condition of the forest it would be out of the question to make a worth-while analysis of its capacity to do. For two decades I have been travelling over the State observing forest conditions. From these study tours which have taken me in all l>arts of the State, I have gathered a number of impressions. First of all, I have been impressed with the fact that the forests of Pennsylvania are extensive. They comprise approximately 13,000,000 acres. This means that 45 per cent of the land area of the State is forest land. If one travels only in the agricultural parts of the State, it is difficult to appreciate the extent of our forest land. But a journey into the moun- tains will reveal vast stretches of unbroken forest land. Just a few weeks ago I visited what I delight in calling **The Great Forest Region of Pennsylvania.*' From the small town of Drift- wood in Cameron county I travelled in a south- westerly direction for 15 miles through an un- broken stretch of forest land without passing a single human habitation^ At the end of this wonderful trip, which took me through many changes of forest scenes, I reached a State Forest Camp. While there I inquired of the local Forest Ranger about the distance to the nearest human habitation. This inquiry was not prompted by any feeling of fear of an extensive forest en- vironment, for when in the forest I am most contented and happy. I asked the question to find out how extensive a forest region remains in Pennsylvania. The Forest Ranger replied: ** There is no house to the North for 15 miles, nor to the East for 12 miles, nor to the South for 14 miles, and to the West there is no house for 14 miles.*' When we realize that there are areas of 150 square miles in Pennsylvania with- out a single human habitation, we cannot help but be convinced that our forests are extensive. We have ample forest land within the State to satisfy all industrial demands and home needs, but to do this the forests must be put in order and kept in order. That we have extensive areas of forest land may tend to give us a satisfied feeling, but when we look into the condition of this forest land there creeps upon us an uncomfortable sensation. This condition gave birth to my second impression of the forests of Pennsylvania, viz., most of the forests of Pennsylvania are young and immature. Many of them are classified as brush land, while extensive areas are stocked with trees that have reached pole or sapling size. But most of the trees are still in a non-usable or non-serviceable stage of their development. It is with trees as with many other living things. They do not become serviceable until they approach or reach maturity. It is both normal and necessary Ihat these trees be given care and protection so that they may pass from this young and non-service- able stage to larger and more serviceable dimen- sions. We must raise the average age of our forests to bring them to normalcy. The third impression that has fastened itself upon me about the forests of Pennsylvania is: They are poorly stocked. Here and there may be found a few small areas of thrifty forest growth and in other places are stretches of rather satisfactory forest stands, but in most cases one sees vast areas sparsely stocked with an inferior forest growth and with them are blank areas of considerable size. Unsatisfactory forest con- ditions prevail in many parts of the anthracite region, where are almost endless stretches of devastated land which carry few valuable forest trees. It is significant that the average acre of forest \m^ in Fennsylvanif^ carries at the present /-->> il 56 FOREST LEAVES |i time only 6% cords of wood, while to be normal it should carry not less than 25 cords. This un- satisfactory condition demands our attention. We must give consideration to it in answering the question ''What can the forests of Pennsyl- vania do?" Another feature of the forests of Pennsylvania that has impressed itself upon me is their un- sanitary condition. There is so much refuse in our forests. They are postively unclean. Every- where one sees within the forest enormous amounts of undesirable material. Our forests stand in strong contrast with the clean forests of Europe. Decayed logs, fire-scarred stumps, and a long list of other kinds of debris dot our forest floors. In an effort to determine what the forests of Pennsylvania can do the fact must be weighed that they are now unclean, and by cleaning them up, their productive capacity will be increased. Another impression of our forests is their un- attractiveness. Being poorly stocked and un- clean, it must necessarily follow that they lack charm. There are beauty spots within our forests, but they are relatively few in number, and those that do exist do not possess that degree of beauty that is possible of development. Making our forests attractive is doing more than satisfying sentiment. It is making available to the people one of the most valuable assets that our forests possess. For the forests are annually becoming great playgrounds and the beauty of the forest cannot help but make an indelible impression upon those who annually go to the woods for play and for rest. But most significant of all of my impressions is the fact that our forests are out of service. They lack order. They are in need of direction. It is imperative that they be put into order and kept in order. Forests, like other living organ- isms, will do service to man, but they must be directed. Many of the living creatures that serve man so well would be of little value to him if they were not trained for service. It is so with the forests, and unless our forests are trained and given conscious care, we cannot hope to have them do much for us. But if we will give atten- tion to them and develop the forest in such a way that they will be stocked normally with trees of a right age and see to it that the forests are clean and attractive and give them direction and training, then it may be expected that they will do for us five vital things: 1. If built up carefully and handled properly, the forests of Pennsylvania can produce practi- cally all the wood our people and our industries I need. The 13,000,000 acres of forest land in Pennsylvania are now producing only about 20 per cent of the lumber we use, and only about 26 per eent of the pulpwood consumed by the pulp mills. It is a significant and vital fact that the forests of Pennsylvania are now produc- ing only about one-tenth of the wood they can be made to turn out, but if given proper pro- tection and treatment forest growth can be iYi- creased 3-fold in the next 15 years, and within 50 years the average annual production can be increased from one-tenth of a cord to a full cord per acre per year. If the forests of Penn- sylvania are properly directed in their work, they will within 50 years yield at least 2,400,000,000 board feet of lumber and 4,500,000 cords of wood annually. This annual output will be greater than the total lumber cut of the banner year 1900, when 2,321,280,000 board feet of lumber were taken from Penn's Woods. The second thing that the forests of Pennsyl- vania can do pertains to its waters. They can help regulate stream flow and provide adequate water for industrial and home needs. This im- portant power lies latent in the forest and is of great significance to the industrial and social development of our State. The third thing the forests can do is of great interest to all outdoor people. They can furnish fine fishing streams and great hunting grounds. Each year we are beginning to appreciate more and more the value of outdoor life, and are now beginning to appreciate the obvious fact that without forests we cannot have fishing or hunt- ing. Poor forests mean poor hunting and poor fishing. With good forests goes an assurance that there will be a chance to catch a few. fish and spend delightful days on happy hunting grounds. And the fourth thing that the forests of Penn- sylvania can do also pertains to the out-of-doors. This is an age of lengthening leisure, and it is significant that we must now turn our thoughts to a right use of leisure fully as earnestly as to a right use of toil. The forests offer charmins: rest places and recuperative health resorts. If the forests are given the care they deserve we will be assured of spacious play places and splendid health resorts, which will mean much in maintaining the virility of our people. The good that the forests can do will be felt for generations to come. The fifth thing that the forests of Pennsylvania can do may not be so obvious as the four that have been discussed, but it is fully as vital in the life of our people. The forests of Pennsylvania V Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 4. Forest Fire Lane, Philadeli'Iiia ani» Reading Coal and Iron Company. Ili lit in Lanskord Colliery Timber Wharf of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 4. 1, Jack Pine Planted in 1921. 3. Red Oak From Acorns, Planted in 1910. 2. Red Pine, Planted in 1920. 4. Corner of Forest Nursery. Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. Coaldale Breaker. Lehigh Coal and Navigation Compant. FOREST LEAVES 57 t i lit > can do much to adorn our landscape and promote the general welfare. The promotion of general welfare occupied a significant place in the thoughts of the fathers of this republic and was given a prominent place in the basic law of our land. It is significant that we should at this time continue to direct attention to the creation and development of conditions that will promote general welfare. Attractive sylvan retreats and tree dotted landscapes will do much to stabilize our government by giving to its citizens an en- vironment that manifests itself in beautiful thoughts, which are the directors of beautiful deeds. We will do well to clothe our hillsides with green garments and grace our valleys with beautiful tree groups. This tree adornment of our landscapes will build well in strength, in thought, and in service, and help in fashioning the sterling qualities of manhood and woman- hood required to perpetuate the ideals of the founders of this great Commonwealth. THE GOAL IN PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY !) By Major R. Y. Stuart, Secretary of the Depart- ment of Forests and Waters HE referred to the progress that has been made in forestry in the State, particularly in forest protection and forest planting. *^ Under the Staters present intensive forest pro- tection system, the size of the average fire was kept down to 47 acres in 1924, a new record for the Department, and the area burned was 26 per cent, less than for any previous year. In ac- complishing this result, too much credit cannot be given the local Forest Fire Wardens, the Forest Protective Associations and those public spirited groups, such as the Pennsylvania For- estry Association and the Pennsylvania Conserva- tion Council, that are cooperating in creating a favorable sentiment to forest protection. There has been a marked increase recently in forest planting, over 8,000,000 tree seedlings having been distributed this spring by the Department to private land owners. Of the total number of seedlings distributed from the Department nurs- eries since 1910 over 60 per cent, have been plant- ed in the last four years. ' ' The proposed $25,000,- 000 bond issue for the purchase of additional State Forests has passed two successive sessions of the legislature and is to be submitted to the people at the next permissive time for action on Constitutional Amendments. The Bond Issue is of the utmost importance to the people of the State. Its passage will mean greater security against timber shortage, more adequate safeguards to our water supplies and increased recreational facilities to the public. In addition to meeting these great public needs, the forest lands to be acquired will constitute an appreciating financial investment to the State. *^The goal in Pennsylvania Forestry will be progressively higher as time passes but we should have something definite to strive for at all times. Our main efforts in Pennsiylvania have been directed to the prime necessity of giving the forests a chance. The first requirements have been more adequate forest protection and making idle forest lands productive. Emphasis has thus been placed on adequate funds and an efficient organization to protect the forests from fire, and a State Forest land purchase program to assure having the waste forest lands in the State made productive. The Forest Bond Issue is the means by which the latter can be accomplished. **The goal toward which we are working is to make every acre of forest land productive. It will require more than forest protection to ac- complish this. There must be applied to forest land, as to agricultural land, cultural methods to produce the quantity and quality of wood we need. There is ample land in the State for this purpose but it must be put to work under care- ful development and supervision. It should be constantly borne in mind that properly protected and managed forests mean not only providing reservoirs of wood but conditions essential to pure water supplies and to healthful outdoor recreation. Not until our forests are yielding these benefits in full measure will we have reach- ed the goal in Pennsylvania Forestry.^* Wrens, song sparrows and yellow warblers were seen by District Forester Mulford to carry away large numbers of the larvae of the larch sawfly to their nests. This is one instance of the value of birds in protecting the forests from destructive insects. The preservation of Franconia Notch, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, has been provided for through the appropriation of $200,000. The sale of the area for lumber pur- poses had been contemplated, but conservation- ists, led by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, were aroused and rallied to support its preservation. It is expected that the state fund will be supplemented by popular sub- scriptions. 58 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 59 . : i't RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE PENN- SYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION AT ITS HAZLETON MEETING RESOLVED, That the hearty appreciation and thanks of the members of the Pennsyl- vania Forestry Association are tendered to the many friends in Hazleton and its vicinity who have so kindly and hospitably aided to make the meeting of the Association a success. To Mr. J. M. Sloan, Chairman, and the mem- bers of the Local Committee on arrangements who so admirably laid out and conducted the in- spection trips on the 25th and 26th, and to the friends who so kindly offered and supplied the automobiles for the trips. To the Anthracite Forest Protective Association for its interest and care. To the authorities of the Vine Street High School who placed the School Auditorium at the service of the Association. To the Hotel Altamont for its efficient care and excellent service. To the Standard Sentinel and the Plain Speaker for the valuable aid given in their columns, by their notices in advance of the Association Meet- ing, and for their full and excellent reports of the proceedings. To the Chamber of Commerce of Hazleton, the Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, Lions Club and Ad- vertising Club for their support and sympathetic co-operation. To the Philadelphia and Reading Coal & Iron Company, the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Com- pany, and the Girard Estate for the privilege of inspecting the forestry work of those companies, and to their forestry representatives, Messers A. C. Silvius, A. C. Neumuller and Thomas Kelshaw for their attention and kindly services. To the Schuylkill Country Club, the Flag Staff Park Restaurant, The Community Houses of the Buck Run Coal Company and the Old Company Club for their hospitable reception of the Associa- tion. To Alvan Markle for the privilege and pleasure of visiting his country place. To the delegation of Boy Scouts and their Scout Executive, Mr. J. H. Keller, for their effi- cient and useful service. The largest known Douglas fir tree is at Grant's Pass, Oregon. It measures 14 feet in diameter, and has been dedicated to the public. LETTER OF THANKS June 26, 1925. Mr. H. A. Christian, President and the Offiicers and Directors of the Anthracite Forest Protective Association, Gentlemen : On behalf of the Pennsylvania Forestry As- sociation, permit me to tender the very grateful expression of appreciation and thanks of the members of the Association who attended the meetings of the Association at Hazelton on June 24th, 25th and 26th, for the wonderfully efficient work done by Mr. J. M. Sloan, Chairman, and the members of your local committee in arranging for the meetings of the Association, and par- ticularly for the exhaustive program so fully laid out and well carried through for the inspection trips on June 25th and 26th. Respectively submitted, Henry S. Drinker, President, Penna. Forestry Association. BIG WILD CHERRY TREE IN JUNIATA COUNTY WHAT is probably the largest wild cherry tree in central Pennsylvania, is on the property of Forest Fire Warden John Bilger of Blacklog in Lack township, Juniata county. Mr. Bilger is of the opinion that the wild cherry is about 150 years old. He purchased the old homestead in 1896 and remembers the tree since his boyhood days. The tree is now 10 feet 4 inches in circumference at breast-high, and 12 feet in circumference at one foot above the ground. It is free from branches for 19 feet above the ground and has a crown spread of about 60 feet. Numerous efforts have been made by local lumbermen to buy this choice tree, which would yield a large quantity of the choicest kind of cherry wood, but the owner in all cases refused to part with this remarkable tree. No doubt a great many people have travelled under the shade of this unusual tree without knowing that they were shaded by such an un- usual product of nature. The tree stands along the public road in Blaeklog Valley about 150 yards south of Blacklog postoffice and is a well- known land mark in that section of the State. On June 9, 1925, forestry was officially pre- scribed as a required study in the schools of Ala- bama. The resolution stipulated that the ele- ments of conservation, with special reference to forestry, be included in the regular course of study for the elementary schools. THE LARGEST SWAMP WHITE OAK IN PENNSYLVANIA DISTRICT Forester Walter Leach of Mount Union has found what he believes to be the largest Swamp White Oak in Penn- sylvania. It stands in an open field near Water- fall, in Clay township, Huntingdon county, not far from the Fulton county line. When he visited the tree on July 31, at one foot above the ground the tree measured 19 feet 10 inches in circumference; at two feet above the ground it is 17 feet 4 inches in girth; and at 4% feet above the ground it measures 16 feet 5 inches in circumference. According to the records kept at the office of the Department of Forests and Waters at Harrisburg this tree has the larg- est circumference of any Swamp White Oak known in Pennsylvania. The tree is entirely free from branches for 40 feet from the ground, where it is at least 3 feet in diameter. At this point two large limbs leave the main trunk, the one extending northward and the other westward. Each of the branches is at least 2 feet in diam- eter. The height of this mighty monarch is estimated at 75 feet and it has a branch spread of 78 feet. This giant Swamp White Oak stands upon the property of Judson Madden of Three Springs. It is within 100 yards of State Highway Route 192 which extends from Saltillo to Waterfall and McConnellsburg. The history of the tree shows that it is only by accident that it is still standing. In 1899 Henry Roles of Three Springs purchased the oak with the intention of making it into shingles, and again during the last winter Miles Cornelius of Saltillo bargained for this tree. Many local citizens hope that the tree may be preserved for it is a land mark for this section of the State. Sufficient local pride may be aroused to raise funds to purchase the tree and to open a roadway to this matchless monarch, that was a sapling when the Pilgrim Fathers landed on the bleak coast of New England. It has been suggested that a foot log be constructed over Sidling Hill Creek which runs between the State Highway and the tree, to enable tourists to get a close-up view of the big tree, which is still in a vigorous condition and shows little signs of decline. Ar- rangements have been made to have the tree photographed and as soon as prints are available they may be obtained at cost from the District Forester's office at Mount Union. ADDRESS BY HENRY S. DRINKER, LL.D. President Pennsylvania Forestry Association, and President-Emeritus of Lehigh University, at the Graduating Exercises of the State Forest School, Mont Alto, Pa., June 17, 1925. MAJOR STUART in conveying to me the invitation of Director Ziegler to address you today suggested to me the thought that these gentlemen who stand at the head of the Executive and Educational Branches of Forestry in our State deem it advisable that you should be given a summary of the origin and the rise of the Forestry Cult in Pennsylvania. It is perhaps well that those of us of the older genera- tion, should, from time to time, pass on to you the record of the past — of the beginnings of the great work in which you are taking up the burden and the privilege of promotion of the forestry interests of our state and country. Today forestry is generally recognized as a leading feature in the economic and industrial development of our country. You men who have been prepared here to take active and efficient part in this development, have the great privilege and right of feeling that in pursuing the pro- fession of forestry, you are enrolling in a pro- fession which not only responds to your personal preferences of life work, but also in a profession which is highly distinguished in being one typic- ally and most potently ministering to the good and betterment and substantial and great service of our State and Country. Most of us who take up professional lives, for instance, in engineering and in the law, do so with an intent and desire to render service as good citizens and to do our duty to our families and to ourselves, and we may, as Americans, be proud to feel that many so serving are imbued with a desire to render as an element of their life- work, loyal and patriotic service; but in your profession of forestry you have, ideally, a pro- fession that while it gives a livelihood in con- genial work to its followers, is also inherently a life-work that is, in its nature, primarily a patriotic service, devoted to giving to our citizens the continued and renewed enjoyment and use of the forests that our predecessors have so reck- lessly used up, without making provision for a renewal of the blessings they have, wholly sel- fishly, appropriated to their own purposes with- out heed for the future of their fellow-citizens and of our country. It is a great privilege to serve our country, the land of which we have 60 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 61 such reason to be proud, today the acknowledged leading nation of the world, a nation whose proudest distinction is that our national policy has been and is, to do justice to other nations, and to use our armed strength only in the cause of right. We markedly showed this in our war with Spain on behalf of Cuba, when we inter- fered for an oppressed people and freed them, and gave liberty, independence, peace, and quiet to their land, much to the surprise of the nations of Europe who could not understand a national effort, carried through by force of arms, to carry out a purely altruistic and charitable purpose. Surely our record in the recent great war fol- lowed this when we warred that Democracy might live, and the reign of militaristic greed of power be checked. In that war, our foresters played a valued and notable part. How patriotically and readily they came yforward, and with their knowedge and ability as foresters how well and efficiently they aided in devoting their practiced hands to the utilization in war, of the forests which France had so well fostered in times of peace. We cannot, in gatherings such as this, too often or too seriously consider and lay to heart the words of Washington in his speech to both houses of Congress on January 8th, 1790, when he said: *'To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace. A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplin- ed; to which end a uniform and well-digested plan is requisite. '' A sentiment apparently echoed from the words of Vegetius in his De Re Militaris Lib. 3, Prolog. 375 A. D. : **Qui desiderat pacem praeparet helium, — **Who would desire peace should be prepared for war." Col. Roosevelt well supplemented this when he said in 1913 — ** There can be no nobler cause for which to work than the peace of righteousness. The surest of all ways to invite disaster is to be opulent, aggressive and unarmed." Surely a variant, and a sound one, on the folly of the pacifist doctrines. Today we have at the head of our government one who is universally rated as a sound and a safe man to lead our country. In his address at the Naval Academy this June, he said, speaking of the American Navy: **We must make it an instrument of righteous- ness. If we are to promote peace on earth, we must have a great deal more than the power of the sword. We must call into action the spiritual and moral force of mankind." Yet on the question of preparedness. President Coolidge was emphatic. In opening his address, he said to the class of 1925: *'You will be a constant testimony throughout your lives that America believes in military prep- aration for national defence, for the protection of the rights, the security, and peace of our citizens. ' ' And on the duty of all citizens to be prepared to defend our land, he said: *'It is my firm conviction that the duty of national defence, like the general duty of citizen- ship, should be broadly extended and borne by all our people .... It is exactly because we wish to keep our standing forces small that the average citizen must give some attention to mili- tary affairs, precisely as he gives some attention to other government affairs, in order that he may express a deliberate and informed judgment at the ballot box." It is to the prescience and farseeing good judgment of Major General Leonard Wood, when acting as Chief of Staff, that our country owes the institution of the Summer Military Training Camps, now a fixed National Institution, that have done so much for the development in our young men of an intelligent appreciation of the need of national training and of some experience in military affairs for the good of our country. I am proud to have been privileged to take an active part in the past in the institution of these camps, and I have served as President and am now Honorary President of the Military Train- ing Camps Association, which is supporting the Government's work in the Citizens Military Training Camps, which are now organizing for this year's summer training. It is highly appropriate that at a forestry gathering such as this, we should keep before us the importance of the doctrine of national pre- paredness, for of all shades of our people the foresters of America may well claim the distinc- tion of coming forward in leadership and example with most efficient, patriotic aid and support to the nation when their trained service was so greatly needed, a service made possible only by the fact that their past work in peace had been in the nature of valuable preparedness for essen- tial and expert service when the^ strain of war came on us. As Pennsylvanians we are proud to feel that Major Stuart and Major Ziegler were among the leaders of these forestry forces. In desiring me to address you today, they have wished me, as I said before, to give you some account of the rise of forestry in our State. I think we may safely say that it centered in the effort of those ardent forest lovers who, with our revered and lamented Dr. Rothrock, as- sembled in Philadelphia in 1886, and founded the Pennsylvania Forestry Association. Among those actively particijmting in this movement were Dr. Henry M. Fisher and his sister, Mrs. Brinton Coxe, John Birkinbine, for many years Presi- dent of the Association, and Charles E. Pan- coast, Treasurer; Dr. and Mrs. J. P. Lundy, Dr. James M. Anders, J. Rodman Paul, Herbert Welsh, John Cadwalader, Henry C. Baird, Albert A. Outerbridge, William Brook Rawle, Burnet Landreth, R. Francis Wood, Charles C. Binney, George H. Fisher, George de B. Keim, Albert B. Weimer, P. L. Weimer, Jeremiah Hess, and Col. George B. Wiestling, the President of the Mont Alto Iron Company. This forest school had its first home in Col. Wiestling ^s residence, Wiestling Hall. My own active connection with forestry dates in the present century, during my con- nection with Lehigh University as its President, when I was brought into touch with forestry by one who has done, and is doing, so much to forward our forestry interests, Mrs. Eckley B. Coxe; no one in our State has done more and few as much, to promote forestry than Mrs. Eckley B. Coxe of Drifton. I have not the personal knowledge to enable me to cite and to do justice to the many men and women, such as Miss Mira L. Dock, and the Hon. S. B. Elliott, who believed in and followed Dr. Rothrock 's prescient inspiration, which, with his wise judgment and active effort aroused his fel- low citizens to the need of bestirring themselves in the study of the ways and means that should be developed to reforest our State. His memorial tablet rests in our State Capitol at Harrisburg, and at its dedication Governor Pinchot, univers- ally recognized as the leader today in forestry and conservation, said of him: **Dr. Rothrock was the father of forestry in Pennsylvania, but he was more. What he did for forestry in this State has never been equalled in the history of our country by any other man in any other State." Under Dr. Rothrock *s constant effort, the State of Pennsylvania was moved in the decade of the nineties to take official steps in forestry State organization. In 1893, Pennsylvania pass- ed a law looking to the water supply and timber interests of the State, and Dr. Rothrock was ap- pointed Botanist, and rendered in 1895 so con- vincing a report in regard to forest conditions in Pennsylvania, that the Legislature established a Division of Forestry in the Department of Agri- culture, and Dr. Rothrock was appointed Com- missioner of Forestry. In 1901, the State created a Department of Forestry, of which Dr. Rothrock became the head, serving in that capacity until 1904, when he resigned as Commissioner but re- mained an active member of the State Forest Commission until his death on June 2nd, 1922, at the age of 83. Dr. Rothrock was the Founder, as you of course know, of this State Forest School, and he established the State Sanatorium at Mont Alto, the first free sanatorium for the open-air treat- ment of tuberculosis, which has done so much good. When the State bought out the lands and property of the Mont Alto Iron Company for the purpose of establishing a State Forest Reserve, the first start for the Sanatorium was made by erecting some cabins with materials taken from buildings of the old iron company, this work being done with money raised for the purpose by members of the Pennsylvania Forestry Associ- ation. Forestry has a power of inspiration that has constantly supported and pressed on its advocates to exertion, and that has borne fruit in the growth of forestry support throughout our coun- try. At first looked on largely as a fad of the nature lover, it is today recognized as a matter of great and vital importance to our country. Pennsylvania is looked upon as in the lead of State effort for forestry. In 1921 our Legislature gave the largest appropriation for fire protection, $1,000,000, ever made, and in the pending pro- posed State Forest Loan for $25,000,000 for the enlargement of the State Forest Reserves by the acquisition by the State of our barren lands not adapted to agriculture we are advocating a step far in advance of any so far taken by any State or by the Government, and that will be of in- calculable benefit to Pennsylvania if duly carried out. It is a notable fact in the growth of forest knowledge and sentiment, that in 1921 so im- portant a body as the National Chamber of Com- merce, appK)inted a nation-wide committee of twelve men to study and report on a National Forestry Policy. I had the honor of being a member of this committee. The committee met at points throughout the country during the sum- mer of 1921, holding meetings at New York, Chicago, and Minneapolis to gain the views of persons interested in the East and Middle West and then at points in the great lumber regions of the extreme West in Washington, Oregon and California. Later in the year the committee held 62 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 63 III meetings in Louisiana. Their report was favor- ably received by the Chamber of Commerce and was considered by the Committees of Congress who were also studying the matter, and doubtless had effect in shaping and promoting the national legislation subsequently enacted calling for co- operation between the States and the Government and lumbermen in forestry matters. When some of us look back to the inertia and want of knowledge of the forestry question in the past, it is highly encouraging to have the President of the United States say, as he did in his letter read by ex-Governor Lowden of Illinois at the American Forest Week dinner at Chicago on April 28th: '^It may be doubted if any more important economic problem confronts the country than the conservation, extension and proper utilization of our forest wealth. '^ Think of this as given out as a statement of national importance from the President of the United States to his fellow-citizens, and contrast it with the stolid, set indifference often encount- ered by Dr. Rothrock in his early exploitation and advocacy of forestry, when, as Major Stuart impressively said in his address on Dr. Rothrock at the dedication of the Rothrock tablet in 1923 : '^He taught and talked forestry wherever he found an audience willing to hear him. Then, almost fifty years ago, it was difficult to interest people in this subject, regarded by many as little more than the hobby of sentimentalists. In spite of the small audiences that heard him, he made many earnest advocates by his clear and con- vincing statements about the forest situation and the future timber supply in Pennsylvania.** The more our people are led to study and to appreciate the importance of forestry, the more are they brought to a realization of the great and varied service rendered to the land by our forests. Of course to our business men the fact pri- marily appealing, is, that Pennsylvania has, since 1860, dropped from first to twentieth place in lumber production, and that 84 per cent, of the State's lumber and 70 per cent, of our pulp wood needs, are now imported. That yearly Pennsyl- vania's dependence upon outside wood resources costs her people $100,000,000, or four times the amount of our proposed bond issue. That the freight bill on lumber imported into Pennsylvania amounts annually to $25,000,000, the entire amount of the bond issue. But when our keen business men look into the whole broad forestry question, they are led as the members of the National Chamber of Com- merce were led to see, that the maintenance and regrowth of our forest areas, means much more to our country than simply a continued supply of wood, great and important as that need undoubt- edly is. A wonderfully able and convincing paper by the distinguished forester, Raphael Zon, on * ^ The Relation of Forests in the Atlantic Plain to the Humidity of the Central States and Prairie Region," demonstrates the relation of the forest cover to the fertility of Eastern America, and that if we remove much more of the forest cover, we will dry up the arable lands of the eastern states. This paper published in ** Science" of July 18th, 1913, is doubtless known to you students of the principles of forestry, but to the average citizen, not versed in forestry, the facts given are most startling and important in their bearing on the public welfare. Dr. Zon, in speaking of this, says: ^^The forest evaporates more water than any vegetative cover and much more than free water surfaces. Therefore, forests enrich with moisture the winds that pass over them, and contribute to the humidity of the regions into which the pre- vailing air currents pass The effect of forests in wide plains of continents, especially in the path of moist winds cannot be doubted. By increasing the evaporation from the land at the expense of surface run-off they enrich with moisture the passing air currents, and in this way help to carry it in larger quantities into the interior of continents. The destruction of such forests, especially if it leaves the ground bare, or partly covered with only weak vegetation which does not transpire large quantities of water, must inevitably affect the climate, not so much the climate of the region in which the destruction took place, but the drier regions into which the prevailing air currents flow." No better final summary of the modern view of conservation can be made than that expressed by Mr. E. A. Sherman, Associate Chief of the United States Forest Service, in his address re- cently before a Lumber Convention at St. Louis, when he said: **The much maligned conservationist has been accused of asking us to save lumber for pK)sterity instead of using it ourselves. The picture is un- true. The conservationist wishes to cut down no more trees than we need and not to leave half the tree in the woods because there are a few knots in the top log. He asks us also not to let fires run unhindered through the forest, for they destroy the young trees which would form forests for the generations of the future. They are the first beginnings of our children's homes. He asks that we who inherited a land filled with giant trees ready for the axe shall remember that wood will also be needed by our children and their children even unto the end of time; that as we obtain our wood from trees, so must they; that unless we wish our race to end like a stream in the sands of the desert, we must see to it that those who follow us may find also a land wherein trees cast their shade at the feet of man and all things are ordered obedient to his needs. He asks that we in our day and generation shall observe the Golden Rule and do by those who are to come after us even as we would be done by. ^^To the extent that we as Americans, in deed and spirit, live up to this injunction, we shall prove ourselves worthy of the great sacrifices of our forefathers. We shall also prove ourselves worthy of the love of our descendents, because through our forethought we make it possible for them in prosperity to inherit this land forever." HISTORY OF THE CALIFORNIA BIGTREE THE history of the tree known as the Big- tree, or technically the *' Sequoia Wash- ingtoniana, " now found in isolated and sheltered spots in the Sierra Mountains of Cali- fornia, reaches back into the very beginning of history, to a p>eriod when this tree probably covered the slopes of western coast mountains twice the height of the present ranges, and ex- tended from some point well north of 49 degrees down into the Lower California peninsula. A factor in its present limited range, says the U. S. Forest Service, is the strange geological trans- formation that some hundreds of centuries ago came over what is now California. The Biblical prophecy that the valleys shall be exalted and the mountains made low was very literally fulfilled in California some aeons before it was uttered by Isaiah. In the high mountain ranges of those days, running up to 20,000 feet or more in height, came a volcanic disturbance, so that molten lava poured through the valleys and stream channels, filling them up and block- ing the streams. After the lava had cooled, it was so much harder than the granite of the original mountains that it resisted erosion as the granite could not. As a consequence, the granite peaks wore away, and the lava beds remained until finally lava-covered ridges towered above deep canyons worn in the native stone, and streams flowed and still flow many thousand feet below the level of the streams once shaded by the Big-tree 's grandsires. Not long ago miners in the Tahoe National For- est, working a gold mine 2,500 or 3,000 feet below the lava cap of one of the Sierra peaks, in one of the former streambeds, came across an old flood deposit in which were the tangled logs of a group of the Sequoias that once grew on the mountain slop^es. Though buried for unknown thousands of years, the logs were in excellent preservation. They were changed somewhat in structure, but the annual rings in a cross-section of the wood stood out as plainly as though the trees had been felled only a few days before. During the last thousand years the Big-tree of to-day has not reproduced appreciably, and at one time foresters felt that it was a dying species. Recently, however, efforts have been made, and with considerable success, to start plantations of the tree throughout California, outside of its present range. Small plantations have been made in the Klamath National Forest in the northwest cor- ner of the State, near Lake Tahoe in the central part, and in the Sequoia National Forest in the southern Sierras. In each of these localities the tree has far outstripped the native conifers. Even in competition with brush, which sup- presses young pines and firs severely, the Big-tree has been able to develop successfully. In the 12- year period since the earlier of these plantings some of the young trees have made a growth of 8 feet, against 4 or 5 feet as the best that local saplings have attained in the same time. For- esters are beginning to wonder whether the Big- tree may not some day reforest large areas of California by means of plantations similar to the experimental ones already established. A constitutional amendment to exempt imma- ture forest trees from taxation is to be voted on by the people of California in referendum. The Forest Service points out that two-thirds of all lumber consumed in the United States is softwood-pine, fir, spruce, and hemlock. It is further stated that there are only three great bodies of coniferous timber in the world outside of the United States. One is in Canada, a second extends from Scandinavia eastward through Fin- land and European and Asiatic Russia to the Pacific Ocean, and the third, of relatively minor importance, is in central and southeastern Europe, chiefly in pre-war Austria-Hungary. !■ 64 FOREST LEAVES ANOTHER BIG WHITE OAK i:|: DISTRICT Forester V. M. Bearer of Ligonier, has found another large white oak in the western part of the State. The tree stands in Campbeirs Mill Park in In- diana county on the bank of Black Lick Creek near the water mill operated by Guy W. Black, who is also the owner of the ground upon which the tree stands. At one foot above the ground the tree is 22.5 feet in circumference, and at 4^ feet above the ground it is 16 feet in circumfer- ence. Its height is 92 feet and it has a branch spread of 80 feet. Until a few years ago, when employes of a telephone company sawed off one of the larger limbs, the tree had a considerably greater branch spread. This remarkable tree is one of the outstanding western trees of Pennsylvania. It is easy to see for it is only about 3^ miles from Blairsville and about 1% miles from Black Lick, in Burrell town- ship. Mr. Bearer says that the tree is distinctive in that it is so straight and symmetrical and does not have any pronounced swelling at the base which abnormal feature often accounts for large dimensions. FOREST AREA OP PENNSYLVANIA FIGURES compiled by the Pennsylvania De- partment of Forests and Waters, show that there are about 13,000,000 acres of forest land in this State, which is more than forty-five per cent, of the Staters total land area. Only two European countries, Finland and Sweden, surpass Pennsylvania in having a larger percentage of the total land area in forests. The forest area of this State is greater than the combined forest areas of Italy and Greece; more than ten times as large as the aggregate area of Belgium, and almost equal to the total forest areas of Italy, Switzerland, and Belgium, and is larger than one-half of the total forest area of France and Great Britain. Seven counties, McKean, Potter, Clearfield, Centre, Lycoming, Clinton, and Elk, located in a block in the north-central part of this State, contain more than one-fourth of the total forest area of Pennsylvania. McKean county has the largest total forest area, 565,000 acres, and Phila- delphia county has the smallest, 4,500 acres. The Department of Forests and Waters has made the following classification of the State's forest land : Farm woodlots, 4,043,902 acres; State Forests, 1,131,611 acres; and outside of farm woodlots and State Forests, 7,871,043 acres. BLIGHT RESISTANT CHESTNUT TREES THREE-QUARTERS of the stand of the chestnut tree in America is now heavily infected by the blight, and the remainder is fast becoming diseased. Investigations now in progress are expected to show approximately how many years it will take to kill the remain- der. The passing of the chestnut is ot grave con- cern to the tanning industry, because it is from this tree that tannin is secured. The United States Department of Agriculture some years ago sought to discover in China the probable native home of the chestnut blight, some species of chestnut resistant, if not immune, to the disease. In this the department was successful to a cer- tain degree. Several large consignments of nuts from resistant trees were brought from China and many trees grown and distributed. Some of these trees were established in an orchard at Bell, Md., and have now been growing for more than 11 years. From nuts harvested in this orchard and from some recent large importations of seed direct from China the department is growing several thousand little trees which it plans to eventually distribute to cooperators who are in position to plant and care for one-fourth to one acre of the trees. The important resistant species, or Chinese hairy chestnut, is suitable for cultivation in orchards in the same manner as peach or other fruit trees. The nuts are of fine flavor, good size, and closely resemble our native chestnut. The trees come into bearing when six or seven years old. The Michigan Legislature, without a dissent- ing vote, has sent to the Governor for his signa- ture the Pearson Timber Tax Bill permitting the owners of cut-over forest land to withdraw them from the general property tax rolls until such a time as the second growth timber reaches ma- turity. Under its provisions owners will pay 5 cents an acre a year on pine plain lands and 10 cents an acre a year on hardwood lands. At the time of cutting the State will receive 25 per cent, of the net value of the timber. The Pear- son bill was based on the Ming-Meggisin timber tax bill vetoed by the Governor in 1923. The present measure meets one of the outstanding objections of the previous one in that it takes care of local government during the time the land is off the general property tax rolls. "V ! CONTENTS p^o. Historic Clarion, Pennsylvania, White Oak Tree . pj*;*/ Autumn Arbor Day Proclamation 65 Many Oak Trees Dying in Southeastern Pennsylvania 65 Forests and Our Game 66 Suggestions for Killing Carolina Poplar 68 Pennsylvania's Pre-Historic Vegetation Furnishes Her Power Today . . 69 Important Tree Places in Pennsylvania 71 The Influence of Forests on Stream Flow, Floods and Droughts 72 Forests and the Anthracite Industry 76 New Publications 80 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FOUNDED IN JUNE, 1866 Labors to cli*scminate information in regard to the necessity and methods of forest culture and preservation, and to secure the enactment and enforcement of proper forest protective laws, both State and National. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE, THREE DOLLARS LIFE MEMBERSHIP. FIFTY DOLLARS Neither the membership nor the work of this Association is intended to be limited to the Stale of Pennsylvania. Persons desiring to become members should send their names to the Chairman of the Membership Committee, 130 South I5lh Street, Philadelphia. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents, Robt. S. Conklin, J. F. Hendricks, Samuel L. Smedley. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. Treasurer and Recording Secretary, F, L. Biiler. COMMITTEES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Henry Howson, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman George F. Craig, Hon. Marshall Brown, Miss Laura Bell Frank Buck Miss Mary K. Gibson F. L. Bitler, Mrs. David Reeves, Miss Mary K. Gibson, FINANCE— Dr. Henry M. Fisher, Chairman H. W. Shoemaker. J. Rodman Paul, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman Eli Kirk Price, MEMBERSHIP— Harold Pierce, Chairman Mrs. Chas. G. Hctzel Mrs. David Reeves Samuel D. Warriner PUBLICATION Egbert S. Gary, Joseph S. Illick, Albert B. Weimer Dr. W. P. Wilson Harrison Souder. WORK — Mrs. Brinton Coxe, Chairman Miss Ethel A. Shrigley, E. E. Wildman. J. Franklin Meehan, OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATION, 130 S. FIFTEENTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA FOREST LEAVES Published Bi-Monthly Entered at the Philadelphia Poat-Office aa aecood-daaa matter, under Act of March 3d. 1870 Vol. XX— No. 5 PHILADELPHIA. OCTOBER. 1925 Whole Number 228 AUTUMN ARBOR DAY PROCLAMATION IGIFFORD PINCHOT, Governor of the State of Pennsylvania, do hereby desig- y nate and proclaim October 23, 1925, as Arbor Day and Bird Day, to be observed ap- propriately throughout the Commonwealth by such exercises as will develop a greater appreci- ation and better understanding of the important part played by trees and birds in the lives of our people. There is urgent need that all our people shall consider the inevitable consequences of forest destruction. Beginning Avith the necessary clear- ing of farm lands by the early pioneers, forest destruction has gone forward with prodigal wastefulness. We are now face to face with an actual shortage of wood. Wood for the home and industry must be brought into the State from long distances and at great expense. Our water supplies are cur- tailed by the reduction in the control once exer- cised by a complete forest cover on all our moun- tains. With the destruction of our forests has come the inevitable decrease in forest life, large and small. It is of vital concern to us and to future generations that Pennsylvania's forests be restored. This Commonwealth made an excellent start in forest conservation through the purchase of State Forests, which now total 1,131,611 acres. Much has also been done in forest restoration. More than 35 million forest trees have been planted on the State Forests, and during the last 15 years more than 40 million forest trees have been dis- tributed by the Department of Forests and Waters to private land owners in all parts of the State. Marked progress has been made also in the I)ropagation and care of game. Gratifying as are the results already obtained, they are but the beginning of a big and long time program. There remains much to be done to restore to produc- tion the thousands of idle acres on the mountain sides of Pennsylvania, to restore and protect the wild life associated with the forests, and to con- serve our water resources. It is especially important that the schools of our State shall give thoughtful study to the trees, flowers and birds. If our children receive the proper conception of the conservation of our natural resources, the future of our forests, our wild life and our mountain streams will be as- sured. Let all those in authority in our schools, therefore, help in presenting to the school chil- dren the need of protecting our forests and wild life. On Arbor Day and Bird Day every teacher in the schools of Pennsylvania should regard it a duty to carry out an effective program to help protect our forests and birds for future gene- rations. Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the State, at the city of Harrisburg, this eleventh day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five, and of the Commonwealth one hundred and forty-nine. By the Governor: (Seal) GIFFORD PINCHOT. Clyde L. King, Secretary of the Commonwealth. MANY OAK TREES DYING IN SOUTH- EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA By Joseph S. Illick REPORTS from southeastern Pennsylvania show that many oak trees are dying. The chestnut oak, the white oak, and the Eng- lish oak show the heaviest mortality, but evi- dence of serious damage was also observed on the red oak and swamp white oak. A careful examination of the twigs and branches of the dying trees shows that they are attacked by the Golden Oak Scale, also called Pit-making Oak Scale. The scientific name of this insect is Asterolecanium variolosum. — Ratz. This scale was first recognized in this country in 1880 by Prof. Comstock, who reports finding it on imported oaks at Washington, D. C. Since that time it has been found in many of the eastern States and locally it has been doing much damage. On September 18th the writer 66 FOREST LEAVES found this scale doing great damage about Val- ley Forge. Many of the chestnut oak trees about Valley Forge are in a dying condition and a few trees ranging from small saplings to big trees 18 inches in diameter have been killed. An examination of their branches showed that they are covered with the destructive Golden Oak S^ale which is readily recognized at all seasons of the year. The scales are nearly circular in outline and range in color from brown to shiny green or clear yellow, whence the name ^'Golden Oak Scale.'' They appear semi-transparent and about 1-16 of an inch in diameter, and are usual- ly situated in a pit in the bark, whence the name '^ Pit-making Oak Scale.'' The best control measure that has been de- veloped is a miscible or lubricating oil emulsion spray that should be applied during the winter months when the trees are without leaves. The common lubricating oils, such as Diamond Paraf- fin, Red Engine, Nabob, and 188 Red Neutral, have given good results. The following formula may be used: Engine Oil 1 gallon Water Vi gallon Potash fish-oil soap 1 pound F. M. Trimble, a specialist on scale insects in the Bureau of Plant Industry, Pennsylvania De- partment of Agriculture, writes that this spray may be prepared by placing ^Hhe oil, w^ater, and soap in a kettle or other receptacle and heating until the contents come to a boil. A brown scum appears on the surface of the mixture after it first begins to boil. After bailing for a few minutes the brown scum begins to disappear, just at this stage remove the kettle from the fire and pump the mixture back into itself twice under 60 pounds pressure while still very hot. A pump must be used to make the emulsion, as stirring will not produce a good mixture, and for this purpose a small bucket pump is quite satis- factory. The stock emulsion contains 66 2-3 per cent. oil. To make a 2 per cent, spray use six gallons of this stock in a 200 gallon spray tank. Water used in diluting the slock must be soft. If only hard water is available, soften by adding one pound of lye to each 100 gallons before the stock solution is added. A more recent development of the lubricating oil emulsion which has given excellent results for the Bureau of Plant Industry is made as follows : Engine oil 2 gallons Water l gallon Kayso 4 ounces The Kayso is placed in solution in the water by slowly sifting into the water while the water is being stirred. The oil is then placed into the container and the mixture pum{>ed back into it- self for about three minutes. No heat is needed in making this emulsion and hard water may be used in making the dilution. To make a 2 per cent, solution dilute six gallons of the stock so- lution in a 200 gallon spray tank of water. This spray solution has come into use all over eastern United States and promises, as soon as the oils used have become standardized, to dis- place all the other miscible and lubricating oil emulsions used for scale insect control." FORESTS AND OUB GAME By Seth E. Grordon, Executive Secretary, Board of Game Commlsfiioners IT is indeed a pleasure to again appear before this splendid organization and to address you on a subject of such mutual interest. I am always glad to appear before an organi- zation that has fought a good fight for conserva- tion, and if any organization in the state has done that, the Pennsylvania Forestry Association surely has. Even when the prospects were not at all encouraging you have kept the organiza- tion alive, knowing that in the end you would be rewarded for your efforts. Those of you who have stood back of the cause for so many years can look back with more than pleasurable pride upon your accomplishments, particularly the passage of the bond issue bill by the Legislature in which fight you have taken a prominent part for so many years. Forests and game have always gone hand in hand, although certain species of game prefer to live and feed in different types of forest growth. In the primeval forest in America the Indian found a liberal supply of wild life but in order to attract certain game, particularly the deer, near to his camping places he often killed mature forest trees to let in the sunlight and supply more easily available food for the deer. The wild turkeys also frequently fed on the patches being tilled by the Indians. On the other hand certain species of game, particularly the bob- white quail, followed the clearing operations of the early white settlers, and as the tillable areas were extended into the forests so bobwhite and his family extended their range. Later when the forests were denuded by lum- bering and fires, the wild life that was left after the market hunter had held sway many years was practically wiped out. Fortunately for the FOREST LEAVES 67 cause of wild life conservation in Pennsylvania, the forest movement and the protection and in- crease of our game both took root about the same time, and the most important step of that day not only for forests ' but to guarantee a future supply of game was the purchase of large areas of forest lands upon which public recreation, in- cluding hunting, was permissible at all times. Later these large areas of public lands made possible the creation of game refuges on which a supply of seed stock of game could be saved each year to furnish hunting in the surrounding territory the following season. As the sportsmen of the state began to realize what public-owned lands meant to them for recreational purposes they naturally became actively interested in a rapid extension of our public lands. During the recent campaign to pass the forest bond issue the sportsmen took an active part because they realized the recrea- tional possibilities, also because the average sportsman is really a conservationist who is in- terested in handing to posterity some of the many things he has enjoyed, especially a future supply of pure water and desirable timber. In 1919 far-sighted sportsmen, realizing that the Department of Forestry was not receiving appropriations in suflSjcient amounts to purchase available lands rapidly, also realizing that many of the best tracts of lands were being bought by private hunting clubs to be reserved for their exclusive use, urged the Game Commission to purchase lands in blocks of from five to ten thousand acres, establish refuges on the central portions and leave the balance open to public hunting. As a result, to date the Board of Game Commissioners has purchased 86,019.82 acres in eleven different tracts at a cost of $245,025.92. The amount of money expended per year for these purchases has varied greatly, depending upon both available funds and the availability of lands. During the 1923-24 fiscal year $40,000 was used for this purpose, while* during the 1924-25 fiscal year $91,000.00 of the money contributed by sportsmen was used to purchase lands. The Board of Game Commissioners now has a total of thirty-four regular game refuges estab- lished; twenty of which are on State Forests; eleven on lands purchased by the Board; and three on lands leased by the Board for a term of years. The total refuge area in the thirty-four regular refuges is about 77,000 acres. In addition to the regular game refuges we now have about twenty-five auxiliary game refuges completed, and hope to extend our auxiliary irame refuge system so that we will have at least two hundred auxiliary or small refuges. It is probable that not more than fifty of the large refuges containing from 1,500 to 3,000 acres each can be established and maintained in a business- like manner, but two hundred or more of the auxiliary game refuges are quite desirable in order that small game of all kinds may be given more protection. It has been our experience that the interest of sportsmen in the protection of forest areas set aside for refuge purposes is always increased by the establishment of such refuge and it is hoped that in this northeastern section of the state the various coal companies, water companies, and large timber land companies will appreciate the value of these refuges in preventing and con- trolling forest fires, and will permit us to use a large number of suitable areas for this purpose. In summarizing, permit me to say there are now more than a half million sportsmen actively back of the cause this organization represents, not alone because they are interested in hunting but because they realize that recreational facili- ties for the general public should be enlarged; that state administration of watersheds means a pure water supply; and that the future supply of forest products is essential. When the forest loan comes before the people for a vote I am confident the people of the state will give an overwhelming majority. Every organization I have addressed on game matters during the last year has also been urged to do their utmost to encourage favorable action on the forest loan. The Board of Game Commissioners is attempt- ing to educate the general public concerning the value of both our game and our forests and in the first release of our moving pictures, ** Black Bear Hunting in Pennsylvania,'* which we are about to see, you will notice that the forest fire problem is stressed whenever a good opportunity presents itself. The American Lumberman reports that the Bogalusa Paper Company in Louisiana has placed in operation a system for the recovery of turpen- tine, pine oil, and alcohol from the fumes gener- ated during the ** cooking *' of wood pulp. It is estimated that the Bogalusa operation will pro- duce by this additional utilization process about 150,000 gallons of turpentine, 30,000 gallons of wood alcohol and 30,000 gallons of pine oil per year— worth about $150,000 at current market prices. The operation is the second of its kind in the United States and has been used for some time by European mills. 68 FOREST LEAVES SUGGESTIONS FOR KILLING CAROLINA POPLAR By H. B. PhilUps A NUMBER of methods may be suggested that will reduce or even suppress com- pletely the sprouting Carolina poplar stumps. Among them are the following: 1. Cut the stumps as far below the surface of the ground as possible and completely cover the remaining roots with the soil. A dense covering of soil will interfere with the life processes in the root and tend to suffocate them. 2. Where a complete cutting of the stump is not feasible, it is helpful to remove the bark on the stump as far down to the ground as possible. This will also tend to arrest growth and kill the adventitious buds that are so numerous right underneath the bark. 3. In addition to cutting the stump as low as possible and removing the bark, it has been found helpful to sprinkle coarse salt about the stump and any suckers that may arise from it. It is best to dig down as low as possible and then apply the salt. A continuous cutting back of the suckers that do persist in coming up will devitalize the stump and in time will eliminate the sprouting entirely. 4. In cleaning up pasture land and in clearing new lands for crops, the old-time method of tree elimination was girdling. This, however, has not been found very practical in connection with Carolina Poplar. A more reliable method of kill- ing sprouts is needed. Experiments have been tried in this country, in Europe, and particularly in Australia. Probably more work has been done in Australia along this line than anywhere else and they have developed the following effective formula : Arsenic i pound Washing soda 1 pound or Caustic soda t^ pound Waiting i^ pound Wa^er 4 gallons Since the ordinary white arsenious oxide of commerce is not soluble in water to any great degree, soda has been used for the purpose. When large amounts of the poison are desired, wash- ing soda will be cheaper, but for small amounts caustic soda will perhaps be found the handiest To prepare the solution, first dissolve the soda (either form) in a convenient amount of water using heat, if desirable, to assist and hasten it- then slowly add the arsenic, previously made into a thin paste (as the housewife treats her corn flour), stirring all the time; place on a strong fire, and after it has come to the boil, allow it to remain boiling for at least half an hour; stir from time to time, and be careful to stand on the side away from the fumes, as, being poisonous they are apt to cause sickness. When the arsenic is thoroughly dissolved, the solution may be made up to the required bulk by adding the re- mainder of the water, either hot or cold. The whiting is added merely to serve as an indicator of the trees treated, as it turns white on drying. The best time for carrying on the operation of poisoning is when the tree is dormant, or during the winter months. This will most surely pre- vent suckering, although trees can be killed prac- tically any time of the year. In applying the poison, the tree is first girdled by a series of heavy downward strokes of the ax through the bark and well into the wood, leav- ing the chips protruding outward in a '* frill'' extending completely around the tree. It is neces- sary that this ** frilling'* process be thoroughly done, which alone would ordinarily kill the tree after some time. A half pint for small trees to a quart for very large trees of the poison is then poured into the chipped surface, taking care to saturate the wood thoroughly. An old teapot or kettle with a spout serves well the process of pouring without needless waste or spilling down the tree. Saplings may be cut low down and the poison applied over the stump by a swab stick. If this is done Avhen the sap is down the tree will be completely killed and suckering prevented. 5. Cut stumps low and bore four or more verti- cal holes in them to depth of four to six inches. Use an auger that makes a hole about a half inch in diameter, or larger. Both gasoline and coal oil or kerosene, have been found effective in killing the stumps if poured in these holes and allowed to soak into the wood. Several treat- ments may 'be necessary for complete killing. Hickory is the best material available on the world's market for use in manufacturing golf shafts. This particular wood is springy, strong, resilient and wear-worthy. The scarcity of the best second-growth hickory for golf shafts com- plicates production according to a writer in American Forests and Forest Life, who reports a complaint from one of America's foremost golf- club makers that only about four out of every 100 hickory golf shafts delivered in his shop were fit for the best clubs. The balance of the stock was used because no other is available. FOREST LEAVES 69 PENNSYLVANIA'S PREHISTORIC VEGE- TATION FURNISHES HER POWER TODAY By George H. Ashley, State Geologist THIS is an age of power. The civilization of nations is in a way measured by their use of power. There are today two princi- pal sources of power, falling water and the com- bustion of fuel. In round numbers Pennsylvania uses today about 18,000,000,000 K. W. H. (kilo- watt hours) of power of which only 483,000,000 K. W. H. is derived from water power, or practi- cally 2^ per cent. The rest is produced from coal, oil or gas. The figures do not include the unmej^sured power used in automobiles, which is derived from gasoline, a by-product from petro- leum and natural gas. Coal is known definitely to be derived from the vegetation of long ago, and oil and natural gas are both thought to have been derived mainly from the same source. It is, therefore, evident that the power upon which to so large an ex- tent the civilization of today depends is com- ing to us from the sunlight caught and held by plants that grew several hundred million years ago. The occurrence of plant remains in rocks ad- joining coal beds is common and widespread, so common that it could not escape notice. The belief that the coal beds were derived from vegetation has long been held. During the last hundred years studies by many men have stead- ily brought to light more and more direct evi- dence of the truth of this belief. But it has only been within the last decade that important technical methods have made it possible to study in detail any piece of coal and to determine the nature and condition of the vegetal mat- ter in it. As a result of these studies we know today with a high degree of accuracy the origin of the various kinds of coal, bright and dull, and the kinds of material in each type of coal. Re- cently more or less successful attempts have been made to identify the coal from different l)eds by the contained spore cases, which differ from bed to bed. A block of coal held in the hand is commonly seen to consist of alternate bright and dull lay- ers. Commonly the bright layers as exposed on the face of the coal are lenticular in shape. The microscope reveals the general fact that these bright bands or lenses are composed of the re- mains of the woody parts of plants, while the dull coal consists of plant detritus and spores of the lower order of plants.* As these microscopic studies have extended to coals of different rank and classes all the way to peat, it has been definitely determined that most coals have originated as peat deposits. The can- nel coals are believed to be derived from vegetal matter, largely spore cases, floated into areas of open waters within the swamps. We may thus go back three or four hundred million years and picture to ourselves conditions as they may have existed in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Today our coal fields are somewhat scattered. The anthracite basins and the Broad Top basins are believed to have once been con- nected with the main bituminous field to the west of them. During the folding of the rocks that fol- lowed shortly after the coal beds and other rocks of the coal measures were laid down, the coaJ beds were lifted into great arches and troughs. In time the tops of these arches were worn off and the coal carried away or rather weathered away. The coal in the troughs, be- cause of its lower elevation, was not carried away and remains today in the form of detached coal basins. The same thing is true of individual beds. The Pittsburgh coal bed is practically a continuous coal bed under most of Greene and Washington counties. Even there it lies in gentle folds. Going eastward and northward these folds become more broken and stand higher above sea level, so that in Allegheny, Fayette and Westmoreland counties and any of the counties north and east of those, the tops of these folds were worn away and the bed occurs only in basins which become smaller and smaller as we go farther away from the southwest corner of the State until the coal bed disappears. The outlying basins are caught only in the hilltops and in some instances have an extent of only a few acres. It is evident, however, that the coal beds originally covered an area that in- cludes all of these outlying basing and may have extended far beyond. The Pittsburgh bed has been traced over a large area in West Virginia, Ohio, and Maryland, and to a hill just across the Big Sandy River from Kentucky. Some of the lower coal beds were originally still more extensive. It is thought that the Lower Kit- tanning bed of the bituminous field of Pennsyl- vania can be traced and identified from the an- thracite fields of Pennsylvania over most of the coal fields of Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia and , *^These features were fully illustrated by lantern slides. 70 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 71 well into Virginia and Kentucky. It is barely possible that coal was forming at the same time and possibly in connecting swamps in the Illinois coal field in the Mississippi Valley. It requires some stretch of the imagination to picture these vast swamps lying presumably just at sea level and stretching hundreds of miles in every direction. These swampy condi- tions were repeated time after time. Indeed, in the Appalachian region over 100 coal horizons have been recognized. Sometimes following the depositing of the coal there was only slight sink- ing of the land over the whole of these vast areas for a few feet or a few scores of feet, then the movement stopped and a new swamp formed. At other times the existence of the swamp was ended by widespread uplift and the uplifted beds were in large measure washed away. More often the growth of the bed was stopped by tem- porary sinking and the washing in of many feet of mud which later formed the '^roof shales" of the coal. Then uplift came and ero- sion began to carve the uplifted beds into hills and valleys, in places just removing the rooi shales, in places cutting into the coal, and in places completely removing the coal over broad channel-ways. How long did these swamps last? Studies by the writer have indicated that each foot of coal represents not less than 300 years of growth, as- suming growth at the maximum rate and no losses. It would probably be safer to take 1,000 years as the average. A bed 10 feet thick, such as the Pittsburgh coal bed would have required 10,000 years for its deposition. Locally the Pitts- burgh coal bed is 16 feet thick. The coal beds of the anthracite field are in some places 20, 30, 40 or more feet thick. It may, therefore, be safely estimated that each of these swamps ex- isted from 1,000 years upward and some of them may have existed from 30,000 to 50,000 years. What kind of plants grew in these swamps? The coal fields of Pennsylvania belong geological- ly in the Carboniferous age, the age during which most of the coal of the world was deposited. If historical geological time be divided into fifteen periods, the coal of Pennsylvania was laid down in the Seventh and Eighth periods. I^nd plants had appeared only in the Fourth period and at this time only the lower orders of plants had come. These included lycopods (clubmosses), ferns, equisetum (horsetails), conifers and cy- cads. Some of the lower orders of plants grew to be of much larger size ftnd in greater pro- fusion than today, so that a swamp of the coal measure world must have presented a very dif- ferent appearance from anything to be found upon the earth today. Just why vegetation flourished so magnificent- ly during the Carboniferous age is as yet un- known. Had conditions been otherwise, so that no coal was laid down at that time, this would have been a much poorer earth to live on. There remains to be considered the oil and gas which we derive from the earth. Here we do not have the same direct evidence of their origin as we have for coal. Oil and gas are natural products. They are obtained from the earth bv drilling. It is believed that in most in- stances they have accumulated in porous rocks by migration from underlying shales in which organic material was deposited. Neverttieless, the evidence grows stronger year by year that they were originally derived from algae and other water plants laid down in water with some ad- mixture of animal and plant remains. In west- ern Pennsylvania and elsewhere arc found *^oil shales" that when heated in a retort will yield up a barrel or more of crude oil and a large amount of gas. These shales under the micro- scope reveal the remains of vegetal life. Simi- lar shales are thought to have been the source of oil and gas now being gotten by drilling. The oil and gas were distilled out by the folding of the rocks and worked their way under capillary action and other agencies to some open-grained sandstone where they accumulated while waiting the coming of the drill. In conclusion it is apparent that over 05 per cent, of the power used in Pennsylvania today is derived from forests, swamps, and sea plants of long ago. IMPORTANT TREE PLACES IN PENN- SYLVANIA *^Does the average man who builds a house to- day know that the preventable forest fires of the last few years have added several hundred dollars to the cost of the structure? I think not. Neither does the woman who buys a piano or a set of furniture realize that an appreciable part of the price she pays is a tax levied by the same waste. Every board, every wooden packing box and crate, all furniture and every product made of wood is costing more today because forest fires destroyed approximately 21,000,000 acres of standing timber in 1923, and have destroyed an average of more than 7,000,000 acres a year during the last quarter century."— U. S. Forest Service, By Joseph S. niick The Amos E. Ball Tree Place* ONE mile northwest of Fredonia, Delaware township, Mercer county, is the interesting A. E. Ball Tree Place. It occupies a part of what has been long known as the Murray Hill farm, deeded to Daniel Murray for heroic services during the Revolutionary War. This farm comprises 212 acres and is one of the original grants or government patents given to many of the early settlers. Early in life Mr. Amos E. Ball showed a great interest in trees. He delights in telling that his greatgrandfather, Daniel Harper, was the first horticulturist in Mercer county. From boyhood he was a lover of trees and his studies covered other phases of natural history. The most outstanding feature of the Ball farm is the wonderful tree collection that covers about 25 acres and includes many interesting and historic trees. In 1890 Mr. Ball planted 85 sugar maple trees in a grove about the family burying grounds. The trees were regularly spaced in straight rows, planted with care, and given good treatment from the day they were set out. The careful planting and the good treatment given the trees have been big factors in their successful growth. All except 7 are now living and thriving. The 78 living trees now average from 30 to 40 feet in height, a few of them are 50 feet high. Most of the trees have a diameter of 10 to 12 inches, but a few have reached a diameter of 14 inches at breast- height. In the midst of the maple grove is the family l)urying grounds surrounded by an unusual and picturesque stone wall. This wall was laid by Mr. Ball and includes practically all the different kinds of stone native to Mercer county. Stand- ing by the wall is a row of hemlock trees planted about 1895. Near the center of the cemetery there formerly grew 5 hemlock trees cut down a few years ago. When felled they were 60 years old and measured from 22 to 24 inches across the stump. These trees show conclusively that the hemlock, if cared for and handled properly, will grow at a rate that compares favorably with that of other important forest trees. *This is the fourth of a series of articles on "Important Tree Places in Pennsylvania" that will appear in FQ^CSt Leaves. Bordering the maple grove is the most interest- ing tree gi'oup on this tree farm from a historic point of view. Mr. Ball speaks of this particular tree group as **The Mount Vernon Group.** Here one can see many different trees grown by Mr. Ball from seed collected at Mount Vernon. It is interesting to hear Mr. Ball tell about these historic trees, and with equal interest and charm does he tell the story of another group of near- by trees developed from seeds collected at Jeffer- son *s tomb at Monticello. It is with real delight that Mr. Ball tells the history of * ' The Powhatan Oak. * ' This is one of his favorite trees grown from an acorn from the Powhatan Oak at Jamestown, Virginia. The mother tree was 355 years old and 53 inches in diameter in 1907. It is said that the mother tree was probably 10 to 12 inches in diameter at the time Pocahontas saved John Smithes life in 1608. Scattered over this historic farm of Mercer County are many other trees of rare interest. Along the lane leading to the tree grove is a row of grafted shellbark trees. They have been care- fully selected and skillfully grafted by Mr. Ball. On the home grounds are three persimmon trees brought from Indiana in 1879. Mr. Ball has been watching these trees very carefully. He re- ports that two of them are pistillate trees, that is, they produce only pistillate or female flowers; while the other is a staminate tree and produces only staminate or male flowers. It is quite prob- able that these three persimmon trees are the most northern specimens of the common persim- mon in northwestern Pennsylvania. When the writer sa^ them in the spring of 1925 they were thrifty in appearance and seemed to be standing the northern climate very well. Not far from the house along the garden fence is a weeping willow tree. It was developed from a cutting taken from a weeping willow tree grow- ing in Washington's garden at Mount Vernon. The parent tree was developed from a cutting taken from the weeping willow whose branches shaded Napoleon's tomb at St. Helena. This historic weeping willow at Fredonia was planted at the time of the Jamestown exhibition. Just back of the farm house is a large sugar maple tree. It is a magnificent specimen with large spreading branches. It shades a large part of the lawn and casts its shadows against the beautiful Ball homestead. For years this tree has been producing large quantities of seed and all over the ground at its base and in the nearby lawn and garden one can find hundreds of baby 72 FOREST LEAVES trees developing from seeds scattered from the twigs of this virile tree. From time to time many of these baby trees have been transplanted by Mr. Ball. One of these transplants had reach- ed the height of 10 feet and 6 inches and a diameter of 2 inches when the One Hundredth Anniversary of the founding of the University of Virginia was celebrated. At that time there was a meeting of the descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and Mr. Ball took up this fine young tree at Fredonia, packed it very carefully and shipped it to Virginia, where he planted it at about 50 feet southeast of Jeffer- son ^s tomb at Monticello. It is reported that today this tree is growing thriftily, and Mr. Ball is proud that there is now growing by Jefferson's tomb a descendant of one of the finest sugar maple trees of Mercer county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Ball is not only a lover of individual trees, but is also an ardent advocate of reforestation. Last spring he placed an order with the State Department of Forests and Waters for 500 trees, which he planted near his other interesting tree groups. Among the trees planted were 100 short- leaf pine, 200 Jersey pine, 100 Japanese red pine and 100 Banks pine. For many years Mr. Ball, a lover of trees, has been working quietly on his wonderful tree place near Fredonia in Mercer county. He works with trees because he loves them. They grow well for he gives them constant care. They mean so much to him and to others for they have a story in history to tell. Until recently few people knew about this wonderful tree place. Each year a greater number of pilgrimages from nearby schools and from other persons interested in trees are made to this unique tree place. In time it will take its place in the sun. The good that Mr. Ball is doing will live long. When his lips are sealed and his hands quiet, praiseful voices will be heard singing his splendid services to trees. Unborn generations will honor his memory and unseen faces will thank his will- ing hands that built up this interesting tree place in the heart of Mercer county. THE INFLUENCE OF FORESTS OK STREAM FLOW, FLOODS AND DROUGHTS Recently one of the Fire Wardens of the Forbes District (Pennsylvania) went into West Virginia with some of his men and extinguished a forest fire. The matter was referred to the Chief Forest Fire Warden of West Virginia who accepted the services of the Pennsylvania men and arranged for their payment by the court of the county'^in which the fire occurred. By Chas. E. Ryder Chief Engineer Water Resources Service I THE question of the effect of forests upon stream flow is one about which a great deal has been written and about which there is great diversity of. opinion. In one pamphlet I found references to 768 separate articles and publications dealing with the subject. The relation between forests and stream dis- charge is affected by so many different factors as to make it almost impossible to draw definite conclusions to fit every condition, and these ele- ments are so variable that to attempt to prove what effect forests may have by actual measure- ment of streams in forested and unforested areas, is extremely diffi-cult, and worth-while results could at best only be obtained by carrying such experiments over a long period of years. The flow of a stream is dependent upon a num- ber of physical and climatic conditions which are extremely variable, so that we may expect a great variation in runoff in the same streams from year to year with the same total yearly rainfall and the same forest cover. Some of the elements effecting stream flow are, the amount of rain and the manner in which it is distributed throughout the year; the topography of the country; the character and depth of the soil and underlying rocks; the extent to which the area is covered by vegetation and the character of such vegetation; temperature; winds; the area covered by lakes and swamps and artificial features, such as storage reservoirs, mining operations, etc. Forests, there- fore, constitute only one of a number of factors affecting stream flow. As we know, all the water flowing in streams and springs is derived entirely from the rain or snow falling upon the earth. Of this total pre- cipitation, all the water which is not evaporated finally runs off and eventually reaches the ocean. The amount of the runoff and the time and manner in which the rain or snow reaches the streams, depends upon a number of factors as has been previously explained. It is important for us to remember, however, that the only loss of water falling upon the earth is by reason of evaporation and that the source of precipitation is the water which has been evaporated from land and sea. Let us consider what happens to the rain or snow when it reaches the earth's surface. First, a large part of it flows immediately into the Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 5. o H CO o o •< J'. H -< H U o '-' J ^^ is M H UCO a < X H o H ^ S5 H 00 u Q H U u Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 5. 1 Mr. a. E. Ball of Fredonia, Pa., Tklling the Story of His Historic Trees. Sugar Maple Grove Near Fredonia, Pa. Photos courtesy, Department of Forests and Waters. FoRKST Leaves^ Vol. XX, No. 5. Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 5. 1 < o z < < X o 03 ;^ O 00 Z o H I-] O < H < H o is <-( Oh . K H WOT ^H a< s H o H Z < z M u GO M Q H Mr. a. E. Ball of Frrdonma, Pa.. Tkllixg thk Story of His HiaroRir Trkks, SuoAR Maple Grove Near Frrdonia, Pa. Phot OH courtesy, Dfpdrtnu'nt of Forrsts mnl WattiH. INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE FOREST LEAVES 73 streams, and, when the rainfall is very heavy, is one cause of floods. It is not the only cause, however, as floods frequently come from the melting of snow in the spring with little or no rainfall, or from the jamming of the ice when it starts to move out, due to a rise in the stream from rain or thaw. The extent of the direct runoff into the streams from the rain which falls is dependent upon many things, such as the slope of the ground, the character of the soil, the sea- son of the year, etc., and upon the character and extent of the forest cover or other vegetation. It is the effect of forests in reducing the amount of this direct flow into thQ streams which gives them their chief value in the regulation of stream flow. Of the rain which does not flow off directly, a part enters the ground and becomes what we know as ground water. The water contained in this underground reservoir is the source of supply to springs and wells and it is from this source chiefly that streams derive their summer flow. It is, therefore, desirable that the largest possible amount of the rain or snowfall should enter the ground, and this is facilitated by the presence of forests, especially in hilly or mountainous coun- try. As I have said, all the water which does not run off in streams or into the ocean, is evaporated into the air. This evaporation occurs in differ- ent ways, and forests play an important part in determining its amount. In the first place, we have evaporation from water surface, and al- though the rate of evaporation from this source is high, about equalling the total yearly rainfall in this region, the total effect upon stream flow is comparatively small because the total area covered by a stream is small in comparison with the total area of its watershed. Next we have the water evaporated from the surface of the land, and such evaporation forms a large part of the total from all sources, and it is of most importance in the consideration of the effect of forests upon stream flow. Then we also have evaporation of the water which falls upon and is held by the leaves and branches of trees and by other vegetation, and lastly a part of the water which enters the ground is absorbed by trees and plants and is used for building up tissue and transpiration. In the design of flood regulating works or re- servoirs for regularizing stream flow, it is usual for Engineer^ to divide the year into periods typifying the relation between rainfall to runoff which is so largely dependent upon evaporation. Thus we may say the water year may be divided into three periods, as follows: First, the months of low evaporation between December 1st and May 31st, when the ground water level is at its maximum height, evaporation at a minimum and the runoff proportionately high. Second, the months of high evaporation between June 1st and August 31st, when the ground water is drawn upon to supply the streams, and the flow gradually becomes reduced to minimum proportions. Third, the months of medium evaporation from Septem- ber 1st to November 30th, during which period the storage of water in the ground again begins. Rains during the second and third periods do not add materially to runoff as the ground water has been depleted. We see from the above discussion that evapora- tion is of prime importance in the study of stream flow, and as forests influence the amount of water evaporated, they play an important part in de- termining to what extent they may increase regulation in the ground water storage. We might mention here one advantaji:e which is credited to forest cover; that is, the effect of forests in increasing the rainfall. Forests un- doubtedly cool the air, and it is also believed by many people that a forested area evaporates more water than the same area would without forests, due to evaporation from the leaves and transpira- tion, as well as from the surface of the ground. Now the moisture in the air, carried by the winds from the ocean or elsewhere, passing over forested areas, is increased by the moist air over the forests, and because of the cooler atmosphere, is condensed and falls in the form of rain. I ques- tion somewhat the correctness of this theory, for the reason that I doubt whether a forested area evaporates a greater total amount of water than an unforested area. As against the greater loss due to transpiration and evaporation from leaves and branches, we have less evaporation from the ground due to cooler atmosphere and less wind, and in my judgment the latter would more than balance the former. However, in any event, the effect in increasing rainfall would be compara- tively slight over very large areas covered entirely by forests, while in this State with its scattered forest lands, it would seem that there would be no appreciable effect and that this phase of the question is of little moment. In studying the effect of forests upon stream flow, let us consider both flat or rolling areas and hilly or mountainous lands. In level country, the direct runoff is proportion- ately small and there is more opportunity for the water to enter the soil and to be evaporated from pools and swamps. The flow of streams originat- 74 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 75 ing in such regions, is as a rule more uniform and the low flow is higher than in streams drain- ing mountainous regions, because there is less immediate runoff and more of the rain or snow seeps into the ground. This is true, whether the area is forested or unforested, and it is question- able whether forest cover makes much difference. If, as some people claim, there is greater evapora- tion from forested areas, then forests would be a disadvantage over such areas, if increased stream flow were alone to be considered. How- ever, I am rather inclined to the other viewpoint, that is, that the forests would reduce evapora- tion somewhat and that they would, therefore, be beneficial. It would seem that a great deal would depend upon the nature of the ground, for if the soil were composed of sand or gravel, the water would be more quickly absorbed if the ground were bare, while if it was hard and clayey, a thick bed of humus would act like a sponge and absorb much of the water before it was evapor- ated. In general I should say that forests on level lands were beneficial to streams but that such benefits, over cultivated or pasture lands, were of little consequence. In mountainous countries, forests appear to have a decided influence upon the regulation of stream flow. Because of the steep slope, a large percentage of the rainfall runs off as soon as it falls, and as a matter of fact the streams in such regions would probably yield a greater annual runoff if the ground were bare than if forest covered, but the streams would be more flashy and subject to severe floods and droughts. Here again the nature of the soil plays a most im- portant part as has been found from actual ex- periments made several years ago in watersheds in the vicinity of Wilkes-Barre. The principal benefit of forest cover in moun- tainous regions is the interception of the direct flow after rain storms that would otherwise im- mediately enter the streams if the ground were bare, cultivated or in pasture. The forest floor covered with a humus of leaves, twigs and branches and penetrated by a network of roots and cavities, intercepts the flow and permits the water to enter the ground. This forest bed ab- sorbs the water like a sponge and permits it to sink into the loosened soil below. It would ai^pear, therefore, that, greater benefits would result from forest cover over areas when the soil was heavy and impermeable than in porous soils because they would not only loosen such soils, but would retard the surface flow during and after rains, thus affording more opportunity for the water to enter the ground. On gravel or sandy soils, the effect would be less marked. Although forests at the headwaters of a stream in the mountains certainly have some influence in reducing the height and frequency of floods, their value for this purpose is less apparent than in increasing the dry weather flow. Floods usually result from one of four causes, or combinations of such causes. First, we have floods resulting from widespread and heavy rainfall of long dura- tion. Such rains cause high water in both the small and larger streams, but the greatest damage usually results along the large streams and rivers. The flood of May 31st, 1889, resulted from such a rainfall. Next, we have floods which result from very intensive storms covering limited acres, usually called cloudbursts. Such a storm caused the disastrous flood in the City of Erie ten years ago. Then we have floods resulting from the melting of snow in the spring caused by a sudden thaw either with or without rain, and lastly high water frequently results in this State from ice gorges or ice jams. The following may be given as contributing agencies in causing floods: Compact or fan-shaped drainage areas which may cause the arrival of flood crests on tributaries to reach the parent stream when it is at flood stage. Streams draining such basins are sub- ject to sudden and frequent high water of short duration. Streams flowing in the same directions as those commonly traversed by storm centers are par- ticularly subject to great floods. Steep slopes and rocky ground with thin soil cover promoting rapid runoff. Drainage areas lacking natural or artificial storage as lakes, swamps and reservoirs. River channels which present conditions favor- able to the formation of ice dams^ causing in- undations by backwater. Backwater conditions above the confluence of streams during flood stages. Forest covered plateaus at high altitudes which prevent deep snow from melting until late in the spring, when rainfall or high temperature, singly or in combination, may cause its sudden runoff. Prolonged rains with melting of deep snows. Moderate rains accompanied by high tempera- ture over drainage areas upon which large amounts of snow have accumulated. Frozen ground or saturated soil. Extensive lumbering and forest fires which destroy the forest litter, a factor in retarding runoff, and may under certain conditions, result in excessive erosion of hillsides causing soil to be deposited in the streams. Natural or artificial restrictions which may cause stream channels to become inadequate for flood discharge. Deposits of culm or other trades waste and encroachments placed by man are among the most prolific sources of trouble of this kind. The partial or complete failure of dams. Accumulations of debris which may produce inundations over limited areas. Forests are valuable principally in mitigating floods resulting from rainfall either of long dura- tion over wide areas, or of very intensive rain over small areas. The effect of forests in hilly or mountainous country is to absorb a part of the rainfall by interception and absorption by the forest litter, thus reducing by this amount the water which would naturally run off im- mediately from bare ground. It is apparent, however, that after the forest floors become saturated, the effect of the forests in retarding the flow will be lost and the percentage of rain- fall in very heavy storms thus absorbed, is but a small part of the whole. Forests, therefore, will not prevent such floods, but do reduce their height to some extent. In case of floods resulting from melting snow, forests may under certain circumstances reduce the rate of runoff, and in others increase it. As a general rule it has been our experience that the effect of forests is disadvantageous in this re- spect, because they hold the snow until late in the year when warm rains or sudden thaws are more likely to occur, thus resulting in the worst possible combination for high rates of flow from frozen ground. Damage from gorges or ice jams usually results when the ice moves out of the streams during ordinary or medium flood stages. Con- trary as it may seem, there is less danger from ice jams when the ice moves out during high stages than in ordinary ones, for it then has less opportunity to pack and cause backwater before breaking. During ordinary stages also the ice may break and go down stream to jam at a narrow, shallow or curved section of the river where it may hold and later become frozen into a practically solid mass which later will require extremely high backwater before it is forced out. It would seem, therefore, that increased flood- stages caused by melting snow held in the forests would be favorable to clearing ice from the river channels during the spring thaw, provided the runoff were not so severe as to cause damage of itself. There is one other matter which I might men- tion as of considerable importance in the re- lationship of forests and streams, and that is the effect of forests in reducing erosion. One of the contributing factors to floods is the silting up of the river channels and there can be no question as to the effect of forests in reducing the amount of material which would be washed into the streams from barren ground, especially in moun- tainous regions not suitable for cultivation. In summing up, therefore, it would appear that forests are most valuable in regulating streams and increasing the dry season flow when located in mountainous or hilly country, and that such forested areas tend to reduce the height of floods resulting from heavy rainfall of widespread or local distribution. They reduce erosion and con- sequent silting up of river channels and exert an advantageous influence upon flood flow, except possibly in the case of floods resulting Irom melting snow which has been retained in the forests until late in the spring. More than 1200 pupils in the schools of Carbon county have entered into a tree planting cam- paign under the direction of Prof. James J. Bevan, Superintendent of Schools. This work is being promoted in co-operation with the Depart- ment of Forests and Waters. Great interest has been shown by the teachers of the schools who have entered into this work enthusiastically and have developed an earnest attitude on the part of the students. In the grades above the fourth grade, each student will plant 10 trees, and in the high schools the students will plant 25 trees each. The trees have been planted along vacant land, about springs, and on unsightly places. Some of the trees have also been planted as wind breaks. It is planned to have the tree planting work followed by essays and reports on these tree planting projects. Each year a greater in- terest is being manifested by the school children of Pennsylvania in forest tree planting. Many Louisiana bankers are making fire pro- tection and reforestation compulsory on mort- gaged lands, announces the Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture. For the pur- pose of insuring the resale possibilities of such property they bind the mortgagor to make every effort to prevent forest fires on his land and to plant trees on waste and cut-over areas. The Louisiana Bankers' Association in April, 1925, adopted the following as the standard forestry clause for insertion in mortgages: **The mortgagor does hereby further bind him- self to put his waste or idle lands not suitable to agriculture to trees and to protect all forest trees and tree seedlings growing on any of the above- described lands, and he further pledges that fires or other destructive agencies will be prevented wherever possible. '' 76 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 17 FORESTS AND THE ANTHRACITE INDUSTRY •"I \ By A. C. Silvius, Forester, Philadelphia & Read- ing Coal & Iron Company THE forests of this region were originally as luxuriant as any in Pennsylvania. The virgin stands were mixed hardwoods and conifers, with yellow pines, oaks, maple and chestnut covering the broad mountain flats, and hemlock, white pine, chestnut, maple, beech, birch, poplar, hickory and ash, the intervening valleys. This region was then truly an amazing domain of forests, fish and game. It compre- hended an unbroken chain covering what is now the Anthracite Coal measures from Forest City at the northeast to Harrisburg at the southwest. The Indians or native Americans who then sparsely populated it, found it truly a happy hunting ground. For just as the trees grew, large, tall and straight, unharmed and undam- aged, so the animals prospered, developed and populated the region as probably they never will again. With many buffalo, elk, bear, deer, wolf, panther, wild cat, mink, otter, squirrel and many others of minor character, truly to the first set- tlers it was a howling wilderness. It was so much so that the region was called the ''Wilderness of St. Anthony '^ by the first inhabitants, prob- ably in honor of the first Christian hermit and also because of the wild, uninhabitated, moun- tainous nature of this region. The streams were then crystal, clear and sparkling, full of trout, pike, i)erch and other fish. The water was nearly ecjual in volume the year around and always fresh and cool on the hottest summer day. The Indians probably found it this way, at any rate, such is the state they left it on being driven out by civilization and the white man. Will the white man restore the forest and forest life as the Indian left it? Or will he continue to allow present conditions to prevail and slowly, but surely, allow this rich heritage of forest and ani- mal life to be dissipated and the land become utterly barren of all surface values? We have written of the past but the present is our chief concern. Fires, chiefly are responsible for the present more or less unproductive and barren condition of our mountain lands. Can we allow the for- ests to disappear or deteriorate any further? Already many acres are too barren to regenerate naturally and each year many more acres are going into that class. Can the land owner and the public bear the burden of planting up arti- ficially the entire anthracite region? The land owner will hardly do it and the public cannot afford to do it, in absence of complete ownership. Yet present conditions are leading the land owner straight into such a predicament. Fur- ther, what the public cannot afford to do it will either force the land owner to do or failing, go into the market and purchase forest lands on its own account. The state forest loan act of the last two legis- latures is now ready for the vote of the people of Pennsylvania and should they decide affirma- tively on this question, there is no doubt, lands will be purchased in this region for state forest purposes. This done, an example to private land owners in thoroughgoing forest protection will be established and the protection afforded state lands will re-act, assist and stimulate the pro- tection of private lands. On the whole the state's effort in this respect should be quite favorable and encouraging to the practice of forestry in a substantial way on privately owned lands. From the standpoint of the obligation of the Commonwealth to the common-weal, there is no better region for State forest purchase than the mountainous region of Eastern Pennsylvania, es- pecially the lands within or adjoining the An- thracite coal fields. This is so, because of their present condition, their favorable situation for the practice of for- estry and the need for better protection and assistance to the private forest owner. To my mind it is absolutely certain that when the mountain lands of the Anthracite region are given adequate protection (considerably more than that now given) it will be only a question of time until the principal land owners will plant their unproductive lands, either alone or through State assistance, in order to restore a tax paying asset to the point where it produces sufficient revenue to carry the investment. The great weakness of forest protection here is the dearth of merchantable timber and conse- quent timber values. Because little value is now present little care or protection is given by both owner and the public. On the other hand the great strength of forestry in the region is the very low investment in surface lands, plus the proximity of growing trees and timber to a high and unexacting market — the timber bank of every anthracite mine. Timber growing near an anthracite mine has a high stumpage value, because the price paid is based on the source of largest volume, which in the case of 8 to 14 inch timber is at least several hundred miles from the region and must bear all freight, labor and stumpage costs, whereas, tim- ber within a few miles of the collieries can be delivered direct by team or truck and no freight is paid. When it is known that the freight bills average one-half the cost of the delivered article, it is seen that timber grown near the mines must have a greater value on the stump than material shipped in from considerable distance. In addi- tion, anthracite mines use low grade and small timber in large quantities which gives timber of comparative poor quality and small size a plus value, whereas in other parts of the State or some distance from mines it has a negative value. As a consequence of all this, a crop of timber is merchantable at an early age, and has a higher value than anywhere else in Pennsylvania. Under careful handling and management the forests of this region can be made more profit- able to the owners than anywhere else in Penn- sylvania. To accomplish this, all the effort and strength of State and land owners must get be- hind the problem of preventing forest fires and the speedy extinction of all fires that occur. To accomplish this much desired result is peculiarly difficult for the following reasons: 1. The region contains a large population of foreign born residents, who are more or less ignorant of American customs, habits of thought and methods. 2. Many have no interest in the community in which they live, save to get out of it all they can and give nothing. Great numbers own no real estate or forest property and therefore have no direct interest in the soil or its productivity. 3. The region is largely non-agricultural and therefore contains large tracts of unbroken for- est land save for mining patches, coal operations, towns and cities. The towns and operations are connected with an intricate net-work of rail- roads, roads, and paths, all of which pass with rarely an exception through the forest over iieavy grades which cause the operation of steam engines to be extraordinarily hazardous. 4. Because of the abundance of forest land Mild the fact that it encloses the towns and vil- lages even to the back yards of its residents, ex- poses the land to all forms of carelessness with lire, from the boy who thoughtlessly throws his cigarette into the dry leaves to the man who l)urn3 brush on a dry, windy day and allows his lire to escape into adjoining woodland. The very iibundance and omnipresence of forest land cheapens it in the eyes of the average citizen. In addition, because much of the land is in brush and always has been as far as his knowledge goes, due to forest fires, he believes such land to be worthless for tree production and holds little respect and accordingly little care for it. He reasons why be careful with fire when the fire destroys nothing of value. Which, of course, is sound logic and perhaps good economics were it true. Fortunately, for Pennsylvania and this region, brush land and more or less barren moun- tain land does have a value — a potential value of great promise and it only remains for we humans to nurture and protect that value for the general welfare now, and for the land owner and public 25 to 50 years hence. 5. Much of the land is owned by coal com- panies and is frequently held in large blocks by single corporations, and while the people in the region have free use of these lands for fishing, hunting and recreation, they generally apj>ear to have little interest in the forest, especially, the permanent maintenance of it in valuable tree growth. 6. Anthracite mining has frequently forced the cutting of immature timber and timber that would normally not be cut. Due to undermining and breaching on many acres, the problem is no longer one of growing a mature crop of trees, but one of salvage wherein immediate cutting makes possible the profitable use of the trees as against postponement to a later time and ulti- mate loss of a large portion of the stand. Such cuttings and others have unfortunately been burned over frequently, leaving much of the land in an apparent stand-still or idle condition. The observant layman frequently forms the impres- sion that such lands are worthless for tree grow- ing and therefore, why be careful for their pro- tection, especially, when occasional fires are of value in bringing forth a prolific and much de- sired huckleberry crop? 7. It will be seen that all these factors lend themselves to placing and keeping the Anthracite region in the unenviable position of being the most hazardous and therefore, subject to more forest fires than anywhere else in Pennsylvania, or in fact anywhere in the United States. On the authority of the U. S. Bureau of Mines the annual timber consumption is 61,600,000 cubic feet or approximately 740,000,000 board feet. This is a trifle over 9 board feet per ton coal production. The consumption has nearly doubled in the past 18 years, and within that period the price has quadrupled, so that it is probably within the bounds of accuracy to say 78 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 79 that the annual timber bill of the Anthracite mines is about eight times as great as it was in 1907. The timber bill of the Anthracite region, according to the figures stated, is $16,930,000.00, and on this basis the actual expense for timber is approximately 25 cents per ton of coal shipi>ed to market. This cost of course, does not include the cost of setting the timber in the mines or of treating it with preservatives in any way. Many people believe that mining has such a deterrent effect on tree growth that it is im- possible to grow merchantable trees on areas from beneath which the coal has been removed. This belief has developed from the observation that where mining has extensively progressed, little or no tree growth exists. The truth is, mining has forced the cutting on such lands and coupled with the great hazard of such areas it has become an area of frequent forest fires. Burn forest land often enough and it will become an area of huckleberry, sweet fern and bracken undermined or not disturbed in the least by coal mining. It is true that where coal removal ap- proaches the surface to the proximity of the roots of the growing trees, that tree growth will be retarded, due to the water holding qualities of the soil being reduced. Such conditions are possible on comparatively limited areas, so that the evil effect of undermining is practically negligible and should be ignored in increment studies over large areas. Since the Anthracite region can be made to grow timber of equal quality with that out- side its borders, coupled with the fact that mer- chantable tree growth is possible in a lesser num- ber of years and that it has a higher value here than elsewhere, makes it possible to grow trees as a business proposition when elsewhere in Pennsylvania a profit is as yet not possible. All this is due to that fact that timber grown near the points of consumption has the greatest value, as little haulage is involved in delivery to the colliery timber banks; where prices are paid based on the cost of delivery and harvesting, from the points of major production at present, Virginia and North Carolina. As the points of major prop and lumber pro- duction become further and further removed from the Anthracite region the cost delivered here will increase due to larger freight charges, so that the profit from growing trees in the region should steadily increase and the practice of forestry become increasingly attractive. Easily 40 per cent, of the $16,930,000.00 timber bill of the Anthracite producers repre- sents freight charges which could be saved if the timber were grown in this region. Since the timber crop is of such nature that it cannot be grown next year or the next ten years, but must wait 30 to 40 years, it appears that if only a small percentage of the annual cost of freight haulage were invested in protection and re-fores- tation that the region would be assured of a new crop in a comparatively limited time at a total cost of no more than one yearns freight charges. The freight cost on the 40 per cent, basis is $6,772,000.00, and if only 3 per cent, of this cost or $203,000.00 were invested annually it would require 33 years to expend a sum equal to the present annual cost of timber delivery from the points of production to the points of consump- tion— a time sufficiently long to grow merchant- able trees in the Anthracite region. If the area of land owned by Anthracite pro- ducers, estimated to be 500,000 acres, were taken in hand in this manner, an annual expenditure of 40 cents per acre could be made within the $203,000.00 allotted for this purpose, a sum amply sufficient to thoroughly protect and de- velop all their holdings if held in units greater than 5,000 acres. The company represented by the writer is now spending about 30 cents per acre per annum for protection and development and while the system we have developed is not perfect nor has it reduced the annual area burned to proportions that make it safe to plant on many acres, yet each year is showing improvement and we feel that when another fiv6 years has elapsed, for- est fire hazards and the public care of the woods will have so improved with the personnel of our organization, that immature and growing trees will be comparatively safe from the fire demon. In other words, by 1930 and after, not more than 1 per cent, of our land will burn over annually on the average. While even such a percentage is high for some regions of the United States, it will for many years be a very good average to attain in this region of large hazard and high timber values. Should the large forest owners of the region spend as much as 40 cents per acre per annum, a complete change in the appearance of our mountain lands would result within ten years. Instead of large areas of idle loafing acres, as you now see so prominently, due to annual or biennial fires, you will have within ten years large areas of working active acres. Acres thick with growing shoots of young hardwood trees and acres thick, green and luxuriant due to plantings of fast growing coniferous seedlings. Based on the experience of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company, the 40 cents annual expenditure could be well spent for the following projects, though due to variable for- est conditions and hazards, the amount placed after each item should be changed to suit the individual land owners: For roads, trails and fire lanes 15c per acre For surveys and maps 2c * * * * For forest planting 4c For fire prevention 4c For fire extinction 2c For tools and supplies Ic For supervision 5c For miscellaneous expenses 2c For slash disposal 5c it n u n it it It Total 40c '' '' It will be seen from these items of expendi- ture that an organized system of protection and development is necessary and that on account of the practical and technical nature of the work where more than 25,000 acres of land are in- volved the services of a trained forester should be obtained. Unless and until organized work of this char- acter is begun in this region, little help from the average individual will be obtained and without his help and co-operation failure is almost as- sured from the start. Finally, the* anthracite forests are passing through a transition period, a period between the irross neglect of them, as obtained ten to twenty years ago, and the period near at hand wherein forest fires will be regarded as real public calamities and wherein the best equipment and talent will be employed to prevent and suppress them. This period of transition is similar to the one the central portion of our state passed through \^'n to fifteen years ago. A period of education, many fires and much misunderstanding. Today, this region largely state owned, rarely Jias a large fire and not many small ones. Forest fires are here considered very detrimental to the welfare of the citizens who live near the forests !>nd public sentiment is such that when a fire ''(•curs, the local residents march out almost to a man to kill and slay the demon, that kills their game, destroys their fish anrd keeps lumber prices so high that many can ill afford to use it. In fact, the rural resident, surrounded by poten- tial lumber in the form of immature trees, is often compelled to pay more for it than the for- est distant city dweller. In ten years we believe the anthracite region will approximate the favorable forest production conditions now prevailing in our central coun- ties. In the face of all the hazards and near barren mountains this belief may seem to some a hopeless wish or idle dream, but such have not reckoned with the men who have made the an- thracite region the liveliest, wealthiest and most prosperous in Pennsylvania. Men who, when aroused (and a few now are) will leave no ob- struction dismay or deter them until the great- est natural perpetuating- resource of the re- gion is allowed to function and produce as the great Creator intended. When our business men and forest owners see the fire demon as a destroyer of the prosperity of the region, as it in fact is, they will act in no uncertain manner and speedily place it on a par with other forest regions of this state. A California Big Tree 60 feet high and 4 feet in diameter at the base of its tapering trunk has been reported near Cayuga Lake, Central New York, by W. C. Muenscher of the New York State College of Agriculture. The exact location is about 200 yards from the edge of the lake on a gentle slope exposed to the cold winds from the water. The lower branches of the tree have been removed from a distance of over 30 feet from the ground. The upper branches are in good condition and are covered with dark g^een leaves. With the aid of field glasses numerous well developed cones were observed in the top of the tree. None of the cones picked up on the ground contained fertile seeds. According to the present owner of the land, the tree was brought from California by an old sea captain between 1820 and 1830. In 1850 the property was purchased by the father of the present owner who was much interested in trees and took special care of the Sequoia. The soil around the tree was frequently fertilized with manure, but not plowed. The tree always ap- peard hardy and never suffered from cold winters until the severe winter of 1917-1918 when most of the lower branches were removed. Before this the lower branches reached almost to the ground. 80 FOREST LEAVES NEW PUBLICATIONS "Through Field and Woodland"— By Alice Rich Northrop. Edited by Oliver Perry Medsger. pp. 532. 1925. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York. This book does what all books on out-doors attempt, but not all accomplish. It is an in- door companion for the person addicted to rambles in the open. Written in a popular style, it conveys the necessary technical information about wild things with the use of a minimum of technical words. When words, such as monecious and dioecious, angiosperm and gymnosperm, are used, their meaning is carefully explained. The contents include, in the botany section, chapters on ferns, mosses and fungi; our com- mon trees and wild shrubs; flowers; grasses and sedges; our common weeds; and an interesting chapter on common poisonous plants. The zoo- logical portion has chapters on our common fur- bearing animals; birds; snakes, turtles and their relatives; frogs, toads and newts; and insects. In addition there is a chapter each on pond and brook life; galls and their makers; and spiders and their relatives. Mrs. Northrop 's great love for all wild life, and especially the trees, is indicated in this state- ment: ^*It might be said that one cannot know trees until he has tree friends just as he has human friends." The reader is impressed by the fact that to her the trees were friends indeed. The charm of this book lies not so much in the very readable information which it conveys, as in the many vistas which are opened up and shown in entirely new lights through the medium of Mrs. Northrop 's observing eyes and choice language. It inspires one to go out * through field and woodland" and see new and beautiful things for himself. The book is attractively bound in dark green covers with gold lettering. It contains over a hundred illustrations, many of them in color, be- sides numerous line drawings. H. E. Clepper. America's Greatest Garden.— By E. H. Wilson. The Stratford Company, Publishers, Boston, Mass., 1925. This book of 123 pages is embellished with 50 figures, or halftone plates, inserted with the text. The frontispiece is a portrait of the director of the Arnold Arboretum, Prof. Chas. Sprague Sar- gent. The author, who is assistant director of the arboretum, considers first. What the Arboretum Is, and in successive chapters, he treatsof the various important features and collections of trees and shrubs which together constitute the Arnold Ar- boretum, located at Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston, comprising about 250 acres of meadows, hills, valleys and steep cliffs, with ponds and running waters. The chapter heads indicate the general method of treatment. Spring Pageantry, Summer Luxuriance, Autumn Glory, Winter Beauty, Cherry Blossom Festival, Crab- apple Opulence, Lilac time. Azalea Carnival, Hawthorn, Oaks and Hickories, Rhododendrons and Mountain Laurel, Conifers, Climbing Plants, Border Plantings, Food for Feathered Friends, The Shrub Garden, What the Arboretum Does. The book awakens especial appeal to plant lovers, because of its numerous fine illustrations and its attractive text printed on Flemish Book and Art Gloss Enamel. The appeal is also to the public to support the garden with contribu- tions of funds to the endowment of the garden, so that the work which has been accomplished under the able leadership of Prof. Sargent may continue throughout the years that are to come. John W. Harshberger. Pie naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien. II Band Musci (Laubmose).— By A. Engler. 2 Halfte redi^ giert von V. F. Brotherus and 21 Band Parie- tales, und Opuntiales redigiert von E. Gilg, Leipzig. Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann, 1925. This note is to publish the fact that the sec- ond part of the moss volume of the Natural Fami- lies of Plants has appeared and should be added to the library of moss lovers, who may have read the review of the first part of this work in ''Forest Leaves." The twenty-first volume de- scribes the characteristic of 33 families and their genera of flowering plants comprised in the orders PARIETALES and OPUNTIALES. One of the families treated is THEACEAE, which includes our rare tree genus ''Gordonia.'* Other selec- tions of genera might be made to show the appli- cability of the work to the study of forest botany. John W. Harshberger. New Hampshire now owns forty-seven separate tracts of forest land comprising a total acreage of 20,133 acres. Three of these— Crawford Notch, Cardigan Mountain, and A. E. Pillsbury reserva- tions each contain more than 2,000 acres. / PUBLISHED BY THE PENNSYIVANIA FORESTRY ASSOC! PHILADELPHIA. PA. jT ^ „ I saaagas 80 FOREST LEAVES NEW PUBLICATIONS "Through Field and Woodland"— By Alice Rich Northrop. Edited by Oliver Perry Medsger. pp. 532. 1925. a. P. Putnam's Sons, New York. This book does what all books on out-doors attempt, but not all accomplish. It is an in- door companion for the person addicted to rambles in the open. Written in a popular style, it conveys the necessary technical information about wild things with the use of a minimum of technical words. When words, such as monecious and dioecious, angiosperm and gymnosperm, are used, their meaning is carefully explained. The contents include, in the botany section, chapters on ferns, mosses and fungi; our com- mon trees and wild shrubs; flowers; grasses and sedges; our common weeds; and an interesting chapter on common poisonous plants. The zoo- logical portion has chapters on our common fur- bearing animals; birds; snakes, turtles and their relatives; frogs, toads and newts; and insects. In addition there is a chapter each on pond and brook life; galls and their makers; and spiders and their relatives. Mrs. Northrop 's great love for all wild life, and especially the trees, is indicated in this state- ment: ^^It might be said that one cannot know trees until he has tree friends just as he has human friends.'' The reader is impressed by the fact that to her the trees were friends indeed. The charm of this book lies not so much in the very readable information which it conveys, as in the many vistas which are opened up and shown in entirely new lights through the medium of Mrs. Northrop 's observing eyes and choice language. It inspires one to go out ^ through field and woodland" and see new and beautiful things for himself. The book is attractively bound in dark green covers with gold lettering. It contains over a hundred illustrations, many of them in color, be- sides numerous line drawings. H. E. Clepper. America's Greatest Garden.— By E. 11. Wilson. The Stratford Company, J»ublishers, Boston, Mass., 1925. This book of 123 pages is embellished with 50 figures, or halftone plates, inserted with the text. The frontispiece is a jmrtrait of the director of the Arnold Arboretum, Prof. Chas. Sprague Sar- gent. The author, who is assistant director of the arboretum, considers first. What the Arboretum Is, and in successive chapters, he treats of the various important features and collections of trees and shrubs which together constitute the Arnold Ar- boretum, located at Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston, comprising about 250 acres of meadows, hills, valleys and steep cliffs, with ponds and running waters. The chapter heads indicate the general method of treatment. Spring Pageantry, Summer Luxuriance, Autumn Glory, Winter Beauty, Cherry Blossom Festival, Crab- apple Opulence, Lilac time. Azalea Carnival, Hawthorn, Oaks and Hickories, Rhododendrons and Mountain Laurel, Conifers, Climbing Plants, Border Plantings, Food for Feathered Friends, The Shrub Garden, What the Arboretum Does. The book awakens especial appeal to plant lovers, because of its numerous fine illustrations and its attractive text printed on Flemish Book and Art Gloss Enamel. The appeal is also to the public to support the garden with contribu- tions of funds to the endowment of the garden, so that the work which has been accomplished under the able leadership of Prof. Sargent may continue throughout the years that are to come. John W. Harshberger. Die naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien. II Band Musci (Laubmose).— By A. Engler. 2 Halfte redi. giert von V. F. Brotherus and 21 Band Parie- tales, und Opuntiales redigiert von E. Gilg, Leipzig. Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann, 1925. This note is to publish the fact that the sec- ond part of the moss volume of the Natural Fami- lies of Plants has appeared and should be added to the library of moss lovers, who may have read the review of the first part of this work in ''Forest Leaves." The twenty-first volume de- scribes the characteristic of 33 families and their genera of flowering plants comprised in the ordei-s PARIETALES and OPUNTIALES. One of the families treated is THEACEAE, which includes our rare tree genus ''Gordonia." Other selec- tions of genera might be made to show the appli- cability of the work to the study of forest botany. John W. Harshberger. New Hampshire now owns forty-seven separate tracts of forest land comprising a total acreage of 20,133 acres. Three of these— Crawford Notch, Cardigan Mountain, and A. E. Pillsbury reserva- tions each contain more than 2,000 acres. INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE CONTENTS The Jackson Stuckey Grove Near Bakers Summit, Northern Bedford p^°" County, Pa Phue Editorials 81 Forest Fires in the United States in 1924 81 Rotten Wood Used for Polishing Watch Parts 81 Forestry as Practiced by a Coal Corporation 82 Camping Out 84 An Indian Fossil Tree 84 Oak Tree is Favorite Target for Lightning 85 Coniferous Trees as a Farm Crop 85 Tioga County's Forest 86 Erie Branch of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association 87 The Greason White Oak 88 The Cumberland Elm 88 Cedars in Morocco 89 Cedars in Lebanon 89 Growing Christmas Trees a Coming Business 89 The Role of Bacteria in* the Successful Growing of Black Locust 90 National Forest Resources 90 Pennsylvania Forestry Geology 91 Pennsylvania Public Camp Grounds 93 The Bamboo in the United States 95 Inroads Upon the Virgin Timber of the United States 95 Paper Mill Waste 96 New Publications 96 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FOUNDED IN JUNE, 1886 Labors to disseminate information in regard to the necessity and methods of forest culture and preservation, and to secure the enactment and enforcement of proper forest protective laws, both State and National. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE. THREE DOLLARS LIFE MEMBERSHIP. FIFTY DOLLARS Neither the membership nor the work of this Association is intended to be limited to the State of Pennsylvania. Persons desiring to become members should send their names to the Chairman of the Membership Committee, 130 South 15th Street, Philadelphia. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents, Robt. S. Conklin, J. F. Hendricks, Samuel L. Smedley, Mrs. David Reeves. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. Treasurer and Recording Secretary, F. L. Bitler. COMMITTEES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FINANCE— Dr. Henry M. Fisher, Chairman I lenry Howson, H. W. Shoemaker. J. Rodman Paul, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman Hon. Marshall Brown, Eli Kirk Price, George F. Craig, MEMBERSHIP— Harold Pierce, Chairman Miss Laura Bell Mrs. Chas. G. Hetzel Albert B. Weimcr Frank Buck Mrs. David Reeves Dr. W. P. Wilson Miss Mary K. Gibson Samuel D. Warriner PUBLICATION F. L. Bitler, Egbert S. Gary, Harrison Souder. Joseph S. I Hick, WORK — Mrs. Brinton Coxe, Chairman Mrs. David Reeves, Miss Ethel A. Shrigley, E. E. Wildman. Miss Mary K. Gibson, J. Franklin Meehan, OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATION. 130 S. FIFTEENTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA FOREST LEAVES PUBLISHBD Bl-MONTHLT Entered at the Philadelphia Poet-Office ■• teoood-ciaae matter, under Act of March 3d. 1879 Vol. XX— No. 6 PHILADELPHIA. DECEMBER. 1925 Whole Number 229 EDITORIALS THE Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association for the presentation of reports, election of officers and a general discussion of forestry interest will be held in the Gold Room of the'City Club, 313 South Broad Slreet, Philadelphia, Pa., at 3 P. M., on Monday, December 14th, 1925. We trust that all members who can will attend this meeting. Mr. Howard A. Chase, a life member of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, died on August 18th, 1925. He was much interested in trees and forests having been active in the sale of nursery stock and one of those who 45 years ago became convinced of the value of conserN^ation, and was particularly active in the Pocono Mountains. He has seen that section develop into one of the finest mountain resorts of the State of Pennsylvania. He was the sponsor of the bill passed by the Legislature of 1925 making it a misdemeanor to cut down, destroy or remove trees from woodlands without the consent of the owner, as provided in the Act of 1911, but enlarging the previous Act so as to include bark cutting, and the damaging or removing of shi-ubs, which lend so much beauty to our mountains. He was also much interested in the preserva- tion and propagation of fish. The Development Department of the Seaboard Air Line Railway has issued a colored placard of a lorest with a fiend starting fires in it. The text «ays, **Stop Burning the Grass in the Forests, (•razing will improve when the starting of fires is avoided. Fires prevent new tree growth, destroy organic soil matter and kill many valuable grasses. (rive the grasses a chance to grow and help the for- ests to come back.*' The Seaboard Railway is teaching a valuable lesson to the inhabitants of our Southern States. This section has furnished large amounts of timber, not only for local consumption, hut also for other States whose supplies were be- coming exhausted. It is now nearly all cut over, nnd these cut over lands should be protected from forest fires, so that another valuable timber crop can be grown on them. FOREST FIRES IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1924 91,921 forest fires swept 28,822,735 acres of public and private lands during the calendar year 1924, according to a report just compiled by the (Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture. The actual money damage was $38,- 128,426, exclusive of damage to young growth, watershed protection, wild life and recreational facilities. Money damage in 1924, estimated at $38,000,- 000, is $10,000,000 above the 1923 estimate and $18,000,000 higher than the nine-year average of $20,000,000. An analysis shows that incendiary fires top the list with about 23 per cent, of the total. Brush- burning comes next with 18 per cent., and fires caused by smokers is third with 14 per cent. Other chief causes of forest fires in 1924 were railroads, camp fires, lumbering, and lightning. Lightning is considered the only natural cause of forest fires. Only 6 per cent, of the 1924 fires were started by lightning. * * The greatest single agency with which to com- bat forest fires,*' said Colonel W. B. Greeley, Chief of the Forest Service, '*is public opinion. tt ROTTEN WOOD USED FOR POLISmNG WATCH PARTS AN interesting use of rotten wood is in the polishing of the fine parts of the highest grade Swiss and French watches, writes S. J. Record in ** American Forests and Forest Life.^^ Formerly this material was more exten- sively employed than at present, being largely supplanted by machinery and benzine. The escape parts and small screws are still in large part polished by hand and rotten wood. The value of rotten wood used annually in Switzer- land for this purpose is about four thousand dol- lars, the best quality bringing a price of one dollar 82 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 83 per pound. What is wanted is a yellowish-white silky material, soft and spongy, brittle and very light, and in which the growth rings are still visible. Such wood is produced by certain fungi growing in the stumps and roots of beech, maple, ash, aspen and willow. It is not easily found, being mostly confined to southern exposures in dry, shalloAv, stony soils in the mountainous regions. FORESTRY AS PRACTICED BY A COAL CORPORATION By LeRoy Frontz CORPORATIONS like Governments are long- lived organizations. With a large land area and resources a corporation is in a position to practice forestry that is second only to that occupied by a Government. They, too, like Governments must anticipate their needs many years in the future and lay their plans accordingly. Since I represent a Corporation that is en- deavoring to practice forestry and also make it pay its own way as far as possible, I thought it might be of interest to know of the forest product needs of such a Corporation and of the work that is being done to meet these same needs, future as well as present. We have found from our records and by careful checking that to mine one ton of coal two prop and two board feet of lumber are consumed. A prop foot is equivalent to a piece of lumber 4-in. X 4-in. x 12-in. The two board feet used per ton includes cross ties for tracks, roof sup- port, drift timber, mine car lumber, tipple tim- ber and repairs. The average daily tonnage of the mines when running is 5,000 tons. Thus our daily consumption of lumber is 10,000 prop and 10,OdO board feet. The mines run on an average of 250 days per year, using a total of 2,500,000 prop and 2,500,000 board feet, or changing prop feet to board feet we have a total of 5,500,000 board feet of lumber consumed each year. In addition, during the last four years 2 million board feet of lumber has been used in the con- struction of new houses for the miners. With from one to three hundred years of coal mining ahead at present rate of production, the question now arises as to where can this very necessary supply of forest products or timber to run the mines be secured. This question began to bother our officials a few years ago, due to the increasing dilliculty in securing the sizes and kinds of lumber needed and to the fast increasing' prices. The reason for this increasing scarcity and mounting prices of lumber of all kinds is, of course, due to the exhaustion or near exhaus- tion of the local supply of timber. In the face of this situation and as an answoi- to the question as to where this necessary supply of timber for running the mines can be gotten tho Forest Department of the Clearfield Bituminous Coal Corporation came into being. We expect to grow our own. The Corporation owns the surface rights to about 26,000 acres of land suited princi- pally for the growing of trees. With this acreage to work on three forests were established as fol- lows: Name Acreage County Peale 15,000 Centre & Clearfield Bigler 1,700 Clearfield Patton 4,500 Cambria Total 21,200 Each of these forests are in charge of a regularly employed warden or ranger. Wood workers and other help being employed as the occasion de- mands. The balance of ths acreage is scattered in small tracts near the Corporation's mines. This area is estimated to be divided up about as follows: 2,000 acres of virgin or merchantable tim- ber. 20,000 acres of young stuff from one to fifty years of age about one-third of which is stocked ; the remainder will require filling in by plant- ing. 4,000 acres of barren, or nearly so, due to repeated burnings. This area will have to be reforested by planting. These lands will grow on an average of a cord o wood per acre per year, or about 500 to 550 board feet. Our present land area after the barrens have been planted will produce each year about 15 million board feet or about three times the amount of lumber the mines are now using. The first thing necessary to the practice of forestry is fire protection. As a well known forester has said ' ' without fire protection forestry is impracticable if not impossible.'' One of the first acts of the forester was to make these lands as nearly fire proof as possible. This fire proof- ing has been accomplished by developing a system of fire trails and roads over the forest areas so as to make them accessible and by employing patrolmen and lookout men during the dry, or danger, season. A fire tower has been erected and is connected with the State Tower by tele- phone. The roads and trails have been laid out so that they can be used in logging the areas which they cover. It is noteworthy that since the construction of one of these trails in the Peale Forest above the New York Central tracks of the IJeech Creek Division that no fires have run over this area which previous to the time of doing this work was burnt every year and sometimes twice in the same year. During 1924 two fires occurred on Corporation land burning an area of sixty acres. The lumbering that is now being done consists of removing fire scarred, dead, or dying and down timber. Sound trees of valuable species are left as seed trees. Care is used in logging to protect and to save from injury as far as possible the young trees of all valuable species. (After the logs are removed from the woods and to the landing they are loaded on flat cars and shipped over the New York Central lines to our Mill at Clymer. This is electrically equipped, uses a 60-in. circular saw and has a capacity of 21),()00 board feet, the power being generated at the Corporation's Central Plant a scant mile away. The by-products from the sawing as mine caps, plastering lath and fire wood pay all Mill labor. One of the big advantages of having the mill located close to the mines is that any kind or size of timber can be supplied on short notice. In connection with the Saw Mill and Lumber Yard a Planing Mill is operated. An open tank treating plant has been recently added to our equipment. Ties, lagging plank, osits of sands and muds of hundreds of mil- lions years ago played important parts in de- termining the characteristics of our soils. The sands of ancient beaches have been consolidated into sandstones. Some of these are porous; others are not. By the actions of weathering agencies these rocks very slowly break down once more to sand grains, and the resultant soil is consequently a sandy one with sandstone peb- bles and boulders. The silts and muds of ancient seas formed shales upon consolidation and pressures and mo- tions gave rise to slates and slate-like rocks. When these are disintegrated by weathering they once more return to their clayish forms whose soils are characteristic of their type. The limy precipitates, whether of organic or inorganic origin, have formed limestones which are both pure and impure. These rocks occur near the surface in the very broad, rolling, pro- tected valleys. The lime of such rocks is easily soluble in rainwater and surface waters, leaving behind iron oxides, sands, etc., which were im- purities. Such soils are remarkably deep, well- drained, and fertile, and areas in which they are found in Pennsylvania have long been areas in which agricultural pursuits were predominant. The folding of 200 million years ago deter- mined the location, shape, and direction of the folds in the central part of the State. The folded hard strata, with softer ones adjoining, pre-determined the location and direction of future mountains. All these factors, plus the erosion since that time, have ordained that certain areas shall be piedominantly agricultural, and that other lo- calities can be most useful for the general pur- poses of forestation. It might further be shown that the depths of seas, their temperatures, and the characteristics of the sea-waters which existed in the long past had much to do in determining whether oak trees or other types should be grown by us in certain areas; but to do so would be beyond the scope of this article. PENNSYLVANIA PUBLIC CAMP GROUNDS IN order to aid the public in the enjoyment of the outing places afforded by the State Forests, the Department of Forests and Waters have established two classes of Public Camp Grounds. There are 14 Class A Public Camp Grounds which have been set aside along fairly well traveled highways. These grounds are equipped with space for tents, a supply of pure water, fire places, comfort stations, tables, benches, gar- bage containers and other facilities. Temporary shelter in the form of lean-tos and covered fire places furnish some protection from severe weather. The names and locations of these Class **A'' camps are as follows: Class "A" Public Camp Grounds on Pennsylvania State Forests 1. Smith Place — Along Clearfield Road, 8 miles from Clearfield, Clearfield County. 2. Tea Springs — Along Loganton-White Deer Turnpike, about 2 miles east of Sugar Valley, Clinton County. 3. Caledonia Park — Along the Lincoln Highway between Chambersburg and Gettysburg, about 8 miles east of Chambersburg, Franklin County. 4. Coleraine — Near State Highway between Spruce Creek and State College, about 3 miles northeast of town of Spruce Creek, Huntingdon County. 5. Greenwood — Five miles north of Belleville, Huntingdon County. 6. Laurel Run — Along Lewistown-Bellefonte Turnpike, 2 miles west of Milroy, Miffiin County. 7. Big Spring — Along Blain-Dry Run Road, 5% miles southwest of New Germantown, Perry County. 8. Childs Park-^Along Silver Creek Road, about 2 miles west of Dingman's Ferry, !|' 94 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 95 M « which lies on State Highway Route 167 between Stroudsburg and Milford, Pike County. 9. Promised Land— Along Canadensis-Hawley Turnpike, about 11 miles northeast of Canadensis and 12 miles southwest of Hawley, Pike County. 10. Ole Bull— Otie mile west of Jersey Shore- Coudersport Pike from Oleona, Potter County. 11. Paterson Place— Along Cherry Springs Drive Section of Jersey Shore-Coudersport Turn- pike, about 10 miles south of Coudersport, Potter County. 12. Snyder-Middleswarth— Six miles west of Troxelville, Snyder County. 13. Darling Run— About 3/4 mile south of Roosevelt Highway at Ansonia, Tioga County. 14. Adams Falls — Four miles south from Lincoln Highway at Laughlintown, Westmoreland County. There are 19 Class '^B'^ Public Camp Grounds, which are located away from the main roads and are intended primarily for the use of hikers, hunters, fishermen, vacationists or picnickers who wish to get as far in the woods as they can. The facilities are practically the same as the Class '^A'' Camps. The Class ''B" ftre located as follows. Class "B" Public Camp Grounds on Pennsylvania State Forests 1. Sizerville— Along Emporium-Keating Sum- mit Road, V2 mile east of Sizerville, Camer- on County. 2. Byron Krumrine — Along Penn^s Creek, about 5 miles south of Coburn, Centre County. 3. The Old Locust— Along Lewistown-Belle- fonte Highway, 5% miles southeast of Centre Hall, Centre County. 4. McCall Dam— Along McCall Dam forest road linking State Highway Route 306 with Sugar Valley, Centre County. 5. Ravensburg — Along Loganton-Rauchtown township road, about 2% miles south of Rauchtown, Clinton County. G. Strow's Run— Along Caledonia-Mount Holly Springs road north of Lincoln Highway, about 2 miles from Pine Grove Furnace, Cumberland County. 7. Laurel Forge — Along Caledonia-Mount Holly Springs road about 17 miles north from Caledonia and the Lincoln Highway, Cum- berland County. 8. Bear Valley— In Reefer's Gap, about 12 miles northwest of Chambersburg and 4 miles beyond the western edge of the Cum- berland Valley, by way of Upper Stras- burg, Franklin County. 9. Buchanan Park— At President Buchanan's birthplace, about IV2 miles west of Foltz which lies on the McConnellsburg-Mercers- burg Pike south of the Lincoln Highway from Fort Loudon, Franklin County. 10. Clear Creek— Along Siegel-Millstone road, Jefferson County. 11. Upper Pine Bottom— Along Upper Pine Bot- tom Run, about 2% miles northwest of Waterville, Lycoming County. 12. Sulphur Spring— In Licking Creek Valley, about 8 miles southeast of Mount Union, Mifflin County. 13. Kansas Valley— lAt the Old Gibbons Place, Kansas Valley, about 5 miles southeast of East Waterford, Perry County. 14. Cherry Springs— Along Cherry Springs Drive section of Jersey Shore-Coudersport Turnpike, about 11 miles south of Couder- sport, Potter County. 15. Prouty Place — About 8 miles west of Jersey Shore-Coudersport Turnpike from a point about 8 miles south of Coudersport, Potter County. 16. Kooser— Along State Highway Route 180 between Somerset and Mount Pleasant, 12 miles west of Somerset, Somerset County. 17. Baldwin Run— Along Highway Route 22, 9 miles west of Wellsboro, Tioga County. 18. Joyce Kilmer— Along Lewisburg-Bellefonte State Highway, about 5 miles west of Hartleton and 5 miles east of Woodward, Union County. 19. Laurel Summit— Twelve miles south from Lincoln Highway at Laughlintown, West- moreland County. On either class of Public Camps, ground can be occupied by any person or group for two consecu- tive days. If they desire to continue camping on State Forests another site is suggested to them, so that the improved camps will serve the greatest number of people. THE BAMBOO IN THE UNITED STATES The New Zealand Forest Products Ltd., has undertaken as its fourth reforestation project tho planting of 55,000 acres of Monterey cypress. California redwood, Douglas fir and eucalyptus. FOR 25 years the United States Department of Agriculture has been studying the bam- boo and its behavior in the soils and climate of the United States. A number of different kinds of bamboo have been found to be adaptable und have become established in small groves in the South Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and Pacific Coast States where their beauty and charm as well as varied utilization have caused the traveler to view them with interest. Most of these plant- ings have been introduced from the Orient, chiefly Japan and China, where the bamboo is so in- timately bound up with the life of the people. That more groves have not been established is due to the fact that good plants are too bulky to transport great distances. The studies of the department, however, have yielded a method of propagation by means of underground root cuttings, or rhizomes, which may be easily transported and replanted with reasonable assurance that they will grow. Several groves are maintained by the department as nurseries where rhizomes for propagating ma- terial are now being produced for subsequent dis- tribution to individuals who desire to cooperate with the department in its work of establishing the bamboo over a wide territory. Some 50 in- dividual cooperators have been supplied this spring with foundation stock for small groves. This stock was planted in nurseries so that the ihizomes may increase their number and make more stock available for transplanting in the groves proper next spring. Eight to ten years is required to establish a grove that will furnish plants of large size. In the territory where the bamboo will thrive, namely, the South Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and Pacific Coast States, and some of the States of the lower Mississippi Valley, there are thousands of farms where there are opportunities for the development of small bamboo groves of an acre or two in extent. There are no good reasons why niost of these farms should not have such groves. The giant timber bamboo and one or two of the smaller growing kinds, such as the stake bamboo, would be most valuable for these farm-home irroves. These groves, if properly handled, in the course of 8 or 10 years would prove not only a source of profit but would be the means of pro- viding many conveniences for the farm and home, such as light fences, trellises, bean poles, pea stakes, and stakes for flowers and young trees. fish poles and fruit poles, hay-curing racks, and water-carrying pipes. Bamboos and poultry make a happy combina- tion, and their use in this connection is strongly recommended. Although many millions of dollars are spent each year for imported bamboo for commercial purposes, this trade can not be expected to play any part in the demand for home-grown bamboo for a good many years — at least not until enough groves have been established to assure the com- mercial interests of a continuous supply in a com- mercial quantity. The beginning of the bamboo industry in this country, then, must be based on its uses in a small way in the garden and around the home. INROADS UPON THE VIRGIN TIMBER OF THE UNITED STATES ^ ^ 'nr^ HE Census Bureau's lumber production I statistics for 1924, showing an output of 36 billion board feet, reveal in part the extent to which America's virgin timber stands are being drained to meet the Nation's requirements," said W. B. Greeley, chief of the Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture. ^'The fact that nearly all important industrial and agricultural regions are consuming billions of feet of virgin timber from the South and the far West and growing but little on the forest lands within their own boundaries is far from reassuring to those interested in forest conserva- tion," continued Chief Forester Greeley. Figures compiled by the Forest Service show that in 1923, when lumber production reached its highest point since the depression following the World War, 26 States produced less lumber than they consumed. Prominent among these are the populous States in the northern and eastern sections of the country where more than 30 million acres, once heavily timbered, now con- tribute but little to the Nation's lumber cut. It is further pointed out that California, one of the States still possessing large virgin forests, consumed in 1923 more than twice as much lum- ber as that State produced. Expressed in figures, California imported nearly three billion board feet to meet its needs in 1923, the last year for which lumber distribution figures are available. Other States which imported between one and two billion feet are New York, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, all of which except I i 96 FOREST LEAVES Illinois were once leading States in lumber pro- duction. ^'The drain upon the Nation's timber supply is a predominant domestic issue," said Mr. Greeley, ''and the American people must regard it as such until the rate of timber growth catches up with the rate of consumption. This drain is now believed to be four times the regrowth. The solution is plain— all forest land must grow tim- ber crops and further inroads upon the country's virgin timber should not result in increasing the present vast acreage of idle forest land.'* PAPER-MILL WASTE INSTI]AD of fouling streams, the w^ast4 from Swedish paper pulp mills is expected hence- forth to help keep dust out of the air. Though the air in Stockholm is on the average ten times as free from dust as that of London in a heavy fog, for instance, a campaign has been started to make it as nearly dust-free as possi- ble, and in this a valuable ally has been found in the sulphite lye which the pulp mills of Sweden have hitherto poured away as worthless waste. This summer all the macadamized or unpaved road- wavs and streets in Stockholm have been sprayed with the lye, to which lime water has been added to make it less soluble in rain. The city authori- ties of Malmoe and other places have also be- gun to buy the sulphite lye by the car load to use it on the roads, and a separate company has been formed to exploit the new dust-binding ma- terial. ^' The measurements of dust particles in the air have been made by the meteorologists and the Swedish Government's official meteorologist. Pro- fessor Andres K. Ingstrom, has calculated that on the average the air in Stockholm contains 4,000 dust particles per cubic centimeter, while in Lon- don the usual figure is 10,000 and in heavy "pea soup" fogs runs up to 50,000. The number of dust particles inhaled each minute by a person walking through a Ijondon winter fog has thus been estimated at 450,000,000. — Science, NEW PUBLICATIONS Oommon Forest Trees of Florida and How to Know Them. — Wilbur R. Mattoon, Extension Forester, U. S. Forest Service. 12 mo. 96 pages. Paper cover. Illustrated. The Flor- ida Forestry Association, Jacksonville, Fla. A pocket-size booklet which lists and describes the common forest trees of Florida has just been published by the Florida Forestry Association in co-operation with the Forest Service, U. S. For- estry Department of Agriculture. According to the new booklet, Florida contains 93 separate species of native trees, as well as many tropical and semi-tropical ones introduced into the State. In addition, the State has many species of trees found in more northern localities. In the lower part of the Florida peninsula are found about 100 species of trees which do not grow in any other part of the United States. The descriptions are written in brief, simple lan- guage, and are illustrated, thus making the tree guide easily followed. Mr. Mattoon has written similar guides for eleven States, in addition to the one for Florida, and is a recognized authority in his field. Selling Black-Walnut Timber. — Farmers' Bul- letin 1459. Warren D. Brush, Scientific As- sistant, U. S. Forest Service. 8 vo. 20 pages. Illustrated. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Black-walnut trees bring higher prices to the farmer than any other kind of timber. High-grade logs for making veneer and some parts of the black-walnut tree, like stumps with crinkle or rip- ple-mark figure, are in especial demand by the mills. Last year farmers sold walnut logs worth more than $2,000,000. Farmers who have black-walnut trees growing on their farms will be interested in this bulletin, just issued by the U. S. Department of Agricul- ture. This bulletin tells how the market value of the timber may be determined, and discusses in detail how to find the best market. Proper methods of cutting logs, stumps, and crotches are described and illustrated, and costs of felling and hauling are given. The bulletin gives detailed directions for esti- mating the contents of logs and standing timber, for grading, and for selling. Recently the Washington Natural Parks As- sociation raised $2,000 by popular subscription to buy a number of large monarchs of the for- est, about 35 miles from Seattle, Wash. The land occupied by the grove will be set aside as a State Park. It contains 20 large trees. The largest is 2,300 years old, stands 200 feet high, is 58 feet in circumference, and 18.4 feet in diameter. Count Esteban Salazar Cologan, late Spanish Consul in Sftn Francisco, Cal., bequeathed his large fortune to the support of reforestation in Spain. It is said the annual income will be about $1,500,000. I CONTENTS Paqb Natural Regeneration of Scotch Pine at Sugar Grove, Pa ^j'JtV Narrative of the Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Associ- Q7 ation ^' Report of the Council of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association 98 National Reforestation 1^2 The Betsy Aikley Cottonwood 103 Treasurer's Report ^^^ Important Tree Places in Pennsylvania 104 National Forest Administration 107 Foresters Find Pipe Smoker a Menace 108 Forest Fire Prevention 109 National Aid in the Advancement of Forestry HO White Pine Blister Rust Control HI Weather Conditions and Forest Fires in California 112 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FOUNDED IN JUNE, 1886 Labors to disseminate information in regard to the necessity and methods of forest culture and preservation, and to secure the enactment and enforcement of proper forest protective laws, both State and National. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE, THREE DOLLARS LIFE MEMBERSHIP. FIFTY DOLLARS Neither the membership nor the work of this Association is intended to be limited to the Stale of Pennsylvania. Persons desiring to become members should send their names to the Chairman of the Membership Committee, 130 South 15th Street, Philadelphia. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents, Robt. S. Conklin, J. F. Hendricks, Samuel L. Smedley, Mrs. David Reeves. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. Treasurer and Recording Secretary. F. L. Biiler. COMMITTEES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Henry Howson, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman George F. Craig, FINANCE — Dr. Henry M. Fisher, Chairman H. W. Shoemaker. J. Rodman Paul, Hon. Marshall Brown, Miss Laura Bell Frank Buck Miss Mary K. Gibson F. L. Biiler, Mrs. David Reeves, Miss Mary K. Gibson, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman Eli Kirk Price, MEMBERSHIP— Harold Pierce, Chairman Mrs. Chas. G. Hetzel Mrs. David Reeves Samuel D. Warriner PUBLICATION Egbert S. Gary, Joseph S. Illick, Albert B. Weimer Dr. W. P. Wilson Harrison Souder. WORK — Mrs. Brinton Coxe, Chairman Miss Ethel A. Shrigley, E. E. Wildman. J. Franklin Meehan, FOREST LEAVES Published Bi-Monthlt Entered at the PhiUdclphia Port-Office at •eoood-claM matter, under Act of March 3d, 187© Vol. XX— No. 7 PHILADELPHIA, FEBRUARY. 1926 Whole Number 230 NARRATIVE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION THE Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association was held at the City Club, Philadelphia on Monday, December 14th at 3 P. M. President Henry S. Drinker in the chair. The reading of the minutes of the last annual Meeting was dispensed with. The reports of the Council, and of the Treas- urer, were then read, approved, and will be found on other pages of this issue. The Nominating Committee made its report, and Dr. Harry A. Rothrock, and Samuel Marshall were appointed tellers of election. After collect- ing the ballots the following officers were de- clared unanimously elected to' serve during the coming year. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker. Vice-Preaidenta, Robert S. Conklin, J. Freeman Hendricks. Mrs. David Reeves. Samuel L. Smedley. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. Recording Secretary and Treaaurer, F. L. Bitler. COUNCIL Adams County, Miss Mira L. Dock. Allegheny County, H. M. Brackenridge, Frank J. Lanahan. George M. Lehman, Hon. Walter Lyon, John E. Potter. Beaver County, Robert W. Darragh. Bedford County, W. L. Byers. Berka County, Mrs. Edward Brooke, Dr. Geo. G. Wenrich. Blair County, F. Woods Beckman. Bradford County, Miss Margaret Stewart Maurice. Bucks County, Mrs. Elizabeth F. James. Henry C. Mercer. Butler County, Dr. J. Lin wood Eisenberg. Cambria County, P. L. Carpenter. Cameron County, Josiah Howard. Carbon County, M. S. Kemmerer. Centre County, Theodore D. Boal, Prof. J. A. Ferguson. Chester County, Alexander Brown Coxe. Miss Esther G. Leggett, Dr. H. A. Rothrock. Clarion County, Hon. F. L. Harvey. Clearfield County, W. P. Dague. Clinton County, Forrest H. Dutlinger. Columbia County, C. R. Woodin. Crawford County, E. O. Emerson. Jr. Cumberland County, J. S. Illick. Dauphin County, W. Gard. Conklin, Geo. H. Wirt. Delaware County, W. B. McCaleb, Miss Ethel A. Shrigley, Hon. Wm. C. Sproul. Erie County, Miss Dorothea K. Conrad. Geo. S. Ray, M.D. Fayette County, C. L. Snowdon. Franklin County, Edw. A. Ziegler, John R. Williams. Greene County, M. E. Carroll. Huntingdon County, Hon. Geo. B. Or lady. Indiana County, Hon. Joseph D. Clark. Jefjeraon County, W. N. Conrad. Lackawanna County, Mrs. J. Benjamin Dimmlck. Hon. L. H. Watres. Lancaater County, Hugh M. North, Jr. Lebanon County, William C. Freeman. Lehigh County, General Harry C. Trexler. Luzerne County, Dr. Alexander Armstrong, Mrs. Eckley B. Coxe, Alvan Markle, William R. Ricketts. Samuel D. Warriner. Lycoming County, L. Clyde Smith. Mercer County, W. A. Addicott. Miffiin County, F. W. Culbertson. Monroe County, Dr. Wm. R. Fisher. Montgomery County, Mrs. Albert C. Barnes. C. P. Birkinbine. Dr. H. M. Fisher. Miss Mary K. Gibson, Samuel Rea. Montour County, H. T. Hecht. Northampton County, J. Clarence Cranmer. .. *^ Dr. John Henry MacCrackeii Northumberland County, Charles Steele. Philadelphia County, Dr. J. M. Anders, Richard L. Austin, Owen M. Bruner, Miss Mary A. Burnham, Mrs. Brinton Coxe. W. Warner Harper, John W. Harshberger, Bayard Henry, J. Franklin Meehan. J. Rodman Paul. Harold Pelrce, Ell K. Price, John H. Webster. Jr. Albert B. Weimer. Dr. W. P. Wilson. Pike County, Hon. Glfford Plnchot. Potter County, Harry E. Elliott. Schuylkill County, A. C. Sllvlus. Snyder County, W. J. Bartschat. k I' "'I h OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATION, 130 S. FIFTEENTH STREET. PHILADELPHIA !ii ^IJ. I 98 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 99 I Somerset County, V. M. Bearer. Sullivan County, E, F. Brouse. . ' . :.- . . Susquehanna County, Edgar A. Turrell. Tioga County, Paul H. Mulford. Union County, Raymond B. Winter. Venango County, S. Y. Ramage. Warren County, A. J. Hazeltine. Wayne County, Hon. Alonzo T. Searle. Westmoreland County, Hon. D. J. Snyder. York County, S&muel Small, Jr. The President then stated that the proposed State loan of $25,000,000 for the purchase of 3,500,000 acres of wild lands, unsuited for any other purpose was most important for the As- sociation and all forest lovers. It had been hoped to have the proposed $25,- 000,000 State bond loan submitted to the people for a vote at the election of 1925. Unfortunately, however, it has developed that under the State Constitution this cannot be done until 1928. According to the enabling act of 1925, if the proposed amendment to the Constitution is ap- proved no more than $2,000,000 of bonds may be issued in any one year, this being estimated all that can be advantageously expended per annum. The Pennsylvania Forestry Association has rea- son for satisfaction in the success attending its promotion of this loan project in the Legislatures of 1923 and 1925, and no greater service to the cause of forestry can be rendered than in bring- ing before our people the great economic and busi- ness importance to the State of the successful promotion of this loan. The Association through its Advisory Commit- tee has already secured the promise of enough support for a campaign of education in favor of the proposed loan. This committee deems it best to make the main effort in this direction in the latter part of 1927 and in 1928 when the election is imminent. Pamphlets have been printed setting forth the need for the $25,000,000 loan, together with a letter from the Advisory Committee, and these will be sent on application. Mr. J. L. Wilson described his home at Over- brook on which several fine trees are located, in- cluding a Gordonia. Several thousand dollars a year are spent in the purchase of additional trees so that an arboretum will be established, and it is hoped some day to erect a building. The meeting then adjourned. REPORT OF THE COUNCIL OF THE PENNSYLVANIA TORESTRY ASSOCIATION THE outstanding forestry feature of the past year was the final passage by the Legisla- ture of a resolution approving an amend- ment to the Constitution of Pennsylvania, so that if the citizens of the State so elect, $25,000,000 can be borrowed for the purpose of purchasing wild lands for State Forests. This proposed bond issue was first submitted to the Legislature of 1923, and passed by an over- whelming majority. Considerable opposition was encountered in the Senate of the 1925 Legislature but it was finally passed unanimously by the House and with only five adverse votes in the Senate, together with the enabling act providing the necessary funds for the proper presentation to the citizens of the Commonwealth. This legis- lation was advocated by numerous organizations including the Conservation Council of Pennsyl- vania, the State Grange, hunting and fishing clubs, etc., as well as our own association. It had been hoped to have had the proposed bond issue voted on at the November 1925 election. Objection, however, was made and the matter was tried in the Dauphin County Court, where an adverse verdict was given. This decision was appealed to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Forestry Association intervening in the suit and submitting a brief. The Supreme Court decided that a vote could not be taken until the November 1928 election, and the matter therefore cannot be decided for three years. This is unfortunate for it will set back the pro- curing and caring for additional State forests that length of time to the detriment of the Com- monwealth. In the meantime our members should pursue a policy of educating the public so that at the 1928 election the forest bond issue will receive an over- whelming majority. It is an urgent economic necessity. The expenditure of $25,000,000 for State Forests will aid the welfare of our people, the prosperity of our industries, the purity of our water supplies, etc., and at the same time prove a good investment. No appropriation for the purchase of forest lands has been made by the last two Legislatures, but the final title to 172 acres of land was com- pleted in 1925. The total acreage of the 21 State Forests is now 1,131,783 acres, purchased at an average of $2.26 per acre,. Receipts from the State Forests during 1925 totalled $107,499.72 of which $26,408,69 was de- posited in the State School Fund. This makes a grand total of $702,744.67 received from the State Forests to-date, all of which was received during the first quarter century 1900-1925. Of Ihis amount $344,464.50 has been placed in the J-,tate School Fund. The Department of Forests and Waters in order to furnish trees for planting denuded lands main- tains three large and one small forest tree nurs- eries also in cooperation with State Institutions j) additional small nurseries. These are capable of supplying nearly 10,000,000 seedling trees an- nually. The last Legislature made an appropriation for the purchase of land for an additional tree nurs- ery. Under this act, the Department of Forests and Waters has just completed the purchase of the Miller Farm with an area of 102 acres near Sunbury where a large central tree nursery will be established. The price paid was $15,261.75. During the past 27 years 35,693,759 trees have been planted on the State Forests, of which 362,100 were set out in 1925. For a decade and a half the Department of Forests and Waters has encouraged the planting of trees by private individuals and companies, by supplying planting stock at the cost of packing and transportation. To date more than 40,900,000 young trees have been supplied in this manner, of which 8,604,091 were furnished in 1925, to 2,156 planters, the largest number in the history of the Department. In order to beautify the State roads, the De- partment of Forests and Waters has cooperated with the Highway Department in planting trees 00 feet apart on both sides of the highways ex- cept where prevented by obstructions. There have been set out in this way 16,570 trees, which in- cluded 5,446 replacements. The total cost of this tree planting was $25,270, of which $4,172 was paid by the Department of Forests and Waters and the Highway Department $21,098. The State Forests are becoming more popular as outing places for our citizens, and in order to add to their comfort, 14 Class A and 19 Class B )>ublic camping grounds have been established. (A list of these camping grounds and their loca- tions was given in Forest Leaves for December.) These grounds are each equipped with a good water supply, a fire place, comfort station, gar- l»age containers, tables and benches, together with space for tents. In addition leases are given to citizens who desire to erect permanent camp buildings, at a nominal rental. There are now 1,466 of these leases in effect, of which 252 were granted in 1925. Many visitors also camp at other points, visit the fire towers, or enjoy the fine gunning and fishing. It is estimated that 600,000 people were benefitted by the State Forests in 1925. To protect the forests of Pennsylvania a Bureau of Forest Protection was established in 1915. A comprehensive system of protection was planned and successfully carried out. A perma- nent organization has been built up for combating forest fires comprising 49 Foresters, 63 Forest Rangers and 3,500 Forest Fire Wardens. Perma- nent improvements have been made and first class fire fighting tools supplied. At points from which comprehensive views of forest lands can be secured observation towers have been erected, fitted with range finders, telephone connection, etc. There are now 114 lookout points in Penn- sylvania's primary forest fire tower system; of these 109 are steel towers, 3 wooden towers and 2 bare knobs. Ten of the steel towers were erected in 1925. One of the steel towers is situated across the Mason and Dixon line in Maryland. There are 8 towers owned by other organizations, but used in cooperation with the Department of Forests and Waters. In order to more adequately protect and im- prove the State Forests a comprehensive system of roads and trails was inaugurated and there are now 1,286 miles of roads, constructed at a cost of $316,880, and 2,483 miles of trails, costing $60,127. There are also about 800 miles of tele- phone lines. The number of Forest guides who cooperate in forest protection work was 29,480 representing 1,045 troops. The total number of general Departmental leases, covering timber sales, minerals, rights of way, etc., is now 806, a net increase of 58 during the year. As in the last few years, there were forest fires in Pennsylvania in January and February of this year but they were few and small. Parts of February were abnormally warm and condi- tions favorable for forest fires developed in a great many portions of the forest area. Begin- ning with the middle of March, the spring forest fire season actually started. From then on until May there were very few days when there were not a number of forest fires burning within the State. March also was abnormally warm and there was a slight deficiency of rainfall. April was about normal with respect to forest condi- tions. There were frequent rains but there were high, dry winds, also, and it was easy for fires to 100 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 101 start within a very short time after the pre- cipitation. The first two weeks in May were cold and wet with only an occasional fire. During the latter part of May, fire conditions again develop- ed and in several instances fires that started the last week in May burned over into June. It was noticeable that there was an unusual number of fires started by brush burners. In some districts of the State railroad fires decreased both in numbers and in percentage of totals, while in other districts the reverse was true. Fires from transients, and particularly from children, seemed to be on the increase and during the last of May we had an unusual run of fires from lightning. The total number of fires reported from Janu- ary 1st to May 31st inclusive was about 2,095, the total area of land burned over was about 109,209 acres^ of which 1,556 acres were State Forests and the total cost of extinction was $63,- 811.41. The damage reported was over a quarter of a million dollars. The number of fires this spring was over twice as many as in the spring of 1924 and the total acreage was over twice as much. The average acreage per fire, however, was a very little bit higher than the average for the spring of 1924. This fact in itself is an indica- tion that the protection organization which is being built up, while not able in itself to prevent large numbers of fires from starting in bad fire seasons, is able to keep a large number of fires, even in a bad season, under control and within limits which were considered extremely creditable even for a season in which conditions were un- favorable for forest fires. During June conditions were very favorable for forest fires and there were a large number in practically every District in the State. A drought began the last of May and continued until early in July. From then on until the first week in September there were very few fires anywhere and the few that did start were very small. Dur- ing the month of September there were a few fires throughout the State; it appears, however, that conditions favorable to fires varied during the month in different parts of the State. That is while there were fires in one part conditions were not favorable in another part. But practically every District had fires some time in September. There were very few fires in October and Novem- ber, for the hunting season opened with either snow or rain and with the ground thoroughly soaked from rain and the snows of the latter part of October. Since June 1 the records of the De- partment show 362 fires reported with area burned over amounting to 14,775 acres. Preliminary figures for the entire year 1925 show that there were 2,556 fires in the State, burn- ing 124,753 acres and a low record of only 2,65:) acres of State Forest land burned over. The average area of all fires was 48.8 acres. Besides the general forest protection afforded by the Department of Forests and Waters, u number of local forest fire protection organiza- tions have been formed of which the following- may be mentioned. The Pocono Forestry Association is composed of owners of woodland in the Pocono Mountains. It has over 500 members, and has broadened its scope so as to include not only forest fire fighting, but also tree planting and forestry propaganda. Thef Anthracite Forest Protective Association has been enlarged so as to cover the entire an- thracite region in the Schuylkill, Lehigh and Susquehanna watersheds. While primarily or- ganized to fight forest fires, many of its members are engaged in forest tree planting, also caring for the present timber. It has had a steady growth and has done splendid work in this the worst forest fire district in Pennsylvania. The Blair County Game, Fish and Forestry Association has varied activities combining forest fire fighting, tree planting, propagation, distri- bution and preservation of game and fish. The Berks County Conservation Association is also a flourishing local organization. Under its auspices several hundred thousand young trees have been set out. The troops of boy scouts have been organized as forest fire fighters and tree wardens. The Association has also pursued a campaign for the protection, preservation and restoration of the forests. The Central Pennsylvania Forest Protective Association, the McKean County Protective As- sociation, and the Lycoming County Protective Association, have all aided in the forestry cam- paign, particularly in forest fire fighting. To supply the demand for information in re- gard to the forest situation, trees and forestry work the Department of Forests and Waters dur- ing 1925 issued 10 bulletins and 7 circulars, the total number of copies being 259,000. The Conservation Council of Pennsylvania is composed of gunning and fishing clubs, forestry, farming and other Wganization^, as well as private citizens. Its aim is to secure improved state legislation, particularly in obtaining and protecting state forests, and also the protection of streams from pollution. I The latest organization is the Erie branch of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association which was jormed on October 12th by Dr. George S. Ray, who was elected as president. Its aim is the farthering of the work of the Pennsylvania De- Martment of Forests and Waters and the Pennsyl- vania Forestry Association. Only those who are members of the Pennsylvania Forestry Associa- tion are qualified to join the branch. Commit- tees have been appointed and our Association wishes them the fullest measure of success. The need of a forest school where young men could be educated to care for the forests of Penn- sylvania was early foreseen. In 1903 the Penn- sylvania Forest School was established on the State Forest at Mont Alto. Under ideal forest conditions, this school has grown and prospered, its scope being enlarged so that students from other states as well as Pennsylvania could enter. It now also conducts an annual tour of a group of selected students to Europe to make a study of German, Swiss and other Continental forests, enabling them to see the forest practice of the old countries. Pennsylvania State College has a course of study in farm woodlots which contain a consider- able part of the remaining timber in this state. It has also instituted Saw Mill Week, giving practical lessons in the use of the portable saw mill. Lehigh University through its forest experiment station is furnishing valuable information in re- gard to the growth of different varieties of trees in the Eastern Section of the State. It also has an arboretum, and is continuing the reforestation of its denuded woodlands on South Mountain. Numerous Normal and High Schools, together with other educational institutions, give short courses or addresses on forestry. The various gunning, fishing, women's clubs, the Pennsylvania State Grange, the public press and others have aided in advancing forestry in Pennsylvania. Spring and Fall Arbor Days are quite well observed by the schools and others. Appropriate exercises serve to bring the principles of forestry before the coming generation. The chestnut tree blight has gradually been s|)reading not only over Pennsylvania, but as far south as South Carolina. Unless some blight resisting specimens are found, the life of this ^illuable commercial tree will soon be ended. The white pine blister rust which was reported in some sections has been eradicated, and it is hoped that it will not prove a future menace to our young white pine forests. The State, however, has not been so fortunate in regard to the Japanese beetle which came into this State from New Jersey, starting near River- ton. It has increased in numbers, and the quaran- tine area has been enlarged in an effort to stop its progress. The U. S. Experiment Station now hopes it has found an insecticide which will be effective. The Allegheny National Forest in Warren, McKean, Forest and Elk Counties on the head- waters of the Allegheny River is intended ulti- mately to embrace 744,812 acres. Of this area 103,266 acres have been actually purchased, while 83,322 acres are in the process of acquisition. Under a recent ruling of the War Department, certain portions of the camp sites purchased dur- ing the late war have been set aside as additional National Forests. Under this authorization 20,870 acres on the upper water shed of the Le- high River have been set aside as the Tobyhanna National Forest. It contains a 10 to 15 year old growth of young timber. 230 acres are retained for the use of the War Department. The Board of Game Commissioners now have 34 regular game refuges, 20 of which are on State Forests, 11 on lands purchased by the Board, and 3 on lands leased by the Board for a term of years. The total number of acres purchased by the Board is 86,019. There are also 25 Auxiliary Game Refuges with a total area of 53,333 acres. Ten of the auxiliary refuges with an area of 5,272 acres are on the State Forests. The Summer meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association was held at Hazleton, Pa., June 24th-26th, inclusive. Two evening sessions were held at the Vine Street High School, where 9 interesting forestry addresses were made, and two motion pictures shown. On June 25th a motor trip was taken to the U. S. Emergency Landing Field near Brandon- ville, and to the Girard Water Company's Planta- tions at Dresher's Run, thence to the Locust Mountain Strippings where a magnificent view was obtained of this section of the coal region. Here the Girard Water Company began planting in 1877, but due to the large stripping operations the greater part of this promising planting has been destroyed. The Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Go's, property was then visited, where coal mines, fire lanes, forest thinning and forest utilization were seen. The party then went to the Schuylkill County Club where luncheon was served. Returning to the beautiful Tumbling 4 102 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 103 i i Run, and going up this stream, the party saw the various water reservoirs which have been built there, together with a number of young plantations, and a forest tree nursery. On June 26th a motor trip was taken iacross Broad Mountain (where a steel observation tower was seen) to the lands of the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co. Here 20 miles of fire lanes are maintained, and 350,000 trees of various species set out. Roadside thinnings were seen, and stops made for visits to the No. 5 Timber Wharf and the Coaldale Breaker : thence proceed- ing through Panther Creek Valley and through Nesquehoning to Mauch Chunk, luncheon being served at Flagstaff Park, where a comprehensive view was had of a part of the valley of the Le- high River. The party then returned past the Drecks Creek water shed of the Wyoming Valley Water Co., Stockton, and the Lattimer Mines to the home of Alvan Markle where a panoramic view was had of the beautiful Conyngham Valley. The party then returned to Hazleton, ending one of the most enjoyable of the summer meetings of the Association. There have been 48 new members who joined during the year. The loss through death has again been severe, 45 members being reported deceased including C. S. Maurice who for a long term of years has represented Bradford County in the Council. His aid will be missed. There were also some resignations, leaving the total now on the roll 1066. We would like to impress on our members the great desirability of largely augmenting our membership, thus increasing the influence of the Association in aiding forestry in Pennsylvania. F. L. Bitler, Secretary. THE BETSY AIKLEY COTTONWOOD 11^ I ALONG the branch of the Juniata River and highway near the mill of the Tyrone Mill- ing Company about three miles south of Tyrone and on the property now known as the Crawford Place, a large cottonwood was cut down on May 12, 1925. Local residents state that the tree was planted 80 to 85 years ago by Betsy Aikley (wife of Joseph Aikley). The stump of this tree measured the day after it was cut down, showed a small diameter of 41 inches and a large diameter of 48 inches. The sapwood was from 3^/2 to 3% inches wide and contained only 14 rings, which shows that this cottonwood even at this great age was laying on growth rings a quarter of an inch in width. It was decided to cut this tree down because it had been struck several times by lightning. / 1 this time, so the neighbors say, the tree wns struck about 5 o^clock in the morning and tie lightning rolled up the carpet on the floor of the front bed-room of the nearby house and singe 1 the bed in which the people were sleeping: and demolished a mirror in a room above tlie bed-room on the second floor. The people wlio told me this were neighbors named Colobino. They state that the tree was planted at least 80 years ago and that Mr. Kephart, a blacksmith in Tyrone, who formerly lived in the little house nearby the tree, was only 12 years old when h;s family came to the place. Mr. Kephart is in h s eighties now and still conducts his blacksmith shop. I went to see him in his shop in Tyrone and he confirmed the story that the tree must ha\ e been at least 80 years old or more and that it was planted by Betsy Aikley, who met death by drowning in the river nearby her home. At the blacksmith shop of Mr. Kephart in Tyrone on May 13th, I met a lumber operator who told me that only two years ago he cut VAH cottonwoods west of the Tyrone station and about one-half mile along the river. He said that the 138 28-year-old trees cut 120 cords. He also related that he had cut a 26-inch red oak from which he secured 24 railroad ties. H. B. Phillips. NATIONAL REFORESTATION HON. W. M. Jardine, U. S. Secretary of Agriculture, in his annual report says: Reforestation has come to signify in popu- lar acceptance whatever looks toward the estal)- lishment of a new timber crop, whether by natural reproduction from the old stand or by tree plant- ing, and whether the new crop succeeds the harvested one or restores tree growth on de- forested and idle land. In this broad sense re- forestation has made great progress during the past year. Timber growing on the vast area — about one- fourth of the total land surface of the United States — better adapted to this than to any other form of use, is bound to come in time through the slow working out of purely economic forces. Its nation-wide adoption in place of timber min- ing, however, is still remote, and many obstacles lie in the path. The public must take a hand in hastening reforestation, or suffer during an un- necessarily protracted transition period. In face of the evils oi' increasing timber shortage and declining productiveness of forest lands it is urgently important to press the work forward. It can safely be said that never before has the forest problem of the country been so much to ihe fore in the public mind. Further, there is increasing disposition to act on it; and there is an increasingly intelligent conception of what it really is. Nevertheless, the public does not yet see clearly and fully what ought to be done. It is largely groping in the dark. There is need for leadership; there is need for much more in the way of public education, to the end that what is done may be intelligently done; there is need for creating a far greater body of knowledge than is now in existence, both to guide ])ublic policy and to shape private practice; and there is need not only to develop this knowledge but also to diffuse it in effective and manifold ways, so that it may actually reach and be used by those who will profit by it. All these needs are being met by the Forest Service to the extent of its resources, yet inadequately in comparison with what should be done. In the forest industries there is taking place a very marked change of attitude toward refores- tation. It is of real significance, but its inter- ])retation must not be too hastily made. Power- ful economic forces are beginning to create a distinct trend toward a new basis organization of these industries; yet many conflicting forces are at work, and it would be a serious mistake to assume that a radical transformation is about to take place. Nevertheless, the process of con- version is under way. The lumber industry, the naval-stores industry, and the pulp and paper industry are outstanding examples. In all of them serious thought is being uiven to timber^ growing as the source of raw material. Individual companies in considerable numbers are actually making investments with lliis end in view. Some are definitely embarked on enterprises that contemplate permanency based n sustained timber yields from their own lands under forest management. On the Pacific coast, in the southern pineries, and, most of all, in the Northeast, forestry has unquestionably gained a substantial foothold. It is essential that this movement toward the practice of forestry on the part of landowners and industries be facilitated in every possible \vay. One way is through obtaining and com- municating to them better knowledge of the methods that they should employ, of the returns that can be realized through use of these methods, and of the relative costs of improved and current l)ractice8. Another way is through public co- operation in the form of organized fire protection o and tax reform, both of which necessitate State action. The Federal Government is now in posi- tion, through the provisions of the Clarke-McNary law, to extend help to those States which wish to receive this help. The largest immediate need in forestry is for State movements based on a clear conception of the forest situation and require- ments in each State, to bring about the adoption of forest policies that will accelerate the trend now unquestionably perceptible toward timber growing as a voluntary private enterprise. Here again there is opportunity for the Forest Service to contribute much of value) in leadership and knowledge obtained through research. TREASURER'S REPORT THE fiscal year of the Pennsylvania Fores- try Association ends December 1, 1925, and the statement of finances on that date was as follows: Tbe:asureb's Statement to Dec. 1, 1925 Dr. To Balance on hand Dec. 1, 1924 $1,052,27 Cash, annual dues to Nov. 30, 1925. . . 1,869.00 Cash, donations and subscriptions . . . 37.00 Cash, sale of Forest Leaves 58.00 Cash, interest on life membership and Forest Leaves bonds and deposits .... 799.65 Refund, meeting expenses 1.20 Cash, life membership fees 200.00 Total $4,017.12 Cb. • By Cash, office expenses, postage, etc $198.96 Office rent 720.00 Publication of Forest Leaves ........ 1,526.31 Assistant Secretary's salary 600.00 Expense of meetings 81.68 Life Membership Fund 200.00 Forest Leaves Ji'und 52.00 Membership in Pennsylvania Conser- vation Council 25.00 Investment 39.90 Balance on hand Dec. 1, 1925 573.27 Total $4,017.12 Forest Leaves Fund Invested $2,821.42 In bank 26.00 $2,847.42 Special bequest for Forest Leaves invested $500.00 Life Membership Fund Invested $7,185.00 Geneslal Fund Bequests, etc $6,118.38 F. L. Bitler, Treasurer. There are now in the United States 250 munic- ipal or town forests with an area of 500,000 acres. Twenty-six States are represented. i I 104 FOREST LEAVES IMPORTANT TREE PLACES IN PENN- SYLVANIA ll'^i The Miller Trees at Siurar Grove* By Joseph S. Illick WHAT is probably the most interesting forest tree place in northwestern Penn- sylvania is located on the farm of H. Y. Miller, one-half mile north of Sugar Grove in Sugar Grove township, Warren county, Penn- sylvania. Here, Frank Miller, father of the present owner, established a forest tree nursery some time in the 1860 's. This was probably the first forest tree nursery in Pennsylvania. All available information indicates that this pioneer forest tree nursery, which covered about an acre, was started primarily for the production of ornamental trees. Traveling through northern Warren county today one can see many rural homes framed with attractive trees that came from the Frank Miller nursery. Soon after Mr. Miller started his tree nursery he began planting many different kinds of trees on his 200-acre farm. From their present arrangement it seems fair to assume that most of them were planted for demonstration purposes. Today there remain not less than several hundred specimen trees on the farm. Most of these specimen trees were ar- ranged in rows bordering streams and on a main highway that passes between the nursery and the Miller homestead. A considerable number were set out as wind breaks. An even greater number — not less than several thousand trees — were set out in orderly plantations with an original spacing of approximately 6x6 feet. This nursery and forest tree planting project continued until about 1890, when Mr. Miller died. Soon after his death the nursery was abandoned and the tree planting work discontinued. While a considerable part of Mr. Miller's pioneer work did not live long after him, yet today there are more than 12,000 growing trees left on the farm as living memorials to the noteworthy achieve- ments of one of the earliest forest practitioners of northwestern Pennsylvania. It is most un- fortunate that during the 35 years that have elapsed since death called Mr. Miller away from his little army of tree friends, little attention has been given to the trees byi the owners of the property, and they remained practically unnoticed by the public. *This is the fifth of a series of articles on the Important Tree Places in Pennsylvania appearing in Forest Leaves. No written records are available of this early tree planting effort, but several visits to this noteworthy tree place have convinced the writer that Mr. Miller was familiar with the forestry methods of Europe, for in his day the plantinjj; of forest trees in orderly plantations was practi- cally an unused practice in Pennsylvania. It remained for District Forester H. B. Rowland of Warren, Pennsylvania, to uncover this over- looked tree treasure. It is very interesting to know just how he found out about this important tree place. Several years ago — to be exact, in 1922 — there was a shortage of red pine seed. A call was sent out from the Department of Forests and Waters at Harrisburg to all District Forest- ers in Pennsylvania to collect every available ounce of red pine seed. In discussing this seed shortage among a group of friends. District Forester Rowland received the cheering news that an unusual tree place, rather remotely situated, occurred in the extreme northern part of Warren county. The District Forester's informant be- lieved that the trees were red pine, for their trunks were distinctly red. No time was lost in following up this hopeful news. Without much difficulty the tree place was located and there were found a considerable number of planted trees with distinctly reddish stems. Being very familiar with all the trees native to Pennsylvania and those commonly planted within the State, Forester Rowland knew immediately that it was not red pine. This was unquestionably a disap- pointment to him, but his disappointment was in a large measure compensated in the fact that he recognized here a splendid stand of Scotch pine trees, one of the foremost forest trees of Europe. He immediately reported his great discovery to the writer, and not long thereafter — to be exact, on September 14, 1922 — we were on our way to Sugar Grove and had the pleasure of looking over the development of a tree place started al- most a half century ago. Since the discovery of this important tree place it has been visited by foresters and other persons interested in forest tree planting. The study of this tree place has not yet been completed, but preliminary observations show that it is worthy of description and the writer hopes that an in- creasing number of people will go there annually to learn the lessons of practical forestry from a planting project that started more than 50 years ago. Already more than 40 different kinds of planted trees have been found on the farm. Some are present in large numbers, while of others only a ii m ! Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 7. r 1 t c K s • > Q o a: f- O n < X b: < c: o O U) M < H < S fc ^ X X a: c < S '<" f- in u: M u Pu H ^3 M 0 •^ K < K M X Et. U^ X cc o -< X h) NH C t> CO c lH Q Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 7. m < K > C c o < < K c S < a. o i. OS *^ CD u o *.< s at s Q >. 09 0; «J u 3 O 00 o 4-1 o £ I Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 7 Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 7. ^^:m^^^: ?ti*fl''..*' INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE FOREST LEAVES 105 single specimen tree has been listed. Among the principal trees occurring in plantations are Scotch pine, Austrian pine, Norway spruce, and European larch. A mixed plantation of Scotch jine and Austrian pine, now about 40 years old, stands out conspicuously on this tree farm. When planted, the trees were spaced approxi- mately 6x6 feet. The Scotch pine now average almost 12 inches in diameter and the Austrian pine 11 inches. Both trees range in height from 50 to 60 feet with an average height of 55 feet. While these two trees have some features in ( ommon with each other, they also show marked differences. Most of the Scotch pine trees are crooked and forked. It is quite probable that these deformities are due to snow and ice damage. Along the trunks of the Scotch pine are many (lead branches which have persisted for many years. Standing in strong contrast with the Scotch pine are the Austrian pines, with straight, clean trunks, with little taper and relatively free from side branches. Most of the stems are clear from lateral branches for 20 or more feet and their crowns are unusually short and compact. During the first two decades both the Scotch pine and Austrian pine grew rather rapidly in height and diameter. Single specimens of Austrian pine made a height growth of 28 to 34 inches in a single year, the greatest height growth having l)een made about the eighth year of the tree's growth. A single thrifty Austrian pine tree grow- ing in an open condition in a nearby fence row at the age of 40 years showed a height of 55 feet and a diameter of 16 inches. By the use of an increment borer. District Forester Rowland as- certained that the rate of growth has decreased j^'reatly in recent years. Small radial cores taken from the trees show that it required 17 years for the Austrian pine and 19 years for the Scotch pine to lay on their last radial inch of wood. Dur- ing early and middle life these same trees laid on a radial inch of wood in from 3 to 8 years. A study of the situation shows that these trees had an ample growing space throughout their life. There is no evidence of strong competition. The Scotch pine on the whole showed poorer form, less resistance to snow and ice damage, greater tendency to crookedness, and less thrift than the Austrian pine. Among the trees occurring in plantations on the Miller farm are several thousand European larch set out in parallel rows. One block of these trees stands just west of an orchard and may have been placed there as a wind break. Some of the trees have been cut, others have been up- rooted, and a considerable number have been damaged. The trees that remain are in a rather thrifty condition but many of them are strongly inclined toward the east, which indicates that this situation is exposed to rather strong western winds. This block of trees, now about 40 years old, shows that they range in breast-high diameter from 4 to 14 inches, with an average of 8 inches. In heighti they range from 45 to 50 feet with an average height of 47 feet. Nearby is a block in which the European larch stands in mixture with Scotch pine. In this stand the European larch ranges in diameter from 5 to 8 inches, with an average of 6 inches, while the Scotch pine have a diameter of 7 to 12 inches with an average of 8 inches. It appears that the Scotch pine — the more aggressive of these two trees — has held back the growth of European larch. In several other places about the farm occur thrifty individual specimens of European larch. One tree at the age of 35 years shows a height of 55 feet and a breast-high diameter of 20 inches. Another speci- men tree has a height of 50 feet and a breast-high diameter of 20 inches at the age of 40 years. A careful estimate was made of a block of the Norway spruce plantation covering one-sixth of an acre. It showed that when 42 years old there were present the equivalent of 402 spruce trees per acre, of which 252 were over 6 inches in diameter. They average 50 feet in height. Mixed with these Norway spruce were 144 trees per acre of other species. A conservative estimate shows that the spruce has a volume of 31.2 cords per acre. The following table gives the number of spruce trees grouped by diameter classes on the one-sixth of an acre plot: Diameter, Breast-High (inches) (Number of Trees) 3 7 4 5 6 13 6 13 7 5 8 4 9 13 10 6 12 1 67 Present plans call for the location of a per- manent sample plot in this Norway spruce planta- tion. When laid out, described, and the growth and yield accurately computed, this plot will make available much valuable information in working * if r 106 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 107 out a practical reforestation program for north- western Pennsylvania. Another noteworthy tree group consists of red cedar planted in rows about 15 feet apart, with the trees within the rows| spaced about 3 feet apart. The writer believes that these trees were part of a transplant nursery neglected after Mr. Miller's death. Today there remain about 300 trees in this plantation ranging in diameter at breast-high from 3 to 7 inches, with an average of 5 inches, and an average height of 35 feet. The trees are thrifty in spite of their close spac- ing within the rows. When examined in 1922 they showed a rather heavy infection of cedar apple, which is unquestionably injurious to the nearby apple trees, for they are responsible for the destructive apple rust. What is probably, from a forester's point of view, the most interesting feature of this note- worthy forest tree place is the natural regenera- tion of Scotch pine. A general survey of the property convinced the writer that originally not more than 1,000 Scotch pine trees were planted and practically all of them were restricted to a relatively small area. The trees in the original planting matured early and produced large quantities of seed which were broadcasted over the nearby fields and waste places. From this generous distribution of seed there has resulted a new generation of natural Scotch pine. This first generation of natural growth in turn grew rapidly and when mature produced another big crop of seed, which was scattered freely over the nearby open places. Now there are present over an area not less than 4 acres two distinct generations of natural growth of Scotch pine, not only established in the abandoned fields and neglected orchards, but also working its way into the nearby forests of beech and other hardwoods. In places young Scotch pine trees ranging in size from tiny seedlings to specimens 8 feet in height can be found. These are members of the second generation of natural growth. In other places the first generation of natural growth, ranging in height from 10 to 25 feet, prevails. The writer believes that there are today not less than 10,000 Scotch pine trees that have established them- selves naturally in abandoned fields and other waste places about the original plantation, and he also is of the opinion that this is the most extensive and most thrifty natural regeneration of Scotch pine in Pennsylvania. If is unques- tionably one of the most interesting forest experimental plots in northwestern Pennsylvania. In addition to the trees that occur in planta- tions, there are scattered • over the Miller farm many specimen trees covering* a wide range of tree groups. Most of them have been planted in rows. On one part of the farm a double row ot specimen trees border the stream. In a single row along the highway that passes between the original nursery site and the Miller homestead are growing 96 specimen trees representing 27 different species. Of some of the tree species only one specimen is present. Of others, as many as 5, 10, and in a fev; cases as many as 20 specimens have been located on the farm. The writer was particularly impressed with the 20 specimens ot bur oak examined, all of which were thrifty and making rapid growth. One of the bur oak not more than 40 years old had already attained a breast-high diameter of 24 inches. Another in- teresting specimen of tree was a white fir (Abies concolor) with a breast-high diameter of 14 inches. Not far from it stood a Douglas fir {Pseudotsuga taxi folia) with a breast-high diameter of 13 inches. In a rather sheltered depression was a thrifty clump of papaw — probably the most northern station in Pennsylvania. Not far from it stood a thrifty bald cypress (Taxodium dis- tichum). This is the most northern point and the highest altitude (about 1,250 feet) at which the bald cypress has been found in Pennsylvania. A list of the different species of planted trees that have been found on the Miller farm follows: Osage orange White mulberry White birch Ohio buckeye Bur oak White oak English oak European white ash Kentucky coffee tree Tulip tree Honey locust American elm Basswood European mountain ash Umbrella tree Ailanthus Papaw Oriental plane Black willow tree farm near Sugar instructive. The real planting effort is just 1. Pitch pine 20. 2. Scotch pine 21. 3. Austrian pine 22. 4. Norway spruce 23. 5. White spruce 24. 6. European larch 25. 7. Arbor vitae 26. 8. Red cedar 27. 9. Common juniper 28. 10. Douglas fir 29. 11. White fir 30. 12. Balsam fir 31. 13. Bald cypress 32. 14. Ginkgo 33. 15. Shellbark hickorj 34. 16. Butternut 35. 17. Box elder 36. 18. Sugar maple 37. 19. Catalpa 38. Each year the Miller Grove is becoming more worth' of this early tree beginning to be appreciated. Many interesting lessons can be learned from this important tree place whose history dates back more than sixty years. A plan is now under way whereby District forester Rowland of Warren will cooperate with the present owner in establishing special demon- stration plots in the plantations. They will be put in order so that they can teach practical lessons in forest tree propagation. At the Miller tree farm can be seen concrete evidence that a Jorest tree planter is a benefactor of the first order. We act aright by honoring the tree planters of bygone years. No greater honor can be given to them than to help promote their early efforts by putting and keeping their tree places in order. Anyone interested in rare forest tree plantations and splendid specimen trees will en- joy going to Sugar Grove. It is now reached easily over a new cement road from Warren, Pennsylvania. Just a half mile beyond the town, over an improved dirt road, is this important tree place of northwestern Pennsylvania. One of the biggest conservation projects ever started by private initiative has recently been undertaken in the South. The Timber Products Company, organized May 19, 1925, following the annual meeting of the Georgia Forestry Associ- ation, has purchased 26,540 acres of land in South Georgia to be used for the sole purpose of pine tree production. The area acquired has some standing timber upon it. No trees smaller than 8 inches in diameter will be cut and when trees of this size are leased for turpentining they will be boxed only on one side. The forest will be well pro- tected against fire and misuse. The company j)lans that the area shall pay all the expenses while the trees are growing; the intermediate in- come being derived from the sale of staves, lath, eordwood, crossties, turpentine and rosin. Among the members of the company is Austin Gary of the United States Forest Service. Two outdoor theatres at St. Louis, Missouri, have been constructed so that majestic oak trees flank their stages. The Municipal Opera Associa- tion in its Municipal Theatre has two 70-foot oaks which form a natural proscenium of the .^tage. Steps have been taken to insure these trees with Lloyd's for $5,000 each. The new Garden Theatre has asked for $25,000 insurance on each of the two oaks which flank its stage. NATIONAL FOREST ADMINISTRATION THE Federal ^^ forest reserves" were trans- ferred to the Department of Agriculture February 2, 1905. They have, therefore, now been under administration as national forests for 20 years. Some outstanding facts) call for comment. Back of the change in name was an altered conception of what the forests should be. In the main their development has been a logical out- come of the viewpoint which laid stress on land management and sought usefulness of the re- sources in place of reservation for the future. At the time of the transfer the forest bound- aries included in all 63,027,884 acres, of which an unknown amount was non-Government owned. There was no accepted policy for extending them to include all public lands chiefly valuable for forest production, and no very clear idea in the public mind of what purposes other than timber preservation and water protection such Federal properties should subserve. Nor could it be truly said that the public looked upon Federal owner- ship and administration of the reserves already created as necessarily permanent. By many the lands and timber were regarded as temporarily in cold storage. Of land purchases to build up national forests in the East no beginning had been made. The national forests are now a permanent public undertaking; their purposes are under- stood and indorsed; and their present gross area of 184,126,000 acres, of which 158,395,000 acres are Government-owned, includes probably 97 per cent, of the public lands of the United States best suited to this form of use and not otherwise re- served. Congress has laid down a procedure for placing in the forests the rest of the suitable open public lands. The same law authorizes a large extension of policy in purchasing private forest lands, of which 2,584,000 acres have already been acquired or approved for purchase. The public enterprise in forestry is on a solid and secure basis, because after 20 years of trial and develop- ment its benefits have become indisputable. The problems that have had to be solved in this period of growth have been largely problems in land use of a fundamentally agricultural char- acter. One of the largest tasks of the 20-year period has been that of land classification, pri- marily to segregate and open to agricultural de- velopment all areas chiefly valuable for agricul- ture. It has resulted in the segregation of ap- i Ml I 108 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 109 proximately 23,000 homestead units. There could be no stability of the forest enterprise and no popular acceptance of its desirability until the agricultural land problem was settled. The cut of timber has risen from, 68,475,000 board-feet in the year of the transfer to 1,038,- 000,000 board-feet in 1925, while receipts from timber have advanced from $85,596 to $2,940,436. Much more important, however, than the volume of cut or receipts is the development of a system of forest management around the production of timber as a crop. The main features of this system are: (1) The technical study and develop- ment of logging methods which insure reforesta- tion; (2) the regulation of the rate of cutting on suitable areas so as to keep up a continuous yield of merchantable timber; and (3) the maintenance of stable forest industries and of permanent com- munities supported by them. The management of the national forests during these 20 years has also pioneered in the regula- tion of stock grazing on public lands and the res- toration of worn-out ranges to fair productive- ness. A system of range administration has been developed under which more than 8,000,000 adult animals are now grazed on the national forests by 31,000 permittees. Its cardinal points are (1) building up the forage resources and the pro- duction of livestock through search for and the introduction of better methods of range manage- ment, and (2) stabilizing the use of the range, to the point that grazing permits are now issued for periods of 10 years. The system of range manage- ment thus far developed, while still imperfect, represents a striking contribution to the economic development of the Western States and the se- curity of the livestock industry. Along with these major forms of land use, an extensive organization for the protection of the national forests from fire has been created, with the physical improvements and equipment neces- sary for its efficient operation. And a Federal policy of road and trail construction has been evolved under which a total of 10,000 miles of road have been constructed or improved, largely in cooperation with the Bureau of Public Roads, and 21,496 miles of trails have been built. In 1905 the national forests were almost every- where undeveloped wildernesses, unequipped with the primary necessities for their administration, protection, and use, unprovided with plans of management, unsupplied with a technical per- sonnel capable of putting such plans into effect, unmapped, and with their resources and possi- bilities no more than guessed at ; in short, un- organized, of slight usefulness, and of indefinite prospects. Many adjustments have had to be made in reaching the present stage of develop- ment and use. One underlying principle has been consistently followed — to bring about a coordin- ated and balanced use in order to obtain from each area the greatest aggregate of public benefits and the most valuable forms of service. This is exemplified in the place given to recreation in the national forests, the growth of which during the 20 years since 1905 is in itself a striking develop- ment. The priorities followed in the use of funds and time to meet the growing and varied demands on the Forest Service illustrate the method of carry- ing out this general principle. Protection of the forests from fire and other destructive agencies holds first place, the production and use of timber second, and the production and use of forage third. Other activities, such as road and trail building, provision for recreation uses, and so on, where not essential for the protection or manage- ment of physical resources, are assigned a lower rating. In the instructions to forest officers estab- lishing these priorities, however, latitude is neces- sarily given for meeting exceptional situations as reason and common sense may require. — Re- port of U. S. Forester. FORESTERS FIND PIPE SMOKER A FOREST FIRE MENACE THE cigarette has been blamed for much, and the ^'Good old dudeen'' has had many a eulogy; but experiments carried on in California by members of the U. S. Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, deal- ing with the possible causes of what are termed ^^ smoker fires" bid fair to turn the tables upon the highly-praised briar, clay, or cob, and to find it the guiltiest member of the smoker's trinity. In typical National Forest surroundings, such as are frequented all summer long by tourist and camper, 200 experiments were recently made of the relative importance of cigar, cigarette, pipe heel, and lighted match as a cause of forest fires. With the aid of a motor-driven fan, breezes and even gales of various intensities were imitated to accelerate the forest fires produced on a minute scale. Forest litter, bark, rotten wood, pine needles — all the ordinary forest fuels — were ex- posed to ignition. The results showed fairly con- clusively that the smouldering tobacco from pipes would start fires in almost every instance, when- ever it fell on well air-dried material, and with \ ery slight aid from the wind. In this respect, pipe heels far outdid either cigar or cigarette, and in these tests was outdone only by the lighted match, which maintained a 100 per cent record as M fire starter. The inference is that the pipe smoker can no longer be considered free from suspicion, as he has been in some instances, but should be subject to the same restrictions as the !;ser of the ^^tailor-made" cigarette and the cigar. The foresters point out, however, that it is the degree of thoughtfulness and care that the smok- er exercises in disposing of his matches, snipes, butts, and pipe heels, rather than what he smokes, that concerns them most. FOREST FIRE PREVENTION* By George H. Wirt, Chief Forest Fire Warden of Pennsylvania *Address made before the Philadelphia Civic Club. NO matter how much wealth a State or Nation may have in the beginning of its history, its development in the scale of civilization uses and dissipates its natural re- sources. Sooner or later an account of stock must be taken, waste must be stopped, refined methods of use must be devised, and if the re- source is a renewable one, systematic methods tor its renewal must be put into effect. These I)ropositions seem to be economic laws, and history is full of examples of nations which have lisen to remarkable positions of power and then crumbled to nothing by reason of their failure to observe such laws. There are other nations, how- ever, which even through adversity, have hus- banded their resources and are today highly civilized and prosperous. Our own Nation is the richest Nation on the face of the earth. Our own State no doubt has l)cen blessed above all the other States in the richness of its natural resources, and yet we must l»e appalled at our own recklessness when we stop to consider the tremendous waste of the Nation's resources by fire alone— $500,000,000.00 worth of jnoperty and 17,000 lives each year. These figures represent the loss from fires in buildings only. Add to this the annual loss from fires in the open —29,000,000 acres of forest and grass land burned over with a direct destruction of tree growth, which is also property, having a value of not less liian $100,000,000.00. The loss in fertility and soil productiveness cannot be calculated. In our own State the annual forest acreage burned is over 100,000 acres resulting in direct and indirect losses to Pennsylvania citizens amounting to over $1,000,000. As a State and as a Nation we simply cannot endure long in the history of Nations under such a drain upon our resources. And this is only one of the many forms of waste for which we are responsible both to ourselves and to posterity. Neither Pennsylvania nor the United States is going out of business within the next few years and the end is going to be post- poned because of the resourcefulness of our people but we must not shut our eyes to history nor for example to present conditions in parts of China. Because of the failure to prevent forest destruction whole provinces alternate between drought and flood. Pestilence and famine stalk the land always. All other natural resources are of no value with the forests gone. Their only salvation economically, politically, and morally is reforestation. A more current and personal problem today is that of taxes. The taxes which support our Governments come from natural resources. We demand much and taxes are increased. We use or waste our natural resources of one kind and taxes increase upon the remaining ones. This is exactly what has happened in this State. There was 28,000,000 acres of productive forest area. Half of that has been improved and made more valuable than under a crop of trees. At least 13,000,000 acres are now called forest land but fires have reduced to almost nothing almost half of this vast area and is constantly endangering the balance to such an extent that only in a com- paratively few regions will any sane business man expend any efforts to increase the forest crop and to bring his forest area to its highest degree of productivity. Needless to state, the productive areas within the Commonwealth and its various businesses are carrying the burden of this non-producing undeveloped field of gold and diamonds. This condition is an immediate charge against our present day cost of living. In certain townships of Pennsylvania the original timber values brought large sums to' the local govern- ments. The timber has gone, fires have kept the forests from growing a new crop of timber, the market for farm crops is too far away, land values have reached a very low mark and the townships are bankrupt. The State must build roads and keep up the schools or there are none. The same thing is true in the oil nd gas regions and in the coal regions. The resources are gone and there is nothing left to tax. Coal, oil and gas in Pennsylvania cannot be brought back when a local supply has been ex- no FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 111 hausted. The forest, however, is different. Not- withstanding the fact that practically all the primeval timber has been harvested and millions of acres kept in a denuded condition by fire, when fire is kept out of forest areas tree crops grow and ultimately will become usable timber. The forest is one resource which we can renew and which we must renew if we do not desire to swamp posterity under a flood of debts by reason of our present wasteful methods. They must have something to tax in order to pay off the enormous bond issues now outstanding and to maintain the standard of living which we are setting for them. But how shall we prevent forest fires? We may go at the problem positively or negatively. There are psychological and therefore practical reasons for educating everyone to the value of forests and the necessity of being careful with fire in the woods rather than merely explaining what happens when fires do occur. This is being done. Likewise, widespread efforts are made to prevent fires and the conditions which are likely to result iiy fires. This work is accomplishing results but there are all kinds of people to deal with. Some must be told in terms of 'Hhou must not.'' After all, most of our trouble with fires comes from a very small percentage of our people. For example, this year there have been a few over 2,000 forest fires. Fewer than that number of people out of ten million in Pennsylvania violated the moral laws and the statute laws, invaded the rights of their neighbors and of the Commonwealth and caused the loss of which each one of us must bear our share. To mete out a proper punishment to the careless or indifferent individual is an essential and a difficult part of our prevention program. It is essential because, no matter what else may be done there will al- ways be those who have no regard for the rights of others. The only way to treat this kind of people is to hold them responsible for their acts. It is difficult because of maudlin sympathy that is only too common these days and because all the procedure and technicalities of law are built upon the old principle that it is better to allow 1,000 criminals to go free than to have one in- nocent man punished. You can understand readily that in the case of forest fire the whole population of the State is punished unnecessarily. The community is innocent but punished. Why waste sympathy upon the individual who tho' outwardly respectable is a traitor to his friends and his State? Summing up then, we know that natural re- sources arQ essential to the welfare and continu- ance of our State and Nation. The forest is a fundamental resource without which we cannot long maintain our civilization. Our present con- ditions now are unfavorably affected by vast arejis of non-producing forest land. The forest is u renewable resource but its greatest curse anreserving their natural nesting places, and by planting trees and shrubs which will furnish them with food. Let every pupil in the schools of Pennsylvania and every citizen of our Commonwealth resolve to beeome a true lover and energetic protector of our birds and our trees. Let us plant more trees these spring Arbor Days; let us work with nature in restoring Penn 's Woods ; and what Goii has given us, let us protect. Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the State, at the city of Harrisburg this fifth day of March, in the year of our I^ord, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-six, and of the Com- monwealth one hundred and fifty. (Seal) (Signed) GIFFORD PINCHOT. By the Governor: Clyde L. King, Secretary of the Commonwealth. AMERICAN FOREST WEEK IN again proclaiming American Forest Week it is fitting that, while giving full weight to the evils resulting from impoverished forests and idle land, I should lay stress upon the out- ward spread of forestry in industrial practice and land usage. Too long have we as a Nation con- sumed our forest wealth without adequate pro- vision for its wise utilization and renewal. But a gratifying change is taking place in the attitude of our industries, our landowers, and the Ameri- can people toward our forests. The wise use of land is one of the main founda- tions of sound national economy. It is the corner stone of national thrift. The waste or misuse of natural resources cuts away the ground- work on which national prosperity is built. If we are to flourish, as a people and as individuals, we must neither wastefuUy hoard nor wastefuUy exploit, but skillfully employ and renew the re- sources that nature has entrusted to us. Ameri- ca's forest problem essentially is a problem in- volving the wise use of land that can and should produce crops of timber. Flourishing woodlands, however, mean more than timber crops, permanent industries, and an adequate supply of wood. They minister to our need for outdoor recreation ; they preserve animal and bird life; they protect and beautify our hillsides and feed our streams; they preserve the inspiring natural environment which has contrib- uted so much to American character. Although our national progress in forestry has been well begun, much remains to be done through both concerted and individual effort. We must stamp out the forest fires which still annually sweep many wooded areas, destroying timber the Nation can ill afford to lose and killing young orowth needed to constitute the forests of the future. Forest fires, caused largely by human indifference or carelessness, are the greatest single obstacle to reforestation and effective forest management. We must encourage and extend methods of timber cutting which perpetuate the forest while harvesting its products. We must plant trees in abundance on idle land where they can profitably be grown. We must examine taxation practices that may form economic barriers to timber cul- ture. We must encourage the extension of forest ownership on the part of municipalities, counties. States, and the Federal Government. And we must take common counsel in public meetings to the end that the forestry problems of each region may be well considered and adequately met. Now, Therefore, I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate the week of April 18-24, inclusive, 1926, as American Forest Week and I recommend to the Governors of the various States that they also designate the week of April 18-24 as Ameri- can Forest Week and observe Arbor Day within that week wherever practicable and not in con- flict with law or accepted custom. And I urge public officials, public and business organizations, industrial leaders, landowners, editors, educators, clergymen, and all patriotic citizens to unite in the common task of forest conservation and re- newal. The action of the Canadian Government in likewise proclaiming the week of April 18-24, in- elusive, as a period when the utmost stress shall be laid upon the problems of forest conservation and renewal, thus unifying the respective efforts of Canada and the United States, is an added i^ason why our citizens should give »careful thought to a matter so important to both coun- tries. In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington this third day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twenty-six, and of the Inde- pendence of the United States of America the one hundred and fiftieth. By the President: Frank B. Kellogg Secretary of State. CALVIN COOLIDGE RESOLUTIONS ON THE DEATH OF MRS. EOKLEY B. COXE (Adopted March 8th, 1926) Resolved, That the members of the Pennsyl- vania Forestry Association have learned, with deep regret, of the death of one who well might be designated *as the most prominent member of the Association— Mrs. Eckley B. Coxe — ^who, from the time of the founding of the Association in 1886, was one of its most active and liberal sup- porters. Mrs. Coxe was ever ready with words of encouragement, and with substantial financial aid, to forward the work of the Association in the cause of forestry, and the Association, and the cause of forestry, owe to her more than can be expressed in words. Her interest, and constant liberality, in support of education, and of the training of the young, and her systematic care for the sick and disabled in the region about her, brought to her a volume of gratitude and devotion rarely equalled in the records of beneficial care of the needy, and the fact that this great work has been carried on with care and organized direction under her per- sonal over-sight, makes the record of her well- doing remarkable, not only for its liberality, but for its thoroughness in charitable and helpful en- deavor for the community. Mrs. Coxe's death is mourned literally by thou- sands whom she has aided and saved in want and sickness, and her memory will rest enshrined in the hearts of the many to whom she was an ever- present friend. Every year preventable forest fires in the United States destroy or damage timber of suffi- cient amount to build five room houses for the entire population of a city the size of Denver, Portland, Seattle, San Fi-ancisco, Atlanta, Louis- ville, Kansas City, New Orleans or Washington, D. C. And still people wonder why timber own- ers hasten to cut ripe timber and hesitate to plant new forests. I 116 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 117 PRIVATE FOREST TREE PLANTING IN THE FORBES DISTRICT By S. L. Kurtz, Asst. District Forester DURING the past decade the Department of Forests and Waters has supplied, in ac- cordance with the Act of April 21st, 1915 (P. L. 155), almost three million forest tree seed- lings, free of charge, to approximately one thou- sand land owners in the Forbes District. This was seven and one-half per cent, of the total number of trees furnished to planters throughout the entire State. The number and per cent, of trees set out each year and the per cent, of planters in the various counties follow: Year Allegheny 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1923 28,240 67,000 64,650 92,100 66,550 86,737 60,343 380,587 120,823 95,001 Fayette 7,500 10,500 7,600 2,500 3,000 1,290 108 17,175 26,851 64,403 Greene • • • • 800 1,000 • • • • 125 75,000 3,100 500 68,000 Total 1,062,031 140,927 148,525 Per cent Planted 35% 5% 5% Per cent Planters 43% 7% 1% Somerset AVashington Westmoreland Total 1,100 • • • • 4,200 41,040 3,500 • • • • i,:oo 83,300 29,200 1,500 37,800 141,750 59,500 8,600 118,900 281,600 18,400 9,600 81,450 179,000 14,850 869 57,932 161,803 11,408 11,527 47,552 205,938 131,119 37,432 60,213 629,626 395,480 39,537 204,983 788,174 79,650 31,700 130,332 469,086 744,207 140,765 744,862 25% 12% 5% 25% 32% 2,981,317 100% 100% The above tabulation shows a decided growth in forest tree planting during the past few years and indicates an increased recognition of the vast importance of forestry. The fact that various agencies have conducted the plantings is a good indication that planting forest trees is no longer considered a mere pastime for the rich and idle but a real business proposition full of promise. Private individuals set out 1,124,000 trees; coal companies 875,000; miscellaneous corporations, clubs, etc., 571,000; municipalities 336,000; and water companies 75,000. Approximately 2,000 acres of idle lands, not needed or adapted to agricultural or other import- ant uses, and woodlands not supporting a satis- factory stand of valuable young growth were re- forested chiefly for lumber, wood products, reg- ulation of waterflow, wind-breaks and aesthetic improvement. Practically all species furnished by the De- partment were used to establish these plantations. White pine was most commonly used, followed by Norway spruce, Scotch pine, jack pine, pitch pine, larch and red pine. Hardwoods, which are more difficult to transplant, slower growing, less attractive and produce less wood per acre than conifers, have not been extensively planted. In general, most species have given satisfactory results. Failures are most commonly the result of' planting exacting species on poor sites. This is particularly true of white pine and Norway spruce. Nevertheless, the results obtained with- out a preliminary examination of the planting site are quite encouraging. Black locust because of the borer, ash because of the scale insect and catalpa because of frost injury, seem to be the several species which generally cannot be highly recommended for future planting. The following types of planting deserve special mention because of their tendency to gain favor- able public opinion and interest, in economic forest practice. 1. The municipal planting by the City of Pitts- burgh which is the first real example of municipal forest practice in the district. In 1923, City Council appropriated $5,000.00 for establishing a city forest on city owned land, and during the year, more than 175 acres of idle land were planted with 336,000 trees to the aesthetic and economic improvement of the com- munity. The City is fortunate, indeed, in having such high-minded and farsighted officials to de- velop its resources for future citizens. 2. The demonstration plantings by the Depart- 4 ment in cooperation with County Superintendents of Public Schools. Sample plantations have been established at advantageous locations throughout the District by stuiJents of various high schools. Besides per- lorming a service to the community, the results of such plantings will be self-evident and a source of much pride to the school. A brief discussion of several of the more im- portant planting problems in the District follows : 1. Reforestation by Coal Companies. A large portion of the Forbes District lies in the great Appalachian coal field. Mining com- l)anies by coming into possession of coal, also se- cure much surface and their opportunity for forest planting is a remarkable one. The need for forest planting rests chiefly upon the facts that much wood is required in and about the mines; much land; is rendered comparatively valueless for agriculture after the coal is re- moved; and much farm land has been abandoned and left idle by farmers who reaped small for- tunes from sale of underlying coal, and moved out. Fortunately, some of the mining companies are seeing the value of reforestation. Recently they have been experiencing difficulty in procur- iiiir suitable mine timber at reasonable costs and ligure the possibility of growing timber on their own holdings before the coal will be exhausted, or improving the final sale value of the land after the coal is removed. They realize that they must take the initiative in reforesting these lands and aie wisely facing the problem. 2. Greene County Greene County presents a peculiar condition in the field of forest extension. A very small part of the County is adapted for reforestation. Al- though extremely hilly, the land is not too steep, rough or poor for farming and pasturing. Excel- lent farms and pastures are found at the highest elevations, and their productive! capacity is re- markable. The demand for mining material throughout the county has resulted in the exploitation of the woodlands and the subsequent utilization of the cleared areas for farming or grazing, which proves quite successful and f^r more remunera- tive 'than forest planting. Much of the county lies in the coal fields and where mining companies are taking possession of the land, the possibilities for reforestation will materially increase. The wind-break seems to offer the best general tree planting proposition throughout the county. 3. Atmospheric gases Because of the liberation of injurious gases from coke ovens, manufacturing plants and general industries in certain sections of the Dis- trict, certain species of forest trees cannot be used for forest planting. Black locust, honey locust, red oak, rock oak, cottonwood, American elm, white ash, box elder, catalpa and ailanthus appear to be sufficiently hardy to withstand such conditions. It is an established fact that conifers because of their* persistent foliage are less re- sistant to such injury than hardwoods. Because of the absence of native conifers, this section of the state not being in the coniferous tree belt, it is very diffiicult to determine what species will endure*. Larch, which sheds its foliage, is most worthy of experiment, as well as Austrian, Scotch and pitch pines. Many planters in this section hesitate to set out conifers, pointing out that not many are growing native. Nevertheless, some conifers have been planted and in a reasonable time it should be possible to derive some definite and valuable conclusions as to what coniferous species can be recommended. The, possibility of condensing these gases into commercial acid for which a ready market could possibly be found is worthy of thought. Of the estimated 100,000 acres in the District requiring reforestation, to-date approximately 2000 acres have been planted. A start has been made in the right direction and the good work must continue until every idle acre has been made productive. During the next few years, at least, the burden of planting will rest largely with the private individual, since but 13,000 acres of the 1,275,000 acres of forest land in the District are State owned. The purchase of a large portion of this privately owned forest land by the State would alter conditions materially, but until final passage of the $25,000,000.00 bond issue which would make this possible, we must depend almost solely on private initiative. A recent survey of the wild life situation in Blair County, Pa., showed that the birds and other valuable animals of the forest were in urgent need of food. The deep snows made it difficult for the wild animals to find food, and also for their friends to distribute it. On Febru- ary 17th, under the direction of the Blair County Game, Fish and Forestry Association and the local game protector, an aviator made several flights over Blair County and scattered mixed feed and corn from a hopper attached to his machine. t •i! ■^ 118 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 119 THE NORTH MOUNTAIN FOREST FIRE OBSERVATION TOWER By E. F. Bronse, District Forester THE North Mountain 60-foot steel Forest Fire Observation Tower built in 1922 is located in southwestern Sullivan County on the western point of the North Mountain range. It is 2,510 feet above sea level. Two other towers can be seen from it — Kanil to the north and Ricketts to the east. The tower affords a splendid view north and east of almost unbroken forest land, and south and west, at a much lower elevation, of the* fertile farms of eastern Lycoming County dotted with many woodlots. East of the tower is an area of approximately 18 square miles practically un- broken by roads or trails and is entirely unin- habited. Four lakes may be seen from the tower, namely; Eagles Mere, Beaver, Hunters and Mokoma. Nordmont, an old lumber town, is al- most in the shadow of the tower where the ob- server scans the deforested hillsides for the tell- tale whisp of a forest fire. Eagles Mere, famous in lumbering^ days, but now noted as a summer resort, can be seen from the tower on a clear day. There is an interesting story connected with the early settlement o! Eagles Mere. The lands were purchased from the Indians in 1768 and were included in the terri- tory claimed by Connecticut. In ITJKJ when the first surveys were made, the lands formed a part of Northumberland County. In 1796 Lycoming County was formed and included this territory. Sullivan County of which it now is a part was formed in 1847. In 1794 George Lewis, a wealthy Englishman, purchased 10,217 acres of land ex- tending from the Ix)yalsock to Muncy Creek, and included the lake at first called Lewis Lake and later known as Eagles Mere. There is no record of Lewis visiting the lake prior to 1803, when he spent the entire summer season there. He Avas so impressed with this mountainous wilderness that he resolved to build a home on the shore of the lake, little dreaming that he would be followed by thousands of others, who in search of health and recreation, later sojourned to this beautiful spot. To reach the tower by auto, take Route 321 to the Beaver Lake School; turn north there and follow the township road M mile along the moun- tain to the last farmhouse where the car must be left. Follow the path which leads along the telephone line to the tower, a very steep and hard climb of % mile. If time allows more leisure, Avhile avoirdupois forbids a hard climb, follo^v the ''Shook Trail'' for two miles. The latter course is well marked by signs. Many people find it convenient to go to the tower via the easier route and return by the shorter one. FOREST EXPERIMENT STATION ASKED FOR PENNSYLVANIA US. Senator David tA. Reed on January 15th, introduced in the U. S. Senate a bill (S. 2516), asking for the establish- ment and maintenance of a forest experiment station in Pennsylvania and the neighboring States. It reads as follows: ''Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in order to determine and demonstrate the best methods for the grow- ing, management, and protection of timber crops on forest lands and farm wood lots, the Secretary of Agriculture is hereby authorized and directed to establish and maintain a forest experiment station at such place or places as may be deter- mined as most suitable by him, in cooperation with the State of Pennsylvania and with the neighboring States, and to conduct such silvi- cultural and other forest experiments and investi- gations as may be necessary, either independently or in cooperation with other organizations, in- stitutions, or individuals, and that to caiTy out the purposes of this Act an appropriation in the amount of $75,000 is hereby authorized.'^ This bill has been approved by the Council of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association and we hoi)e our members will aid in securing its passage. THE TOBYHANNA NATIONAL FOREST THE Tobyhanna National Forest embracing about 21,000 acres in Monroe and Wayne Counties, Pennsylvania, is located on the site of the Tobyhanna Military Reservation on the Pocono Mountain, and marks the second National Forest to be established in Pennsyl\*ania. It is created under the provisions of Section 9 of the Clarke-McNary Act, which provides for National Forests under the administration of the Secretary of Agriculture on existing Military anrl Naval Reservations with the consent of the Secre- tary controlling the reservation and subject to the regulations and plans agreed upon by the two Secretaries concerned. A line has been drawn delimiting the National Forest to exclude the intensively used portion of the Reservation from the National Forest. The military use of the entire area continues as here- tofore. This National Forest once supported a magnit- icent stand of hemlock which was cut and the area repeatedly burned over. As a result, there is very little standing merchantable timber on the Tobyhanna National Forest at the present time. However, there is a most excellent stand of young growth 15 to 20 years old which will soon be in need of thinning for mine timbers and other local uses. It is the plan of the Forest Service, when funds are available, to undertake the administration of this National! Forest. The first job will be to create a protective system to insure the maturity of the young timber under favorable conditions. Within the next 10 years sale of mine timbers may be made. This will give an opportunity for local employment and a return to the counties on the basis of 25 per cent, of the receipts. THE LUMBER INDUSTRY OF FULTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA By W. L. Byers, District Forester TEN million feet of forest products were cut in Fulton County during the year 1925. This estimate is based upon replies to a (luestionnaire that was sent out to every saw- mill operator in the district. It requested a state- ment of the amount of forest products cut by them during 1925. Replies were received from 40 of the 82 operators in the County. They in- clude all the larger operators of the County so that the writer feels the results represent 75 per cent or more of the total cut in the County. These 40 operators reported a total cut of 7,338,451 board feet of lumber, 288 telegraph poles and ulso telephone poles, 85,788 railroad ties, 130 cords of pulp wood, 685,124 mine props, 60,000 plastering lath and 200 posts. If an average of $30.00 per thousand feet is received for the forest products this would repre- sent a total of $300,000.00. About $5.00 per thousand feet goes to the forest owner for stump- age. The woods worker for cutting, skidding, manufacturing and transporting to the railroad receives about $20.00 per thousand board feet. The operator woulci receive as his share about $5.00 per thousand feet. The three classes of persons who benefited directly from the lumber industry are in practically all cases, local resi- dents, so that the community as a whole is benefit- ed and the people of Fulton County added $300,- 000.00 to their wealth as a result of the manu- facture and sale of their forest products. Any industry that adds $300,000.00 to the wealth of the County in one year and is capable of adding a great deal more, is worthy of serious thought. Fifty per cent, of the total land area of the County is in forest. This area is increasing, due to the abandoning of cleared lands which is slowly being covered with forest growth. The lands from which these forest products in 1925 were cut will not yield on an average of more than 3,500 board feet per acre. This means that approximately 3,000 acres were lumbered over during the year. The practice in the past years has been to leave these lumbered areas revert to waste lands through bad lumbering or through carelessness with forest fires. This practice is economically wasteful to the community, the county and the state. The local government must levy and collect taxes in order to function. Every acre that is allowed to revert to waste lands from which none or very little taxes can be collected means that the taxes on the producing areas will have to be increased in order to make up the deficit. The cut over lands if properly cared for and fires are kept out, will restock themselves with a natural growth of young trees and will produce another crop of merchantable timber in a period of 25 to 75 years. If we wish to keep each acre at work and this is the only economical thing to do, we must pre- vent forest fires from burning over our forests and cut over lands. The important question as to whether forest fires will be allowed to burn or not, rests princi- pally with the people of each community. The State has recognized its obligation in this respect and i^ doing every thing possible to stop this terrible waste. However the state can accomplish little without the active co-operation of the local people. It is up to the local citizens to decide whether or not an industry which makes the people of the County wealthier by $300,000.00 in one year is worth perpetuating or if after the present growth has been removed, the cut over iH :l< 120 FOREST LEAVES M |i lands are to) revert to areas of desolation and become a liability to the community. By preventing forest fires, areas that were cut over last year will begin at once to cover them- selves with a new forest which will increase in value each year, also prevent erosion, help to equalize the stream flow, serve as a home for game, and add to the beauty of the country. The prevention of forest fires will benefit you, your children and your community. Representatives of D. A. R. Chapters located at McElhattan, Lock Haven, Jersey Shore and Williamsport met at '^ Woodside, '' the home of Mrs. W. J. Phillips, at McElhattan on February 13 to discuss ways and means to raise funds to permanently repair and protect the historic elm, standing at mouth of Pine Creek, near Jersey Shore, where the Fair Play men are said to have drawn up and signed a Declaration of Independ- ence, July 4, 1776. This ancient tree was measur- ed and photographed by Prof. J. S. Illick several years ago, but has since fallen into decay. Along with the Michael Quigley original white pine at McElhattan the ''Treaty Elm of Tiadaghton" ranks as one of the two or three most noteworthy trees in the West Branch Valley of Central Penn- sylvania. One of the most noteworthy forest gifts an- nounced has just been made) by the firm of Wheeler and Dusenbury, of Endeavor, Forest County. Their gift consists of 20 acres of vir- gin white pine timber located at what is known as "Heart's Content" in Warren County. The 20 acres of original timber comprised within the gift area will be an almost priceless heritage to pos- terity. Not only will the woodland provide a beautiful place for recreation, but will also be a choice remnant of the original forest which once clothed the hills and mountains of many sections of Pennsylvania. Unborn generations will be grateful for this priceless gift of one of the finest stands of timber now remaining in the en- tire State. We are informed that this valuable tract was given to the Federal Covernment. Watershed protection is one of the chief func- tions of forest cover. The power of forest cover to check disastrous floods, protect reservoirs from excessive silt deposits, and prevent drv stream beds in periods of drought is well known. WHAT ARBOR DAY MEANS By Joseph S. Illick ARBOR DAY means Tree Day. The first Arbor Day in America was celebrated 54 years ago. It originated in 1872 in the State of Nebraska, then a State of practically treeless plains. The father of Arbor Day was J. Sterling Morton, of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture. It is a significant fact that more than a million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day. Since then the custom has spread until Arbor Day is observed by every State in the Union. Pennsylvania's first Arbor Day was observed in 1887. Its sentiments are dear and its lessons are those of beauty, appreciation, knowledge, thrift, and service. Today Arbor Day means much more in Pennsylvania than it did years ago. When Arbor Day was first observ^ed extensive and mag- nificent forests abounded on the hills and in the valleys of the Keystone State. During the past fifty years our forests have been wastefully ex- ploited without regard for the return of another tree crop. Today Pennsylvania imports 84 per cent, of all her lumber, which means that five out of every six board feet are imported. Anyone who has given serious thought to our wood situ- ation knows that it is serious. We owe it to oui- selves and our children to teach the practical les- sons of tree planting. The Governor of Pennsylvania has proclaimed Friday, April 9th, and Friday, April 23rd, as spring Arbor and Bird Days for 1926. Through- out the State, school children and their teach- ers will observe this important day with ap- propriate exercises. Interest among the teachers on the subject of trees is greater than ever before. No Arbor Day program is complete without the planting of a tree. Every school should plant at least one tree. If no outside planting space is available, a small tree can be planted in a box within the school room. This, however, is neces- sary only in the heart of a few big cities. Many rural schools now have a regular tree planting pro- gram. Some of them have their tree planting work scheduled for a number of years. Some schools have as their program the planting of 100 trees each Arbor Day, and a few schools are planting as many as a thousand trees on a single Arbor Day. During the last few years many school teach- ers have become enthusiastic tree planters. If they cannot find room for trees on the school grounds, they plant them along roads or high Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 8. Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 8. V i The Elms Along Front Street, Harrisburg, Pa., Will in Years to Come Take Their Place Among THE Famous Tree Avenues of the World. Five Hundred and Fifty-Five Magnolia Blossoms Broadcasting Beautv on Easter Sunday. Arbor Day at the Slippery Rock Normal School. Prospective Teachers Receiving a I.,eshon IN Tree Planting. PhotOR. Courtesy Department of Forests and Waters. WHITE Pine Trees Planted in 1906 by Students of the State Forest School of Pennsylvania. Photos. Courtesy Department of Forests and Waters. I ! - \ Forest Leavkr, Vol. XX, No. S. The Et.m.s Ai.oxo Front Street. IIarrisht'Rc. Pa., W'ii.i. in Vi-.ar.s to Tome Take Tmeir Peace Amonts THE Famoes Tree Ave.ntes oe imi: \V(»ri,i». FORE.ST Leaves, Vol. XX, No. S. 4 Five Hendim-m a.nd Fmty-Five Maonollv Blossoms Buoaik'astln(j Heai^tv on Kaster Sunday. ARROR Day at the Slippery Rock Noijmal School. Prospective Teachers Ueceivinc; a I^eh.son IN Tree Plantino. Photos, ronrtosy Dfpnrfmfnf of Forfsts nnd Wators. White Pine Trees Planted in lOOG ry Stuoents oe the State F<»rest School of Pennsylvania. I'hotoR. Courtesy Departniont of Forests and Waters. INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE FOREST LEAVES 121 ways, in parks, on home grounds, or in waste places and woodlots. Land owners are glad to grant permission to school boys and girls to plant trees on their idle acres. It is also appropriate to plant trees along the highways. In a few years the planted trees will furnish many interesting school lessons and add beauty to the rural land- scape. If we cannot do better we can at least find a wildling tree along a fence or in the woodlot and transplant it in a well selected place. Every school teacher should be sure that a tree is planted on Arbor Day, and when we plant trees let us also plant love for trees and knowledge about trees. When we plant trees we plant not only for their shade, shelter, and beauty, but also for the homes of birds. When we are doing this we are help- ing the big problem of forest restoration. We may need the wood of the forest, but we must not overlook the healthful influences of the forest and the benefits they give us in this age of lengthen- ing leisure. Great is the reward of the tree planter and strong is the nation that handles its natural resources wisely. Trees live to give, and everybody needs their gifts. They are benefactors to townsmen and countrymen. We must not overlook the fact that trees make a great contribution to the world's beauty. They pay big dividends every day. No place is complete without them. A home without trees is charmless. A road without trees is shade- less. A park without trees is purposeless. »A town without trees is cheerless, and a country without trees is hopeless. THE WOODLOT By H. B. Rowland, District Forester AT the present time one of the most promis- ing fields for the practice of forestry is with the farmer's woodlot or the small woodlot owner. In this State these woodlots have a total acreage of over 4,000,000 of forest land or about one-third of the forest land of the State. These same woodlots are admitted to be the best stocked and most valuable of our woodlands. Ac- cording to conservative estimate, they have over one-half the estimated timber resources of this State and are conservatively estimated as being worth $21.00 per acre as against $11.00 per acre for State forests and $5.00 per acre for the gene- ral forest land. Most of these woodlots are fair- ly well stocked with valuable timber, much of which is already in or near to merchantable size and most of it well distributed as to age and size in the various lots. In addition, the acreage and ownership is such that the owner can conveniently from time to time consider his woodlot closely and if interested, give it his personal attention to an extent not pos- sible with large acreage owners. Also, due to this close attention and his available time, he could, if he was properly informed, carry out im- provements in his woodlot at little expense and considerable profit that would be impossible in the larger timber tracts. There is still another feature which makes the woodlot of great importance. Since the greater part of our waste forest land is poorly stocked and in some cases not yet even started toward a productive crop of timber, it will be almost a full rotation before these lands will grow a yield of timber. In the meantime, it is to the wood- lots that we can look for the early production of timber in any considerable volume during the time necessary to bring these other lands to a producing state. Aside from the remaining vir- gin stands, these woodlots are the lands best fitted to give us a timber supply during the immediate future. It seems that we could with profit de- vote considerable time and attention to this more nearly productive timber. While they are the best of our woodlands, they could be much im- proved in quality and quantity Avith profit to the owner and benefit to the State. A large part of these woodlots are in a posi- tion now to be handled on a rough, common-sense selection system on a regular, sustained yield, to- ward timber production and woodlot improve- ment with considerable revenue to the owner, pro- vided the owner could readily find the best market and the best market price for his products. He has the woodlot, the merchantable timber, the de- sire to cut and sell and improve his woodlot, but hesitates on account of market and market con- ditions. He cannot expect to keep up with cur- rent market conditions or prices nor can he be always informed on special wood uses that might be just the need which he could best fill. His small production and only periodic interest in the market of his goods makes it impossible to keep fully posted on all the changes of market conditions. Fifteen per cent, of all the lumber manufac- tured each year is used to replace wood that has been decayed in service. Architect, contrac- tor and lumber dealer can co-operate to reduce such losses. ii l\ 122 FOREST LEAVES PUBLIC RECREATION AND PRIVATE LAND* By Wilson Compton, Secretary and Manager National Lumber Manufacturers' Association I THINK there is something in all of us that revolts at the thought that it may be possi- ble for a united ownership of the surface of the world to put up a collective "Keep Oif the Grass !'' sign. We are all just sociable enough from our racial hereditv of the ancient commons of Britain, to feel that somehow the world does owe us a right to commune Avith nature, even though we concede readily enough that it does not owe us a living. We hate to feel that the world around we may be pursued always by "Move On" and "No Trespass" placards and brutal commands. I doubt if there lives a man who has not dreamed of some sort of an Utopia in which there would be no giving and receiving of commands — not a policeman in sight. You know what I mean, if you will, but recall your ire when insultingly "bawled out" by a policeman for some minor and accidental infraction of traffic rules. If you were physically able to do it, and there were no deter- rent penalties for disrespect to an officer, you would get right out and give him the beating of his life then and there. No doubt, on paper or in imagination, you have often performed some mighty feats of brawn and vindication of this sort, and your pulse has quickened and your face flushed as you plumed yourself on this fantastic assertion of your rights as a man. To wander far and wide and Hnd everywhere the face of the earth enclosed against you affronts your primal instincts. In the United States the conditions that i)re- vailed everywhere until recently and that still prevail in extensive regions have given the exer- cise of the instinctive freedom of the open coun- try a certain moral and even legal standing. This was and is particularly true of the South. The people of that region have always felt that they have an innate right to the free run of unculti- vated lands. The unfenced range and timber land —and the fenced— has been the unfettered resort of the hunter and fishennan and even of the grazer. The common rule of law everywhere in the United States, I believe, is that the owner of prop- erty can only maintain his superior individual rights to his land, as against the common right, by duly "posting" it, that is, notifying the public •Address before the National Conference on Outdoor Re- creation. VUIMVAJI I\C by suitable placards that the full rights of title are asserted. It is not trespass to tramp through private woodland and meadow if the owner has not served notice to that effect. You may even enter on your neighbor's wild land and hunt the game thereon and catch the fish of its waters if he has not served the generality with a notice to keep off. William Elliott, in that delightful book of his, written in the early decades of the last century, "Carolina Sports," tells us that this "hunter's law" was held even by some landed proprietors them- selves to be superior to the property laws, even as applied to fields in crop. "The right to hunt Avild animals, held by the great body of the people, whether landholders or otherwise, as one of their franchises, which they will indulge in at discre- tion; and to all limitations on which they submit with the worst possible grace! The ferae naturae are, in their code, the property of him who can take them, irrespective of any conflicting right in the owner of the soil." Sometimes this general, as opposed to the statu- tory individual, right goes to absurd lengths, as in those parts of* the South where the owners of timber land are powerless to prevent the burning over of the grass for its fancied improvement of the range for cattle and hogs belonging to men who neither own, lease nor pay for grazing rights. In law, of course, the owners are potential; but in fact they are impotent. No timber corpo- ration, no non-resident owner, is going to invite the hostility of a community of bold and sensi- tive men; at least not so long as the timber is administered extractively instead of reproductive- ly. Perhaps he even feels that all he bought when he acquired title was the timber. Perhaps that is all that interested him. So long as the public's pursuit of its unwritten right is not too costly to the owner he shrugs his shoulders and lets it go at that. The actual big-timber loss probably will not be great from range fires, and from the point of view of the purely extractive proprietor — as most lumbermen have perforce been until these recent times — destruction of seed and seed- ling, duff and humus and the sources of future forests is of little importance. Defend it or reprehend it, there it is, this feel ing of the right of access to wild land as to wild game. It is something that the owners of 230,- 000,000 acres of wild land must confront. Such are the owners of the commercial forests of America. As the total relatively fixed forest area of the country is now placed at 470,000,000 acres, these timber owners hold the title to more than half of FOREST LEAVES 123 the whole. The farmers of the country have about 150,000,000 acres of timber land, and the public about 90,000,000 acres. As the farmers are now virtually united in posting their lands and assert- ing full titular rights against trespass, the op- portunity for exercise of the vague right of re- sort in wild land is limited to 230,000,000 acres of forest — privately owned — out of a totdl land area of about two billions of acres. Add to this the forest and non-forest land of the National and State Forest and Park Reservations and we have 480,000,000 acres of land that might be described as forest, in the old English sense of a tract of usable country. Vo be sure, leaving Alaska out of the count, there are 190,000,000 acres of land in the unreserved public domain, but most of it is still there because it is not worth claiming, even for outing purposes. We will not be far wrong if we say that the non-land-owning public's ac- cess to the wild world is practically restricted to about 480,000,000 acres, of which nearly half is privately owned. These private forests are most, if not all, of the wilderness that is accessible to millions of our people — that is on the scale of extent which is really one of the attributes of a wilderness. A square mile or two of undisturbed nature is not a wilderness. Generally speaking, there has hither- to been practically no restriction of public access to these private domains. The public is not warned off; in many instances it is even notified of its welcome, along with some monitory notice about care with fire. This condition has been due partly to the proverbial good nature of lum- bermen, to the inherited impulse referred to be- fore, to a fear of exciting sinister local hostility, and also to a feeling that beyond the fire risk to original forests the timber owner has not en- during interest in the land. But a change of attitude is in process. Part of it is inevitable with the transition to forest cropping, but another part is not inevitable. That depends on the public that uses these private for- ests for every purpose of outdoor and recreational life as if they were its own. As lumbering comes more and more to involve the practice of forestry, prudent land use will doubtless tend to limit some of the privileges the public now enjoys. When men have a large capital invested in growing trees they will be more jealous of proprietary land rights than when that capital is in the form of mature trees. The public run of a managed for- est may not only make the fire risk unbearable ^vhile the value of the forest is still of the remote future; but it may interfere with woods oper- ations, including various by-product utilization. One of these utilizations will doubtless be the let- ting of resort and recreation privileges. At best, as proven by the experience of the oldest foresting countries, forestry is a 3 or 4 per cent, proposi- tion and the owner of the forest land must supple- ment the revenues from wood from other sources. So he may charge for fishing, hunting and camp- ing rights on his land. He may even make the whole of a vast forest into a private preserve. On the other hand the larger part of private forestry, for generations to come, will be the forestry that leaves nature to her own way with safeguards against fire. The owners will not feel like going to much expense to patrol their lands against in- truders. If they are reasonably secure in the matter of fire risk they will leave their wilderness of presently worthless or almost worthless cut- over land freely open to the public. This is as it should be, and as I hope it may continue. That we may all have as much wilderness as possible in which to respond to the recreating call of the wild that is in us, it is important that the essential property rights be respected and pro- tected. This may be accomplished partly by laws that will provide public protection against forest fires, and even more, perhaps, by a reformation of the public's code of outdoor manners. We are the most slovenly and careless people in the Avorld in respect to everything that partakes of a com- mon or unrestricted right or privilege. Obser\'e what an abomination of trash our city parks are after a holiday; consider the litter in our streets accumulated from the careless casting of waste materials onto sidewalks and pavement, recall how our highways are becoming paved channels be- tween shoulders of tin-cans, old newspapers and paper containers. Go into the woods and see what a horrible mess last night's auto campers left be- hind them; go back into the forests and see where vacation campers have defiled the land that was as free to them as air and water. Meditate on 20,000 forest fires set by the nonchalant cigarette smoker and the carelessly and lazily neglected camp fire. Think of the girdled and stripped trees, the torn fiowering shrubs, the trampled seedlings. Is it any wonder that as our endless trains of automobiles glide through the country- side it is between batteries of no-trespass warn- ings, off the road, and traffic warnings on it? The American forest land proprietor is the most easy-going proprietor in the world, the most generous, the least exclusive. Like the landless, he still is under the tradition of the free wilder- ness. He is by all inclination favorable to all public use of his land in the way of recreation that does not injure his property or do him eco- i^ii 124 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 125 nomic damage. He is not a pompous junker, an arrogant landlord, who delights to keep people off merely because he has the right and the power. On the contrary it gives him a certain pleasure of vanity that he does not exercise his proprietary powers. Now, are we going to keep this American pro- prietor in his good old American way or are we going to make him a gruff and hostile landlord, concerned more in repelling one guilty trespasser than in welcoming a hundred unoffending? Are we going to keep the private wilderness oi)en to the public or are we going to bang the gates and padlock them? The answer will be given by the public rather than by the timber land ownefs. What the forest proprietors eventually elect to do with public use of their land will be determined by that use. If the outing public continues to abuse, as it has abused, the private forests of America will become as closed to the people as the baronial estates of the old world. On the other hand, with right use and fair consideration of another's property which nature lovers must learn to respect, we may preserve and intrench these customary and time-honored privileges of the land. WHITE PINE BLISTER RUST IN PENN- SYLVANIA THERE exists an arrangement between the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture and Forests and Waters for the study of the white pine blister rust. Under this arrange- ment the Department of Forests and Waters has made a survey of the white pine in northeastern Pennsylvania, and the Department of Agriculture made a survey of (a) the spread of the blister rust and (2) of the wild ribes. Mr. W. A. McCubbin of the Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture" re- ports that further surveys made during 1925 show that ''there has been little, if any, spread of the rust southward since 1921 and 1922; that the middle north tier counties are apparently still free from blister rust; that little spread has taken place in Wayne county; that an intensive survey of the whole of Wayne county disclosed only 279 plants of the dangerous black currant; that wild ribes, although present in all localities, are relatively far less abundant than in more northern pine areas; and that wild ribes occur- rence is extremely irregular, varying from abund- ance in one spot to entire absence in others. '* Paul Smith, who scouted Wayne county dur- ing July and August, 1925, makes the following summary about the blister rust: 1. That the rust' is still there. 2. Rust is not spreading to any great extent. 3. Pines are scarce. 4. Owners set slight store by currants or goose- berries. 5. Wild ribes are generally present, mainly in stonjj pastures and along fence rows, in small numbers. 6. Ribes are generally absent in swamps. The foregoing conclusions — the result of special field studies and surveys — show that the white pine blister rust situation in Pennsylvania is not serious at present. This tree disease will be watched carefully by the Department of Agri- culture and the Department of Forests and Waters and if it should start to spread rapidly, practical control measures will be taken. A TIMBER FOOL'S PARADISE PRESIDENT COOLIDGE and the Dominion Government have each designated A])ril 18th to 24th as American Forest Week. Behind the action of the two governments Mes this sinister fact — that in regard to our timber suppl\ we have been living in a fool's paradise. Soon and unpleasant will be the awakening unless Ave take instant steps to correct past blunders. Soil erosion and dwindling streams are wit- nesses to our neglect of the forests. Everything that we eat, wear or otherwise enjoy is in some way connected with the product of the forests. We cannot travel a mile by train or auto without testi- fying to our dependence upon timber. You may sit at a table and from a pulp wood paper menu order a beefsteak and trace the connection be- tween that steak and wood. From the time the steer, in a fenced enclosure, is fed from a trough, and transported over railroad ties for its trip through the packinghouse, down to, when after enjoying the steak the diner discreetly picks his teeth, wood has figured in every stage. Forests are of individual and of national con- cern, and justification for the statement that we are living in a fool's paradise is in this one faet. We are nearing the end of our virgin forests and, although consumption is four times as rapid as renewal, we are doing almost nothing about it. Fire is one serious menace, and that is inadequat<'- ly guarded against. But even ample fire pro tection will not alone restore the forests. There niust be reafforestation coupled with fire protec- tion to insure the timber supply of the future. A reason why this has not been done more ex- tensively in the past is our unbusiness-like con- ('ei)tion of taxation. A tree requires from 50 to 70 years to mature, yet we shut our eyes to that faet and tax growing timber at its present value as though it could be cut immediately. Timber is a crop just as much as corn or cotton, but instead of being an annual it requires a lifetime to develop for harvesting. Would it be equitable to value a crop of corn and then multiply the taxes by 50 or 70? Yet the man who raises a crop of timber nnist pay taxes at least 50 times on it before he o^ets his return. What surer way to discourage realTorestation? If we are to get out of this fool's paradise without serious loss the States must one and all overliaul their taxation systems so as to relieve tlie man willing to replant of the burden of tax- ation. The farmer is not taxed on the value of the crops of corn he expects to raise in the next 50 years. The forest owners should be treated as other crop producers and made to pay a tax on tile value of their timber crop only when it is har- vested. Unless this is done we are not likely to encourage reproduction of the timber supply. — Wall Street Journal. EASTERN NATIONAL FORESTS EXPAND AND INCREASE IN VALUE THFj illustrated report of the National For- est Reservation Commission for the past year is being distributed. The report shows that in a decade and a half there has been built "P by purchase a system of 12 National Forests located in the rougher and mountainous portions of the eastern States, and now embracing 2,584,- 07() acres. These 12 Forests have a reserve of more than five billion feet of merchantable timber which has at the present time an estimated value of nearly $6,000,000 in excess of the prices at wliieh acquired. Having been purchased in large part before the war, these lands have greatly ap- l»('ciated in value, while young timber, having h<'('n protected from fire, has enormously increased in amount through a decade of unchecked growth. The report shows that there has been acquired ^•{ per cent, of the lands which are of a character ^^n it able for Government ownership in the acres ^vilhin which purchases have been made. On the i^lienandoah Forest in Virginia and on the Ar- KJinsas and Alabama Forests consolidation is •ihout 70 per cent, completed. With the com- pletion of the purchase program, it is believed that nearly enough land will have been acquired within the hardwood sections of the Appalachians and in the spruce section of New England to give the Federal Government the influence which it should have in directing the forest situation and policies in this portion of the eastern States. The report shows that during the past year there was an addition of 247,067 acres acquired at an average price of $4.80 per acre. The total ac- quired area of 2,585,076 acres has cost $4.96 per acre. The largest area has been acquired in Vir- ginia, amounting to 579,326 acres at an average price of $8.61, followed by New Hampshire with 430,568 acres at $7.48 per acre. In Pennsylvania purchase has been authorized of 186,588 acres at an average price of $2.96 an acre, the low price being due to the fact that most of the lands have been cut over and burned, but some merchantable timber is being secured even in Pennsylvania. The other States in which purchases have been made are as follows: Acres Average Price State acquired per acre Alabama 93,169 $4.70 Arkansas 76,199 3.36 Georgia 200,049 6.08 Maine 32,256 5.51 N. Carolina 378,175 6.10 S. Carolina 42,133 6.17 Tennessee 336,697 4.80 W. Virginia 228,916 3.06 Lands are being acquired only within certain definite areas with a view to bringing eventually under Government control large compact bodies which can be easily administered and cheaply pro- tected from fire. Notwithstanding that purchases for eastern National Forests were begun only 15 years ago, and that most of the land acquired has been cut over or culled of its best timber, the in- come from these eastern forests last year amounted to $127,729, and this income has aver- aged more than $100,000 a year for the past seven years. The forests are practically paying their way at present and probably soon will be paying interest on their cost. The sale of timber is not being pushed, sales being made at present primar- ily to supply local needs, to give steady employ- ment to local people, to salvage old or diseased timber, and for improvement purposes. About one-half of 1 per cent, of the total area of these National Forests was burned over during the pre- ceding year, with total damages amounting to $4,284, the total number of fires being 426. The report outlines the initial plans for extend- ing the National Forest system to the pine regions 126 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 127 of the Southern States, and for increasing the Na- tional Forest area in the Lake States, where the total area of cut-over timber land is placed at ap- proximately 31,500,000 acres, much of it having been burned after logging. The opinion is ex- pressed that the carrying out of the Government's policy in these regions may result in a most bene- ficial influence in its direction of forest policies in both regions. The report can be secured from W. W. Ashe, Secretary National Forest Reservation Commis- sion, Washington^ D. C. CHESTNUT STUMPS RICH IN TANNIN THE stump wood, root wood, and root bark of the American chestnut tree are very rich in tannin. This is a discovery recently made by chemists of the United States Depart- ment of Agriculture. On the average sound root, they say, the bark was found to contain more than 30 per cent, of tannin, find root wood more than 17 per cent. This yield is fully twice as great as that obtained from the trunks and limbs of the tree, now our most important domestic source of tannin for commercial use. With reference to the horizontal distribution of tannin, these chemists also found that the edge of the heartwood of the stump and trunk is much richer in tannin than is the central zone of the heartwood. This indicates that from a given stand of chestnut, slab wood will furnish a higher yield of tannin than will the remainder of the wood. This work suggests the possibility of increas- ing our domestic supply of tannin through the commercial utilization of chestnut stumps, roots, and slab wood, particularly the slab wood selected from trunk and butt logs. There are some diffi- culties in the way of the commercial use of the stumps which weigh against their high tannin content. Among these are labor costs, value and nature of land, method of handling wood supply, quantity of stumps, size and shape of stump and root pieces, with consequent difficulties in trans- portation and preparation. Between full 1025 and spring 1926, 39,000,000 trees will be planted in Great Britain as a part of the Forestry Department's post-war program for restoring the forest ledger in England, Scot- land and Wales. This brings the total number of trees planted to more than 200,000,000. INCOME FROM THE STATE FORESTS OF PENNSYLVANIA THE income from the State Forests during 1925 amounted to $107,499.72. Much of this income was derived from the sale of chestnut poles, posts, ties and lumber killed by the blight. The removal of the dead and dying chestnut trees has eliminated serious fire hazards and also made room for other valuable forest trees to grow. Considerable income was also de- rived from the sale of minerals, such asi sand, clay, and ganister rock. Each year an increasing income is also derived from the recreational privileges on the State Forests, which include the leasing of permanent camp sites, concessions, and other recreational privileges. The total in- come from this source during 1925 was $12,611. The growth of the State Forest receipts has been very rapid. They are shown by years in the following table: Year ^ Amount 1900 *. $1,227.87 1901 1,951.57 1902 1,578.70 1903 9,758.02 1904 , 1,373.94 1905 2,247.67 1906, 5,001.24 1907 ■ 3,955.89 1908 2,473.76 1909 5,267.11 1910 9,176.09 1911 6,460.08 1912 12,585.67 1913 13,076.07 1914 15,066.64 1915 13,483.84 1916 21,459.97 1917 21,569.69 1918 24,410.24 1919 34,517.15 1920 50,633,80 1921 50,064.51 1922 57,502.89 1923 113,094.34 1924 117,308.20 1925 107,499.72 Total $702,744.67 During the last 25 years the receipts from the State Forests have totaled $702,744.67. Of this amount $344,464.50 have been deposited in the State School Fund. That the State Forest re- ceipts have been increasing rapidly in recent years is shown by the fact that during the past three years, 1923 to 1925, the total income from the State Forests has been $337,902.26, or 48 per cent, of the total receipts since 1900. During this 3-year period the School Fund receipts have totaled $76,092.16, or 22 per cent, of thel total amount that has been placed in the State School Fund from the State Forest receipts since 1900. THE FORESTRY PRIMER MR. CHARLES LATHROP PACK, Presi- dent of The American Tree Association, has issued a booklet bearing the above caption to mark the semi-centennial of the first step in forestry by the United States Government in 1876, and to help the coming generations of Americans profit by the lessons of the past. it contains 14 lessons on forestry, the first, en- titled ^^Olir Original and Our Present Forests," is as follows: "Paper and pencils, houses and hoops, desks and doors, soap and shoes, airplanes and automobiles, baseball bats and boats, — all these things and hundreds more, depend partly or entirely upon the forests. Without the trees we could not have them. They are all a part of our lives, our hap- piness and oui: comfort. We could not do with- out them. But if we must have these things of everyday life we must have the forests to supply them. We must feed the goose that lays the golden egg of forest products. "When the Indian roamed this country there were some 6ight hundred and twenty-two million acres of forested land. Much of this has been cut for farm and pasture, for cities and suburbs, as our population has grown. It is estimated that we now have one hundred and thirty-eight million acres of untouched forest, and two hundred and fifty million acres of what is called second growth timber of commercial value. About eighty-one million acres of land fit for nothing but growing , trees are now idle. These acres must be put to work so that we may have a continued timber ciop every year. "We Avould be greatly alarmed if we were told that there was no wheat crop this year, and that there would be no bread after a certain date. No one can picture such a situation. Bread is the ^^staflf of life," it is said. The products of the forest are equally a ''staff" to industry and to us. We need a timber crop every year, just as we need a wheat or corn crop. "We find that our forests are going about four times as fast as they are being replenished. This is due to cutting for our needs and to destruction by forest fires, insect pests and diseases. Owing to our constant increase in population we have growing demands for what the forest yield us. Some of our leading thinkers predict a population in our country of three hundred millions within a comparatively short time. That is almost three times what it is now. With the population going up hill and the forests going down hill, simple arithmetic! shows a result that may well mean economic disaster for this country. "Today our greatest forest resources are long distances from the points of greatest need. Our centers of largest manufacture and densest popu- lation, and, therefore, of most intense use, are in the eastern half of the country. "Tremendous tracts of forest land in this section have been cleared in the past to provide food- producing areas for this ever-increasing popula- tion. As a result there are no extensive forest areas near at hand. The manufacturing centers must procure wood from the timbered areas of the great northwest and south. This means that to the cost of the product itself there must be added the expense of long-distance transporta- tion. Because we use forest products in countless ways there is no article used in everyday life that does not feel this added expense. "There is another consideration of vital import- ance to thousands of workers. Mill wheels will turn just as long as it is profitable to turn them. When the profit goes, the manufacturer must close his mill or go with varying rapidity into bank- ruptcy. Employment goes with it. "Picture a mill making woodenware of various kinds. It is situated in a small community. Most of the inhabitants work in the mill, which has been getting its raw material from nearby forests. Gradually these forests are used up. No provision is made for keeping them continually growing by wise annual cutting. The manufacturer finds that he must get his lumber from a great distance, paying higher for it on account of freight costs. He discovers that he cannot make his products and put them on the market at a profit. He has two choices; stop work and shut down his mill or move to another site nearer the timber supply. Either choice means the end of the community. "There are many towns in our country that are mere ghosts of their former selves because the / 128 FOREST LEAVES forests have gone and industry has; gone with them. Just as the mining town has been left to rot when the vein *' payed out/' so have these communities decayed when the forests * Spayed out.'' . "Timber should, if possible, be grown near where it is to be used. "We use about twenty-three billion cubic feet of wood a year*; forest fires and insects destroy about two billion feet more." The other chapters of the booklet are equally interesting, and it is particularly instructive to .school teachers for use in their class. A copy can be secured by writing to the American Tree As- sociation, 1214 Sixteenth Street, Washington, D. C, inclosing a stamp. IF YOU PLAN TO PLANT A FOREST, LOOK UP ITS ANCESTORS By W. N. Sparhawk, U. S. Forest Service PEDIGREE may count in raising first-class timber even more than in growing com or beef, judging from a report of the Aus- trian Forest Experiment Station. In order to test the influence of ancestry, acorns of pedunculate oak obtained from 21 localities in various parts of Europe were planted near Vien- na in 1904. These seedlings were transplanted in the field in 1905, and have been measured at intervals. At the start the results confirmed the findings of other investigators, larger seed generally pro- ducing more vigorous seedlings. The 7 heaviest lots of acorns (average 74 to the pound) produced seedlings averaging 9 inches tall at the end of the first year, while the seedlings from the 7 lightest lots (average 145 to the pound) averaged only 6 inches in height at that age. After 7 years the plants from the heavier acorns were still 25 per cent, taller. At the end of 18 years, however, the advantage due to size of seed had completely dis- appeared and the trees from the light acorns were slightly taller than those from the heavy acorns. The shortest trees (12.1 feet tall) came from heavy acorns (88 to the pound), and the tallest trees (19.3 feet) from relatively light acorns (112 to the pound). The oaks that grew the fastest were descendants of fast-growing, well-formed mother trees grow- ing in regions with climate similar to that of Vienna. The descendants of mother trees grow- ing in distinctly different climates, particularly those from regions with a mild, humid, oceanic climate, did not do so well. The acorns from southern France, for instance, were collected from a tree of unusually rapid growth, yet the young oaks which grew from them grew the slowest of the 21 lots. The oaks from mild climates suffered severely from late frosts -after growth commenced in the spring, while those from cool regions, such as Sweden, were not injured. The influence of atmospheric and soil moisture conditions of the homeland was also found to affect the rate of growth. The extreme drouth of 1917, when only 35 per cent, of the normal precipitation fell dur- ing the growing season,, practically stopped the growth of trees whose parents grew in southeni France and near the Adriatic coast, and also of those from moist bottom lands in central Europe. It retarded the growth of trees from localities with moisture conditions similar to those of the planting site only moderately, and that of trees from dry sites in northern Europe not at all. The oaks from warm regions generally put out new shoots late in the summer, which were attacked by oak-mildew; those from cooler regions did not, and were free from mildew. But even trees of a favorable climatic race did not grow well if their mothers were short-holed, bushy crowned, crooked, or otherwise ill-formed. The plots showed very plainly, as has also been found in Denmark, that the individual character- istics of the mother tree may be handed down to the offspring. While 40 to 50 per cent, of all the trees on the best plots had straight boles, on two plots planted with acorns largely from bushy cro^^'ned trees every stem was crooked. Moreover, the degree of crookedness was found- to increase in percentage of crooked stems, and the straighter stems had the larger average diameters. The trees on several plots can never produce anything but firewood. The report urges that seed to be used in re- forestation be obtained from localities with cli- mate and soil moisture conditions as nearly as possible like those of the planting site, and that it be collected only from well-formed, thrifty, nar- row-crowned mother trees of rapid growth. — The Forest Worker. Each year forest fires in the United States burn an area equivalent to a 10-mile strip from New York City to Denver. This is an area more than eight times the acreage of the French for- ests destroyed or damaged during the World War. i;, PUBLISHED BY THE PENNSVIVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCt PHILADELPHIA. PA. ^va n ill Is : 11 ir CONTENTS Paob A Well Managed Farm Lot in the Cumberland Valley pStV The Clarion Meeting 129 Better Wood Utilization 129 Maple Sugar and Syrup . . . 130 The Raw Material of the Lumber Industry 131 Reforestation of the Lackawanna Valley 133 White Pine Then and Now 135 Top- Working the Black Locust 136 Forest Fires 138 Silviculture as a Product for Rural High Schools in Pennsylvania 140 The Culture of Norway Spruce 143 The Anthracite Forest Protective Association 144 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FOUNDED IN JUNE, 1886 Labors to diMcminate information in regard to the necessity and methods of forest culture and preservation, and to secure the enactment and enforcement of proper forest protective laws, both State and National. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE. THREE DOLLARS LIFE MEMBERSHIP. FIFTY DOLLARS Neither the membership nor the work of this Association is intended to be limited to the State of Pennsylvania. Persons desiring to become members should send their names to the Chairman of the Membership Committee, 130 South 13th Street. Philadelphia. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents, Robt. S. Conklin, J^ F. |;Jendricks, Samuel L. Smedley, Mrs. David Reeves. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. ^ Treasurer and Recording Secretary. F. L. Biiler. COMMITTEES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Henry Howson, Hon. Marshall Brown, Hon. F. W. Culbertson Edgar P. Kable F. L. Bitler, Mrs. David Reeves, Miss Mary K. Gibson, FINANCE— Dr. Henry M. Fisher. Chairman H. W. Shoemaker. J. Rodman Paul, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman Eli Kirk Price, MEMBERSHIP— George H. Win, Chairman J. A. Seguine PUBLICATION Egbert S. Cary, Joseph S. lUick, George F. Craig, Dr. George S. Ray Dr. H. A. Rothrock Harrison Souder. WORK — Mrs. Brinton Coxe, Chairman Miss Ethel A. Shrigley, E. E. Wildman. J. Franklin Meehan, FOREST LEAVES Published Bi-Monthly Entered at the Philadeli^ia Poat-Office as •eoood-dass matter, under Act of March 3d. 1870 Vol. XX— No. 9 PHILADELPHIA. JUNE. 1926 Whole Number 232 THJB CLARION MEETING OFFICE OF THE ASSOaATION. IS* S. FIFTEENTH STREET. PHILADELPHIA TTIK Summer Meetins^ of the Pennsylvania Foi-estry Association will be held in ('lar- ion, Pa., on June 22nd, 23rd and 24th, 1!)20, as per announcement which has l^een sent to our members. Clarion is the county seat of Clarion County, a picturesque town located on the "Lakes to Sea Highway," easy access by auto being had from nil parts of the State. The meeting is being held at this place on the invitation of the Community Club and the Ki- waiiis Club, as well as representative citizens, and an instructive and pleasant time has been ar- lauged for. Besides the interesting papers and addresses on various phases of forestry and motion pictures which will be presented on the evenings of Tues- day, June 22nd and of Wednesday, June 23rd, citizens of Clarion have arranged for two in- structive automobile trips. That on Wednesday, June 23rd, will start from the Court House at 9 A. M., going to the Cook Forest, fine scenic views of the Clarion River Hills being had en route. The Cook Forest is the finest tract of virgin pine which still exists in the State of Pennsylvania, liicre being about 4,000 acres of the old forest which once covered practically all of our State. liUncheon will be served at the inn at Cooks- l)urg (price, 75 cents). In the afternoon there will be a visit to the large second growth hemlock along Paint Creek, to Wilson's Woods to see some virgin white oak, and also to the Arboretum which is being developed by the Hon. Theo. L. Wilson. If time permits some side trips may be made. The motor trip on Thursday, June 24th, will start from the same place visiting the new Clarion Kivcr Hydro-Electric Plant, which has just been completed, the dam backing up the Clarion River lor a distance of some six miles. Two additional arty will then proceed to the Fox Fistate at Fox- Inng, where the party will see the virgin trees lo- cated there, also the interesting tree plantations which were viewed at the time the Association held its Foxburg Meeting. The increase in size can be noted. Luncheon will be had at Foxburg, by the hospitality of friends of the Association, after which the party will return to Clarion. The official headquarters will be at the Hotel Clarion, where members shoidd make their reser- vations, stating whether a room with or without bath is desired. Members who expect to attend should notify F. L. Bitler, Recording Secretary, 130 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, Pa., so that arrangements can be made for their comfort, and a program will be foi'warded to these as soon as they are printed. Clarion can be reached over the Pennsylvania Railroad, going to Summerville on the Low Grade Branch, which runs from Driftwood to Red Bank. Passengers from Philadelphia and vicinity will go via Driftwood, while visitors from Pittsburgh will go via Red Bank on the Allegheny Division. At Summerville connections will be made with the Lake Erie, Franklin and Clarion Railroad which runs to Clarion. Members who will come by auto- mobile will take the "Lakes to Sea Highway" as above mentioned. The town of Clarion is exerting every endeavor to give our members a pleasant outing, and we trust that all who can will attend. BETTER WOOD UTILIZATION AS a result of the meeting of the National Committee on Wood T'tilization held in Washington in May at the Department of Commerce, Secretary Hoover, chairman ot the committee, announced that two definite projects were already under way in the nation-wide effort for a more complete utilization of lumber from the time it leaves the forest until it becomes the finished product. The promotion of the use of short lengths, odd widths and odd lengths of lumber, inchuliuir end nuitched material, and a campaign for the bet- ter seasoning and piling of lumber, are two first major wood-saving steps to be taken, it was re- It'* 130 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 131 » n ti 1 If ported. The conference has selected these proj- ects and will proceed through educational and other methods to make them an effective, part of the activities ot the wood using trades on behalf of better wood utilization. A special committee to develop and extend the greater use of short and odd length sizes and odd widths is being organized representing the as- sociations concerned in manufacture, wholesale and retail consuming trades, architects, contract- ors and engineers. According to Axel H. Oxholm, director of the National Committee on Wood Utilization, pro- viding a market for short and odd lengths and odd widths, is one of the most important of the wood-utilizing problems in the soft-wood indus- try to-day. He estimates that a saving of from $100,000,000 to $150,000,000 a year would result if these sizes were produced and marketed. Mr. Oxholm contends that the consumer naturally has to pay for this avoidable waste. The logger and manufacturers, in co-operation with distributors and consumers, are setting up a special commitee to study the best methods of better seasoning and piling of lumber, and have recommended that this committee should compile information on the best known and new methods of lumber seasoning and handling This special committee will be made up of representatives of lumber manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and industrial users. In so far as seasoning and pil- ing of lumber is concerned, Mr. Oxholm says that there is a very large and avoidable waste from the time the lumber leaves the sawmill until it is put to final use. MAPLE SUGAR AND SYRUP By H. B. Phillips, Assistant in Information, Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters MAPLE products are derived in commer- cial quantities from the sap of the Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) common- ly called *' Sugar Tree.^' It is the same **Hard Maple" that produces large amounts of choice lumber for flooring, furniture, athletic equip- ment and scientific instruments. The sap from other maples contains sugar in varying amounts, but of minor quantity and inferior quality. The great home of the maple sugar industry is in our Northeastern States and the adjacent provinces of Canada. Ten States produce over 96 per cent, of the maple sugar products made each year. Ohio and New York are our leadiii.* States, producing more than 70 per cent, of the quantity made in the United States. Pennsyl- vania ranks fourth. She produces an average of 200,000 pounds of sugar and 225,000 gallons of syrup, worth from $500,000 to more than $600,000. The maple sugar season is usually during Feb- ruary and March. In late seasons, as this year in Pennsylvania, it extends in|o April. The maple sugar industry is not only a seasonable one, but special features of the weather make for the best season. In general, the season is when the days are beginning to warm, with the tem- perature going above 30 deg. F., and the nights still frosty. The best sap flow is where the change from winter to spring is slow. These conditions do not occur throughout the entire range of the sugar maple tree. A region where the ground thaws quickly and where the temperature does not vary greatly from day to night, is not suitable. If the days are very bright, warm and sunny, the sap starts with a rush, but slackens with high winds, waim spells or heavy freezes, until the return of sea- sonable weather causes it to start again. The flow of sap is not continuous. It runs only when atmospheric conditions are favorable. As a rule, the run is stronger during the day than at night, and olten stronger in midday than in the morning or evening. The sap flow may, therefore, be intermittent during the season, and range from as few as 2 or 3 runs to as many as 10 or 12. ** Buddy '^ sap is the name applied to late runs of sap, when the buds of the trees are beginning: to open. It is usually greenish to yellowish in color, with a peculiar odor, and does not yield syrup of good flavor. When * ^ buddy '^ sap be- gins to run it is a sign that the favorable days for sugar making are past. The three stages of sugar making operations are: (1) Tapping the tree; (2) gathering the sap, and, (3) boiling it down into syrup and sugar. From one to several holes about one- half inch in diameter and one to two inches deep are bored into the tree, slightly upward, a tew feet above the ground. Into these holes are driven small spouts called ^* spiles,^* from which buckets are hung to receive the sap as it drii)s from the holes. When the sap is running well about 70 drops flow into the pail each minute. The pails are emptied each day and the sap taken to the ** sugar house" or evaporating I plant, where it is boiled. A single tree yields from 5 to 40 gallons of sap during a season — on an average between 10 and 20 gallons. One barrel (32 gallons) of sap should produce one gallon of syrup or 7J^ 10 8 pounds of sugar. One tree can be counted on to give from 1 to 7 pounds of sugar per sea- son, or, expressed in syrup of standard density, from 1 pint to 1 gallon; the average from tree to tree and from year to year is about 3 pounds of sugar or 3 pints of syrup a season. In many eamps it often takes as much as 50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. A camp of 100 trees should on the average produce about 40 gallons of syrup or 300 pounds of sugar. Although the north tier counties as a region are generally spoken of as the home of the Pennsylvania maple sugar industry, it is the southern border county of Somerset that leads all others. The 1920 census showed that Somer- set County produced 60 per cent, of the maple sugar and more than one-fourth of the maple syrup made in the state. The maple sugar industry of Pennsylvania de- serves to be fostered, encouraged, and developed. An average of over 765,000 trees were tapped in the State during the last three years. Pennsyl- vania's product generally brings the best prices. While the average sugar production per tree in ihe ten States making over 96 per cent, of the annual crop, averaged two pounds per tree dur- ing the last three seasons, Pennsylvania's trees yielded an average of 2% pounds. Assuming the average value of the sugar pro- dnced at from 25 cents to 30 ?ents a pound, and an average of 70 trees per acre, would mean an- nual gross returns from the average acre of Pennsylvania's ** sugar bush" at $49.60 to $57.75. At this rate, even the net returns per acre should be high as compared to tree growing for timber purposes only, and furthermore, the kind of wood produced in the open sugar grove should ultimately yield beautiful grained maple in de- uiand for furniture manufacture and other high urade uses. Since the holes made in tapping are confined to the first few feet of the trunks of the trees, the loss in quality timber from this treatment is relatively small and more than com- pensated for by the annual returns from sap and the ultimate value of high grade wood. The following table tells the trend of produc- tion in Pennsylvania's maple sugar industry. It shows that the present production of sugar in the State is only one-fourth or fifth of what it used to be, while the production of syrup has increased from two to three times. Year Sugar (lbs.) 1850 2,326,525 I860 2,767,335 1870 1,545,917 1880 2,866,010 1890 1,651,163 1900 1,429,540 1910 1,188,049 1920 535,954 Syrup (gals.) 114,310 39,385 140,667 154,650 160,297 391,242 273,762 THE RAW MATERIAL OF THE LUMBER INDUSTRY* By W. M. Jardine, Secretary of Agriculture THE Department of Agriculture deals with those things which come from the soil. In the forest, therefore, and in its chief product, lumber — the most heroic of our crops, — this association and the department have a genuine common interest. It is unnecessary to point out the important and skilful part the distributors play in the lum- ber industry, as the forests and the chief con- sumers of wood have got farther and farther apart, so that now much of our lumber is hauled across the continent. The mere magnitude of the lumber distribution job is staggering. More than fifty million tons of lumber a year are carried by the railroads — a traffic that constitutes nearly 4*/^ per cent, of the total tonnage originated on the railroads and yields over 7 per cent, of the total freight . reve- nues. The average thousand feet of lumber travels over 600 miles from its point of origin, not counting reshipments, and pays a freight charge of nearly $11.00. Our yearly freight bill (not including either reshipments or imports) is about $3,400,000,000. The important point is that a large proportion of this freight bill is chargeable to the long haul forced on us by forest depletion, and that it is twenty times as much as is spent annually by all agencies, public and private, on forest restoration. We shall ultimately save a large part of this heavy bill and free our railroads for other es- sential traffic by growing timber as a crop on cut-over lands throughout the country and con- sequently being commonly able to depend on nearby sources of supply. This problem of the supply of wood as a raw material is not merely a theoretical problem, but it confronts all the •Extracts from Address before the National American Wh^esale Lumber Association. 132 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES forest-based industries as a problem of self- preservation. The Department of !A«?riculture is especially interested in two phases of the problem: (1) A more careful use of the timber we hsLve, and (2) the growing' of new forests to replace the old. You are doubtless familiar with the work which the Forest Products Laboratory is doing to save wood through better utilization. It was to make that work more widely useful that the late Secre- tary Wallace called the National Conference on Wood Utilization eighteen months ago. The out- growth of that conference — Ihe National Com- mittee on Wood Utilization — is now getting under way. The self-interest of the forest-based industries, as well as their desire to be of public usefulness, can be relied on for progress in bet- ter utilization of our forest raw materials. There are other economies which lumber dis- tributors can stimulate greatly — particularly those economies in which the ultimate user is concerned. Take the case of so-called '^inferior'* woods, for example. The average customer likes what he knows and suspects what he does not know. For this reason vast quantities of such species as western white fir and larch go to waste, just as a generation ago the bark was stripped from our eastern hemlock and the logs left to rot. Yet these woods are intrinsically good and useful. The problem of getting them used is pri- marily a question of educating consumers. For this job the distributors are partcularly fitted. The Forest Products f laboratory is giving at- tention to the use of short and odd lengths of wood — a problem that has been much discussed of late. Obviously it is a costly habit to buy long boards to cut up into short pieces. After surveying the situation our laboratory has con- cluded that there are two major outlets for short lengths, the building trades, and the in- dustries that use lumber for remanufacture into wooden commodities or incidentally for boxing, crating and the like. In the casQ of the building trades, the distributors are in a strategic position to help market the surplus of short lengths. In the case of industrial uses, on the other hand, it is a matter for co-operation between lumber manufacturers and these fabricating industries in agreeing on standard sizes and grades for short lengths. The manufacturer must put his wares into a readily marketable form; the user must lay aside his habit of buying long boards to saw up into short lengths. AH this will take detaile H H 99 3 O a 3 1 FOREST LEAVES 137 1 portant that the scions be set at the end of the cleft, for only there can a close kfiitting together of the scions and the stem take place. It is be- tween the bark and the wood that the growing tissue, known by the technical name of cambium, is located. In order to graft successfully it is necessary to bring the cambium of the stem and of the scion in close contact with each other. Only if the cambium of the scion and the stem are placed against each other will they fuse properly and insure the growth of the scion. As soon as the scions are properly set the wedge is removed and as a consequence the two sections separated ))y the cleft spring together and pinch the scions. With the scions properly placed and held in a correct position there remains only one more thing to do, and that is apply the grafting wax. This must be done promptly and carefully for two rea- sons, namely, to prevent the drying out of the wood and to keep out infections. The grafting wax makes a waterproof covering which prevents the sawed end of the stem and the scions from drying out. This is important for should they dry out life would be destroyed and the scions caimot grow. It is equally important to place this protective cover carefully about the grafting area so that infection by fungi and other destructive aossible. If fires then play the leading role in forest protection it is only natural that the en- ergies of this district are devoted largely to the suppression and elimination of forest fires. In this work the district forester is ably assisted by 175 citizens living near forest areas, commissioned as fire wardens ready to respond with their equipment and crews to a summons from any fire observation tower. This is the protection force and it has to combat the carelessness and selfishness of a pleasure loving populace in a million acres of forests. To fully comprehend the task before him the district forester reviews the history of forest fires, making note of their causes, location and damage. The causes of forest fires according to importance are: (1) railroads; (2) transients (campers, hunters, fishermen, auto tourists, berry pickers, etc.) (3) brush burners, and other con- trolled fires which escape; (4) unknown causes; (5) miscellaneous causes including children play- ing with matches, and (6) lightning and other rare causes including incendiary. With this much known about the fires the task of prevent- ing and controlling them becomes more tangible. Records covering 13 years are on file in the dis- trict office and from them some interesting data can be obtained. The number of fires each year appears to be increasing but the average area and damage is decreasing. The reason for this apparent increase in the number of fires is that with the building up of a more complete protec- tion personnel — a warden in every wooded area subject to fire hazard — and a more perfect system of detection by means of fire towers, every trace of smoke and every rumor of a forest fire must be investigated and reported upon. Thus many small fires which in former years were not report- ed are now detected and investigated, and not only small fires formerly went unnoticed, but large ones also. In 1915 one whole township, now included in this district, burned over and no one was interested enough to report it. With this i 4 :'Ml 150 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 151 1i U \i> I. fact in mind it cannot be truly said that the number of forest fires are increasing but rather that former fires were only partly recorded. The matter of fire prevention is largely one of education, to teach people of the damage fires do, and the elimination of known forest fire hazards. Education is a possible means of eliminating all fires except those caused by lightning, but unfor- tunately the class of people who most need the lessons cannot be reached and a very great amount of education would be necessary to cor- rect the careless habits of the nation as evidenced by the annual fire loss on improved property. People may sometimes be given lessons in forest protection through their pocketbooks as our records on law enforcement show. For 231 miles in this district woodlands border steam railroads, which condition is responsible for one-half of the forest fires. No outstanding prog- ress has been made in the elimination of this cause and the reason in general is that the rail- roads are now passing through an economic crisis, brought about by the advent of the automobile, ^ and the period of readjustment with better motor power, possibly electrification and cleaner right- of-ways, can be expected soon because of the competition in transportation. A compromise is already apparent where rail^-oads with small passenger traffic adopt motor coaches. Every- thing has been tried to remedy the forest fire conditions along steam railroads, including legal prosecution, but the results, despite the attitude of the higher officials, leave much to be accom- plished. Statistics of forest fires are usually as dry as the fuel upon which the fires feed, but to show that progress has been made some reference of past years must be made, bearing always in mind the reason for the present increase in the num- ber of fires. In 1913 the average area of each fire was 220 acres, this year, a year of unusual severity (20 consecutive days in May without rain) the average area of the 155 fires reported to date is under 40 acres. From 1913 investiga- tion of the origin of fires was so meager that fifty per cent of the fires were reported as un- known causes; this year investigation is so thorough that only 4 fires of the 155 reported could not be assigned a definite cause. And further, of the millions of forest trees planted in recent years only 2,500 were destroyed by fire this spring. Perhaps the confidence of Pennsylvania's citizens, as shown by the increasing sentiment in favor of forestry and forest protection, is the real measure of the efficiency of the forest pro- tection organization. The average loss in this district during the past five years has been 4-10 of 1 per cent., which means in theory that the entire forest area burns over once in 250 years, an un- disturbed interval adequate for the growing of several successive crops of undamaged timber. But in reality much of the area, as semidenudod hills along railroads, burns over each year and in many extensive areas forest fires are unknown. Of the great forest embraced in this district, only 6,000 acres are under State ownership. Ow- ing to the smallness of area and to limited funds very little actual forestry work has been practiced thereon, except protection against fires, until this spring when the first planting of forest tree seedlings was made and a start made in pruninji; and thinning on several areas of natural growth of white pine, hemlock and hardwoods. Seven contiguous demonstration plots, each showing the application of some distinct principle of forestry, have been developed in part. As funds become available the State Forest will be brought to the highest degree of forest production, protection to all forest areas will be afforded, and private forestry will then come to its full fruition. FOREST VALUATION SURVEY OF PENNSYLVANLA. By Alfred E. Rupp, Acting Chief, Bureau of Lands and Management, Department of Forests and Waters IN the Pennsylvania Building at the Sesqiii- Centennial in Philadelphia you will see the history of Forestry in Pennsylvania depicted in three epochs. The first epoch depicts the Virgin Forest — the crowning achievement of Nature's handiwork be- fore the birth of man. Without thought we regard the earth as hav- ing been always timber-clad, until human energy opened the clearings in which crops were to be produced. Such, however, is not the fact. All science is in accord with the belief that forest trees, as we now know them, are the end of a long line of plant life. When extensive areas emerged from the waves to become dry land, and at length the abode of human beings, nothing of higher form than a rock moss or a lichen was there to represent the vegetable kingdom. We are driven to this conclusion by many arguments, and by none more forcibly than by the fact that soil capable of supporting a large-sized tree did not exist. There was no soft substance into which the roots could penetrate to fix the trunk in an erect position, or from which it could draw the needed nourishment which the air failed to sup- ply. Our large trees won their hold upon the earth only after lichens, mosses, ferns and palms had proceeded and prepared the way for them. Even then there remained ages upon ages during which we should have recognized among the stately forms none of the familiar trees of our own times. Whatever possibilities of lumber or fuel there were in the stock were to remain until the earth, largely through the agency of trees, became fitted for its final occupant — ^man. Then, and then only, almost as an afterthought, the possibilities of lumber and fuel appeared. The forests had a history of development be- fore there was a man upon earth, and they have been largely instrumental in preparing it for his home. The second epoch depicts the destruction of Nature's handiwork by the hand of man. In the short span of 150 years this wonderful forest resource has been removed from hillsides and valleys, and no constructive effort made to replace it. The third epoch depicts the work of reconstruc- tion ; the hand of man working with the marvelous forces of Nature. Public opinion has decreed that this be done. The prodigal man must be punished. He must replace that which he has so thoughtlessly destroyed. We cannot expect to escape the evil effects which always follow when the long-established order of Nature has been suddenly violated. The first settlers of Pennsylvania lived among a rich forest heritage, which made possible much of the prosperity of the past, and resulted in good that is still flowing forth to all of us. Great and green forests once covered every hill and all the valleys of the State — more than 28 million acres of almost unbroken forest canopy. It has been drawn upon so heavily and neglected so long that it is now almost empty and in a very un- satisfactory condition. Civilization cannot progress without forest products. We need wood now, and future genera- tions will not be able to get along without it. Nothing comes out of the earth or grows upon its surface that is more adaptable to man 's needs than wood. It is our duty to take steps toward upbuilding Penn's Woods. We cannot afford to be visited by a serious wood shortage. Our barren hillsides must be converted into growing forests. The application of simple and sound forestry methods will bring about the required improvements. An orderly management of our forests will make them highly productive, at- tractive and sanitary. In Forestry, as in any other well-managed business, the forest-land owner must have a knowledge of his capital. To acquire this knowledge he must, 1. — Determine the area of forest land. 2. — The volume of growing stock on the area. 3. — The annual growth or increment. 4. — The best plan of management. The Department has recently completed a field survey of the total area of forest land in Pennsyl- vania, which was made under the direction of the field personnel of the Department. The areas were carefully plotted on maps in the field, and then transferred to smaller maps at the Harris- burg ottice. lAfter careful checking the areas were computed by counties. The area of forest land in Pennsylvania is 13,- 206,000 acres, or about 47% of the total area of the State. This is an increase of about 2% over previous Calculations. The area is classified as: Contiguous 11,489,225 Detached 1,716,775 Total 13,206,000 The contiguous area comprises the forest land acreage located on the mountain slopes and plateaus. The detached area is made up of areas completely or partially surrounded by cleared land. This area comprises the so-called '^ wood- lots". The total forest land area was divided into four classes in accordance with the volume of growing stock on the area. Class 1 comprises the badly burned areas on which there is nothing growing except bracken, huckleberry, weeds, etc., and on which forest tree growth is completely killed. 300,668 acres are in this class. Class 2 comprises the areas on which are found scrub Oak, fire Cherry and Aspen, with a sparse and small growth of valuable forest tree species. 1,565,508 acres are in this class. Class 3 comprises the areas on which the more valuable forest tree species have become firmly established, and includes all growth up to a diameter of 6 inches. 7,594,418 acres are in this class. Class 4 comprises the areas on which are grow- ing trees of merchantable size, and on which more than 50% of the stands are not less than 6 inches in diameter. 3,745,407 acres are in this class. I 152 FOREST LEAVES i|^ With the total area of forest land in the State determined and its division into four classes, the next step taken was to determine the volume of growing stock in each class. This calculation was made in terms of cord and board feet. Class 1 — No estimate was required. Class 2 — the estimate was made in terms of cords. Class 3 — ^was divided into sub-classes A and B. Sub-class **A*' included areas stocked with 1 to 10 cords per acre up to twenty years of age. Sub-class **B'' included areas stocked with 10 to 28 cords per acre up to 35 years of age. Class 4 was divided into sub-classes A, B and C. Sub-class *^A'* included areas stocked with 1 to 2000 board feet of lumber per acre plus the number of cords of wood. Sub-class **B'' includes areas stocked with two to five thousand board feet of lumber per acre plus the number of cords of wood. Sub-class **C^' includes areas stocked with 5,000 board feet and over of lumber per acre plus the number of cords of wood. The volume of growing stock on each acre in the sub-classes was averaged for each major class. The volume of growing stock in each class is : Class 2 3 4 Board Feet 1,000,000 619,000,000 12,857,060,000 Total 13,477,060,000 Cords 463,960 81,925,281 43,972,518 126,361,759 Converting the cords to board feet by using as factors, 80 cubic feet to one cord and 4^/2 board feet to 1 cubic foot, we have 45,490,233,240 board feet. This sum, added to 13,477,060,000 board feet previously mentioned, we have a grand total of 58,967,293,240 board feet as the volume of growing stock on 13,206,000 acres of forest land in Pennsylvania — an average of 4,465 board feet to the acre. This survey makes very little distinction as to age classes and no distinction as to forest types. The volume of growing stock as expressed in board feet includes all classes and forms the basis for computing forest increment. A knowledge of the annual increment to be expected from the forests in Pennsylvania will enable the Foresters to determine the amount of timber produced in Pennsylvania, and the amount that should be harvested annually, so that the growing stock, or capital, will not be reduced. This accomplishment will be attained when con- ditions permit the working out of a practical management plan for the forests of Pennsylvania. The most serious hindrance to the preparation of such a plan is the lack of a responsible agency to determine the amount of timber and otlier forest products harvested annually from the forest land. Another important factor is the annual loss from forest fires. This loss must be more accu- rately determined and corresponding deductions made. The forest valuation survey is a substantial beginning in forest management, and will make possible the introduction of many plans hereto- fore impossible. A business administration of the forest resources of Pennsylvania will benefit the citizens of the State immeasurably. They will benefit directly from the harvest and sale of the forest product and the enhanced vahie of their property from indirect benefits accruinj^ to the forest land owner. The ^^ pioneers '* in forestry work have made wonderful progress. The science of Forestry is but an infant compared with the 4000 year old science of Agriculture. The infant will grow and become strong if we will it so. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE PENN- SYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION AT CLARION, PA., JUNE 24, 1926 RESOLVED, that this Association aj;ain strongly endorses the project looking to the purchase of the Cook tract located in Clarion, Forest and Jefferson Counties, to be pre- sented to and preserved by the State as a public park. Resolved, that the members of the Pennsyl- vania Forestry Association express their aj)- preciation of the hospitable and kindly reception they have received from the people of Clarion, in holding their Summer meeting at Clarion, and tor the kindly tender of automobile service on their trips. They render hearty thanks to the Hon. F. L. Harvey, and to the Hon. Theo. L. Wilson, and to the Kiwanis and Community Clubs and the Isaac Walton League, for the invitation to hold the Association 's Summer Session at Clarion, and for all the aid and encouragement given to the Association and the cause of Forestry in con- nection with the meetings. Also to the IjocuI Committee who so efftciently aided in all details, and to Mr. Charles E, Zerby, District Forester of ■ 4 li l! Forest Leaves, Vol. No. 10. Forest Leaves, Vol. No. 10. The Lawn at thp: Fox Mansion, Foxburg, Pa. i .\. v{ •- A m .'- -^i^iMitf ' W.f •' V f Wlff h *' Oh The Allegheny River Two Miles North of Foxburg, Pa. I FOREST LEAVES 153 .1 the Forestry Commission, for his constant atten tion. ^ . They greatly appreciate the attention shown them in the trips to the Cook Forest and to Fox- buru and they tender their thanks to Miss Hannah Fox and to the ladies who entertained them at lunch at Foxburg, and to those who en- tertained them at Cooksburg, and to the officers o! the Clarion River Hydro-Electric Company at I'inoy Dam. They express their thanks to the County Com- missioners for the use of the Court House, and to the Trustees of the Clarion State Normal School for the use of the Auditorium for their meetings, and to the officers and professors of the School for their courteous help. They appreciate and are grateful for the sup- pott given to the meetings by the Clarion Re- publican and the Clarion Democrat, and by the Oil City Derrick. They carry pleasant remembrances of the care and attention extended by the Clarion and the Anderson Hotels at Clarion, and the Forest Inn at Cooksburg. WHAT FORESTRY BffEANS TO PENNSYL- VANIA COMMUNICATIONS Washington, D. C, June 21, 1926. Dr. Henry S. Drinker, President Pennsylvania Forestry Association, Clarion, Penna. Best wishes for a very successful and large attendance at Summer Meeting of your Association. May you continue to give wonderful service to the Forestry cause in Pennsylvania as you have done for so many years. We wish to state that you may command the American Tree Association .for any cooperation and assistance which it may be able to give in furthering your good work in Pennsylvania. Charles Lathrop Pack, President American Tree Association. Stockholm, Sweden, June 8, 1926. Dear Dr. Drinker: Just came south from Lapland where I spent several weeks studying the forests within the Arctic Circle, and also enjoyed the midnight sun. Sorry, I cannot be at the Summer Meeting of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association. The first I missed in more than ten years. Sincerely yours, Joseph S. Illick. By Major B. Y. Stuart, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters ^ ^ rr^ HE forests of Pennsylvania, as our I other natural resources, have been a foundation upon which our prosperity and high standard of living have been built. Nature's reservoir of wood, water, and minerals furnished the materials 'which have made our progress as a people possible. The Pennsylvania of the future will be strong or weak, wealthy or poor, happy or discontented, as she has available to her in adequate measure nature's material re- sources. In this, the Sesqui-Centennial, year of Amer- ica's independence, there is striking contrast in our forest wealth with that of 1776. Our progress and achievements in agriculture, industry, trans- portation, education, medical science, social serv- ice and the arts have been remarkably far reach- ing. When we glance, however, at the picture of our natural resources, we see, not only in Pennsylvania but throughout the entire United States, wide-spread depletion of our forest wealth and urgent need for forest restoration. Ex- pressed economically, Pennsylvania consumes five times as much wood as she is producing and the consumption of the United States, as a whole, is four times more than our country produces. We cannot get along without forests and forest products. History reveals illustrations of national decline following forest and land dev- astation. Our problem is not whether we need forests, but whether we can produce them in sufficient acreage to maintain the high type of civilization to which we are accustomed. We know from close study and research that if all land in Pennsylvania best suited to produce wood is put to this use and the forests properly manag- ed, there will be ample wood to meet the needs of our future generations. In recognition of this problem and need, Pennsylvania is carrying out an intensive forest restoration program. Forestry means much more than a wood res- ervoir to Pennsylvania. It means the protection of the watersheds of streams for domestic water supply, for industry and for recreation. Forestry means also provision for outdoor life of a health- ful character, which will keep us a virile, sport- loving people. It means, further, an environment conducive to right thinking and living. 154 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 155 The State's forest program is to make every acre of forest land within its boundaries pro- ductive. It aims to accomplish this by the owner- ship and proper administration of State Forests (of which there are now 1,131,783 acres), by advising forest land owners in the proper care and protection of their woodlands, by encourag- ing the planting of forest trees wherever needed, by maintaining an effective forest fire protection organization throughout the State, and by en- couraging by precept and practice the wise care and use of trees and forests. Pennsylvania, true to her name and traditions, will safe-guard her future by the restoration of her forest lands. FIRE, THE CURSE OF THE FOREST— HOW IT CAN BE REMOVED By Gtorge H. Wirt, Chief Forest Fire Warden of Pennsylvania ALL of the addresses of the evening thus far have called attention to the serious con- dition which we are facing with respect to our timber needs and the inadequacy of the timber supply. All of them are optimistic as to the possibilities of meeting our demands, except for one very serious handicap, viz. forest fire. The elimination or control of this curse of the forest in Pennsylvania has been put up to me. It re- minds me of a story which is very old and with which no doubt you are all familiar. ^ ' Once upon a time there was a pantry well filled with dainties very mu<;h enjoyed by a number of mice. The unfortunate situation was, very frequently when the mice were about to enjoy themselves, they were disturbed by the appearance of Mrs. Tabby Cat. This condition became unbearable so the mice held a conference and after considerable discussion, decided if a bell could be put upon the cat, the tinkle of the bell would give plenty of warning to the mice so that all of them could scamper away and none would be exposed to the danger of losing his life. This suggestion ap- pealed to the conference and forthwith a resolu- tion was passed to the effect that a bell should be placed upon the cat. After the resolution was passed, one of the older mice asked for the privilege of the floor and raised the question as to who was to place a bell upon the cat." It seems to me that we are pretty nearly in the same position with respect to forest fires as the mice were with respect to the cat. It is very easy for us to state that tires should be put out, but it is a very diffiicult matte^ to see that they are put out. The whole proposition it seems to me is a very much larger job than most of us realize. But since the problem has been put up to us, let us consider it somewhat in detail and see what the factors are with which we must deal. It appears very evident that there are three distinct factors. The first is the weather. As you know, much has been written and said about the weather, but there is nothing to be done about it. In Pennsyl- vania it seems to be the rule that every spring and fall, the material which we find upon the floor of the forest becomes very inflammable and if the least spark of fire comes in contact with it, forest fires result. These things we know and while we cannot do anything to change the weath- er conditions, nevertheless we must study such conditions, accept them as we get to know them and work out our problem accordingly. It is, therefore, during the spring and fall seasons that our efforts must be more strenuous than during the rest of the year in order to prevent fires and to control what do occur. The second factor with which we must deal is the physical condition of the forest itself. The forest is so constituted that upon the ground under the trees there is always more or less loose vegetable material which under certain weather conditions becomes very inflammable. This is true under natural conditions which have been undisturbed by man. As man interferes with these natural conditions, however, he is very like- ly to intensify the unfavorable factors. As for example, when the forest has been opened up or cut down in part, or entirely, the brush which is left upon the ground adds to the amount of fuel available for a fire and at the same time the removal of the trees exposes the forest floor to sun and wind, so that this material dries out more quickly and consequently is in an inflam- mable condition a greater number of days than it would be otherwise. It is possible to eliminate practically all of the unsatisfactory conditions in the forest itself which have been created by man and under proper direction, the physical conditions in the forest may be very much improved. As for example, in a number of forests observed today along the Lakes to the Sea Highway, you could observe forest areas upon which the trees are standing very close, the border of the forest is dense, with the result that moisture is retained by the vege- table material on the forest floor practically the I entire year, even through the driest portions of the summer. Under such conditions fires are dilTicult to get started and if fires do start in ad- joining areas when they reach such stands, they are no longer driven by the wind, consequently in such forest areas fires can be very easily pre- vented and controlled. It is our province, therefore, to induce the owners of the forest land to do everything they can to eliminate unfavorable factors in their forest areas which make it possible for fires to start more easily or to burn more severely. How- ever, this again is a case of attempting to bell the cat. The forest owner may not be able financially to do the things which will make his forest reasonably fire proof. He may not be inclined to do so even if he were financially able and there seems to be no way in which we can compel him to do so. There is no question in my mind as to the responsibility of the owner of forest land to do all that is reasonably possible to keep the forest area accessible, to keep it free from un- natural fire hazards and to even do something toward looking forward to a more productive wood crop upon his forest ar^a; but as has al- ready been told you, suppose the forest owner does do what he is able to do, he plies you with the (juestion of ^^how soon will what I have done be destroyed by the ciarelessness of some other citizen who has no regard for my property or the interest of the community?'* As long as tires are a serious menace to the forests in Penn- sylvania, it is going to be a difficult proposition for us to convince forest land owners to do very much toward improving the physical condition of the forests. It is a fact, however, that in the case of most of the large fires which occur in our State, they have reached an area of a thousand acres or more because the forest owners have not done what we believe they should have done, viz, kept their tracts accessible with roads and trails so that ftres could be stopped. They prefer to take chances, to run the risk of losing everything, rather than to spend a small amount of money in order to protect their interests. The third factor is the human factor and this we have to deal with in every step we take. It must be realized that fire is not a natural con- dition of the forest. With extremely few excep- tions in Pennsylvania, fire gets into the forest only because man puts it there. It runs wild in the forest only because of someone's carelessness or someone's indifference. You know, as well as I know, why people are careless, but there are certain things which we believe hold true in human nature that might be considered in the forest fire problem. The first is that it seems to be perfectly true that an individual who real- izes the value of any object will care for and protect that object. Our people do not realize the value of the forest and they do not realize the seriousness of the situation which we are facing economically with respect to our timber needs. They do not realize the important place the forest takes in our community welfare, ^md it is pretty nearly as diflficult for us to get our citizens to see and to know these things, as it was for the mice to put the bell on the cat. We are optimistic enough to know that the thing can be done. It has been done. In Europe it lias taken centuries, but today the people of Europe have what may be referred to as a forest con- sciousness. Their old adage, **The care of the forest brings all blessings," is a real proposition to them. We must not be discouraged in Penn- sylvania, because this forest consciousness has not been developed in a period of fifty years. Dr. Rothrock began his efforts in 1877. Our Forestry Association began its efforts in 1886 and possibly by the year 2026 we shall have a forest consciousness in Pennsylvania, but in the mean- time everyone of us has shouldered his own re- sponsibility to help solve the problem that is be- fore us. Every possible means must be used to educate all of our people to the conditions which they face and make them realize that the forest does enter into their welfare; that their timber needs can be met by a timber crop, just as their food needs are met by a food crop; that the few individuals who are careless with fire in the forest are actual criminals and not merely responsible citizens who have had accidents with fire and who attempt to place the responsibility on the Lord. You people who know these things must help to educate those who do not. There is no reason why three thousand people should inter- fere seriously with the welfare of ten million people, except that when any of the three thou- sand are faced with their responsibility those who are called upon to see that the responsibility is properly met, decide after all that the attack upon the community welfare was a mere incident and that the one responsible should merely be told not to do it again. Education of our people, therefore, is an ab- solute necessity. At the same time constructive development in the forest is absolutely essential. I am fully convinced that the first big step toward the solution of the fire problem will have been taken only when forest land owners begin to do 4^ f V 156 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 157 real constructive work in their forest. In the meantime there has to be maintained an efffcient organization for the control of fire and it is no small matter to build up an organization to properly protect thirteen million acres of forest land in the State with conditions such as we have in Pennsylvania. Such an organization is now active. While it is true that during this year we have been unfortunate in having one twenty thousand acre fire, one twelve thousand acre fire and a number of other fires running over a thou- sand acres apiece, yet we still believe that the organization is built upon the right principles and that with a more intensive study of the condi- tions which are being faced and with the accum- mulated results of the past years of education and effort we shall gradually be able to make the forest of Pennsylvania reasonably safe. USE OF PUBLIC FORESTS FOR DEMON- STRATIONAL PURPOSES By W. W. Ashe, Secretary, National Forest Reservation Commission. THE rehabilitation of forest lands in private ownership constitutes one of our most im- portant economic problems. Perhaps Job when he expressed the difference between hearing and actually seeing had in mind forestry propaganda, as it is printed and voiced, and the demonstrational forest; perhaps when he said, ''I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee.'^ (xlii, 5) he realized that it is the visualization of condi- tions, the concrete representation which arrests attention, secures interest and determines de- cision to follow. Cutting timber with the object of securing a sustained yield as yet has little background. The object of the demonstrational forest is to create such a background, to furnish a perspective for each quality site. Its most valuable field is to present conditions where the private owner or his representative can study and decide upon the applicability of what has been done somewhere else to what the private owner has at hand upon his own land. Land owners as a rule desire that their invest- ments shall be maintained at a profit, but mere statements on paper to the effect that they can be so maintained are not sufficient. It is excep- tional when such statements can be backed by an existing precedent; there are only a few cases which can be examined and where it is possible that the facts can be studied and where records supporting the facts can be seen. Even these meager cases are located far apart ; they repre- ' sent only a few aspects of many existing condi- tions. Only recently a group of millmen from eastern South Carolina made a trip to Louisiana for the purpose of making such an examination. Had the demonstrational work at Summerville in South Carolina for which initial plans were prepared in 1909 been carried forward to its logical con- clusion, one of the very points about which the interest of these men mostly centered would have been ayailable for their examination and instruc- tion nearby and under conditions far more like those on their lands than were found elsewhere. Though the demonstrational work at Summerville is not in any sense a demonstrational forest it would have possessed high value for this par- ticular object ; but it was lacking when needed. Unsupported statements have little weight with the man who is weighing the dollar, and neces- sarily so, in his every move. It is here I believe that demonstrational forests will have their high- est value. Such forests, even though of com- paratively small area, should be so located that they will be accessible, and so developed that side by side can be shown an area with the orijrinal forest condition before any lumbering is done; a second area showing the result of ordinary com- mercial cutting in this class of timber and a third area showing cutting made with a view to secur- ing the highest profits. It is absolutely essential in such a presentation that exact costs shall be kept of every operation; that the record shall show the amount of timber on the ground and its value before the operation began, what was re- moved and its value, and the results in money which follow from the different methods of cut- ting. An object lesson of this kind in each county in which there is a large area of woodland, or several in different wooded sections of a state, if brought to the notice of the nearby landowners, will by showing how, have enormous influence in disseminating the idea that *^you can cut your timber and have it too'*— the underlying principle in management for a sustained yield. Probable Limit of Public Holidings Four-fifths of the productive capacity of the woodland of the United States is said to be in private ownership. Only about one-fifth of the productive capacity is in public ownership, chiefly in federal ownership, although a number of states have valuable holdings. Maine, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, and Washington, each have holdings in excess of 100,000 acres. Not all of these lands are being managed as forests. Some of it is de- nuded and fire swept land necessitating planting to re-establish earning capacity. The eastern states consume more than three-fourths of our timber products, including each year more than one billion feet of west coast timber. In these eastern states there is in public ownership less than one-fortieth of the productive or potentially productive woodland area, that is about nine million out of three-hundred and sixty million acres. Even when the full federal program of purchase in the eastern states has been brought to completion, and if the State of Pennsylvania acquires all of the holdings which are contem- plated under its proposed bond issue of $25,000,- 000 and allowing for considerable expansion of public holdings of other states, particularly in Michigan, in Minnesota, in Massachusetts and in New York and allowing for nominal holdings in southern states such as Texas and Louisiana, states which are working towards a program of public ownership, there will apparently not be in public ownership in the eastern states for several decades to come as much as twenty million acres, or less than one-fifteenth of the productive forest lands of these states. In the western states not much change in rela- tive importance can take place. The National forests will undoubtedly expand by several million acres through acquisition, largely by ex- chanjre of timber for land, and through accretion, by the transfer of other public lands to the National Forest; the public holdings of the states will proportionally increase through judicious purchases as well as through the exchange of timber for land. It is extremely doubtful, how- ever, if these acquisitions now in process of being made, or additions which are probable, will result in a sufficient increase in the area of publicly owned lands in the entire United States to place as much as 25 per cent, of the productive forest area in public ownership in place of the present 20 per cent. This area will be small compared with more than 400,000,000 acres which will re- main in private hands. In the eastern states it is so small that its total production even if at a niaximum will make only a nominal contribution to the timber demands of that region. It is the private owner consequently who must produce the timber to supply the sawmills — if they continue to operate at their accustomed capacity. It is the private owner to whom would accrue the major benefits for the establishment and manage- ment of demonstrational forests. Private Lands, the ImiK>rtaiit Problem As I see it in the East, where I come more or less in contact with owners of land, in most cases with owners of cutover land, and the same con- ditions exist on the west coast, the important objective for forest engineers, whether public officers in state or federal service or whether in private employ, is to show the owners of lands which are still being cut over how to complete their cutting in such a manner that they can look forward to a second cut at a reasonably early date. If their interest can be extended to a second cut, there is a probability that it is permanent. Few land owners care to consider an investment the returns from which are de- ferred more than a few decades. As a result of this, when lands are cut clean, most owners have lost interest in them. It is necessary then to show the owner before cutting has reached this stage that lands may be profitably cut for sawtimber by partial fellings; that the big profit lies in the larger timber. There is much less profit, often if the logging costs are high there is little or no profit, in the smaller timber. It not only costs much more to operate the small timber but it produces lumber of small size and narrow widths which sells at lower prices than lumber cut from larger timber. At the same time land well stocked in tall slender trees of the telephone pole size, the class of trees which is the least profitable to saw into lumber, has a high investmental value. Furthermore, it is not until the trees are about 10 inches in diameter that land is producing to its full capacity. Creation of New Poreets It is not desired to minimize in any way our planting problem especially in the old pine states, particularly the lake states with their large areas of real waste land, or even in portions of the longleaf pine region of the south and in parts of your own state of Pennsylvania as well as in certain sections of the west. On the whole, how- ever, our planting problem is relatively unim- portant in respect to total area now and it will 158 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 159 probably grow less rather than more important in the future. It seems to me that planting is being unduly emphasized. The value of planting is largely in its psychological influence. When a man or company establishes a plantation the planter as a rule becomes a strenuous advocate of protection against fire and is a firm believer in the future value of second growth timber. His influence is radiated many fold. On the other hand the magnification of the planting problem, the continually keeping it in the spotlight, the incessant reiteration of reforestation talk has another psychological significance. This is its adverse influence upon the morale of the owner of woodland who has been contemplating han- dling his land for permanent yield. He may come to regard the fundamental requirement of man- agement for a permanent cut to be reforestation, to cut clean and to plant rather than, as it usually is, to cut the present stand conservatively and to maintain at all times the largest amount of grow- ing stock allowable under his economic situation— a problem easily stated upon paper but involving in its correct determination a large amount of detailed engineering information. It is not intended to deprecate in any way the beneficial results from the creation of new woods through planting. But with the recuperation of agriculture which will eventually take place much of this farm land which is now idle will again be used for farming and our planting problem will benefit to that extent. Thus our planting problem is at least in part being satisfied. But not so the problem of the lands which are being cut over and which are being wrecked as investments, the earning value of which can be re-established only slowly and at great cost. But while we are affording protection to private lands, largely by public means, what is being offered to increase the interest of the private owner in holding his woodland for permanent yield ? It is this lack of interest on the part of the owner in cut-over lands which has been re- sponsible in large measure for the seriousness of the fire problem. The owner feels that the value of his property as a timber investment largely vanishes with the removal of the merchantable timber. His next move is to find a sale if such is possible for the cut-over land. If there is no sale the land is held, not with a view to looking forward to its rehabilitation as a timber pro- ducing investment but with the vain hope that something may turn up and that eventually it may be sold; probably that it may become a public rather than remain a private burden. Value of Frequent Cuttings The hope of interesting the private owner lies essentially in frequent cuttings. Even if each cutting produces only a relatively small amount of material, that material may be of high value, and it is value not volume which determines profits in a lumbering operation. The most suc- cessful means of securing the interest of the private owner is to present for his consideration concrete cases of where a sustained and profitable yield is being secured by cutting only the largest material at frequent intervals; maintaining- a large growing stock, rather than cutting clean and for a period having no growing stock. It is not intended to imply that all lands can be so managed. There are some classes of timber which are not adapted to partial felling. There are lands of marginal value for the production of timber as well as for farming. Demonstrational areas will enable the engineer to discriminate. In my opinion it is in the presentation of cases of this kind that public forests should find one of their highest fields of usefulness, that it should be one of these most important functions for several decades. It is as the result of the standing example of what has been done by the Urania Lumber Com- pany of Louisiana that a number of other con- cerns were directly influenced to consider the possibility of conservative cutting for permanent yield, of making partial felling, and leaving enough material uncut to grow and furnish an- other felling within a few years, which implies that a large amount of material, some of which might be removed at a low profit now must be left for later removal at a higher profit. I believe that what is being done upon the forest of the Pennsylvania State Forest Academy at Mont Alto may fulfill the requirement of a demonstra- tional forest— possibly Petersham (Mass.) may be another example for middle New England hard- wood conditions; but mere silvicultural practice, no matter how advantageous its results, satisfies my meaning unless it is accompanied by an item- ized record in dollars and cents — unless it has commercial significance. The necessity for demonstrational forests has been impressed upon me by inquiries from land owners made at various times as to where they could see upon the ground the actual results of certain recommended practices. Now, it is not necessary to wait 100 years to ascertain results of procedure or practice. Ten years, possibly less in many cases, should give a good workable suc»gestion. Had such a program been definitely started with the inception of the movement to place timberlands upon a business-like basis, upon the same basis as an eflSiciently managed mill plant, our advance in the field of private manage- ment would in my opinion have been greater. The Forest Experiment Stations are determining, rather will determine, the fine adjustments and the subtleties of forest management, especially along the line of the study of diseases and the development of methods for their control. The demonstrational forests as I see them will con- sider the financial relations, the subject of yield at successive partial fellings, grades produced, their value, comparative operating costs in differ- ent forest types and on different quality sites, relative profits not of land or of timber alone but of the entire operation or from that point of view. We yet have so little of this class of in- formation which is available that it is almost negligible. There is scarcely more available in New England and in the Middle Atlantic States, where large amounts of second growth timber exist and where high stumpage values prevail, than in other sections where the conditions are far less favorable to the practice of cutting for permanent yield. States Should Have Demonstrational Forests National Forests at present are located in 8 Eastern States. When the plans for their ultimate expansion are fulfilled there will be an addition of four million acres in New England and in the Appalachian states, of two and a half million acres in the Southern Pine Belt and a like amount in the Lake states, a total of be- tween 8l^ and 9 million acres. This would create a complete series of eastern National Forests, one at least located practically in every important forest belt and, would make it possible for the Federal Government to have a number of demon- strational areas distributed in the various regions. It may be several years before this chain of east- ern forests is completed, however, and even this will not be adequate for demonstrational pur- poses. But it is, I believe, the intention of the District Forester of the Eastern United States to develop portions of the Eastern National Forests to meet this need. The states can and should seek to develop similar units, especially those states with large areas of woodland privately owned. Even though there should be no system of State Forests &s such, there should at least be holdings of sufficient size and so distributed as to have value for demonstrational purposes. It is beyond my present objective to discuss the merits or demerits of State Forests for the production of a timber supply; but it is scarcely possible that there can be too many demonstrational areas. One ac- cessibly located in each county which has a large forested area would not be too many. It is the logical way to bring to the private owner a reali- zation that timber lands if handled properly, can be handled profitably as permanent investments, that they justify business consideration, but that engineering problems of a high order are involved in their management and are not to be elucidated by haphazard measures. FOREST HUMUS VALUE MR. HOWARD ANDREWS, a practical business man with the Nashville Tie Com- pany of Nashville, Tenn., furnishes the following interesting figures showing the values in commercial fertilizer found in ordinary forest cover ; Oak Leaves Pounds in one ton 5.2 lbs. of phosphate at 6c. per lb $0,312 15.2 lbs. of nitrogen at 24y2C. per lb 3.724 8.4 lbs. of potash at 5c. per lb 420 Fertilizer value one ton of leaves $4,456 LoNGLEAF Pine Needles 2.8 lbs. of phosphate at 6c. per lb $0,168 18.8 lbs. of nitrogen at 24y2C. per lb 4.606 7.0 lbs. of potash at 5c. per lb 350 Fertilizer value one ton of needles $5,124 Shortleap Pine Needles 4.8 lbs. of phosphate at 6c. per lb $0,288 24.6 lbs. of nitrogen at 24y2C. per lb 6.027 9.4 lbs. of potash at 5c. per lb 470 Fertilizer value one ton of needles $6,785 When the lightest ground fire passes through forests, burning the leaf litter, wood and humus, the nitrogen of high fertilizer value, is lost though a large part of the phosphate and potash remains on the ground. To this loss must be added the great value of the forest "carpet" as a retainer of moisture. 'I' !J I 160 FOREST LEAVES I ! Mr. W. R. Mattoon, of the U. S. Forest Service, says: "It is estimated that two tons of leaves fall to the ground yearly on an acre of well stocked oaks. Four dollars probably represents conservatively the money value of the fertilizing element that goes up in smoke and gas when a single year's crop of oak leaves on one acre are burned." n i a - Experiments covering many years of study in Europe have shoAvn that the wood growth is ma- terially decreased with the removal of litter from forests that are otherwise well handled. When the litter is removed annually in good quality Scotch pine stands the increment is reduced 8 to 11 per cent.; in Beech woods it falls off 8 per cent, on verv good soil and from 32 to more than 50 per cent."^ on poor soils. All studies show that losses in wood increment increase with the num- ber of years during which the litter is removed from the forests. NEW PUBLICATIONS Common Trees of Pennsylvania.— By Joseph S. Illick. 16 vo., 123 pages, illustrated. Second Edition, revised and enlarged. Paper cover. The Times-Tribune Company, Al*:()ona, Pa. This book was originally prepared as a pocket manual to satisfy a growing demand, particularly among young folks, for interesting and helpful in- formation about the common trees of Pennsyl- vania. Descriptions, with illustrations, are given of 132 trees. How well this book has been re- ceived is evidenced by the fact that the first edi- tion of 5,000 copies of this book, which was printed about a year ago, was soon exhausted, and the handbook was then revised and augmented. There have been added short chapters on "Parts of a Tree," "Friends of Trees," "The Enemies of Trees," "What Forestry Is," "When Trees Grow," "Do Trees Grow at Night?" "Do Trees Breathe t" and "How to Tell the Age of Trees." It has been prepared in such shape that it will fit in pocket and the price (50 cents) is made low so as to appeal to the young people. The Ailanthus Tree in Pennsylvania.— By Joseph S. Illick and E. F. Brouse, 8 vo., 29 pages, paper cover. Bulletin 38, Pennsylvania De- partment of Forests and Waters, Harris- burg, Pa. This is an interesting contribution on a tree imported from China, the first specimen of which was planted by William Hamilton in 1784 in his garden, "The Woodlands," Philadelphia. The climate and soil were congenial, and it soon spread over southeastern Pennsylvania. Later it was planted in western Pennsylvania, and is now found in practically all parts of the State, but is not common in the highlands. It is the only introduced tree that is competing vigorously with our native trees, and unless a use is found for the wood will develop into a worth- less forest weed. To check its growth is a difiieult thing, and it is more practical to find a use for its wood. Some years ago a comparative experi- ment was undertaken by the Pennsylvania Depart- ment of Forests and Waters and the U. S. Forest Products Laboratory at Madison, Wis., to de- termine whether it could be used for wood-pulp. These tests show that it is well adapted for such purpose, and in a number of ways is superior to woods now used extensively for wood-pulp. The Bulletin gives a general description of the tiee, its distribution in Pennsylvania, character of its wood, etc. How to Prevent Poreet Firefl.— By Chas. R. Meek. 8 vo., 32 pages, illustrated, paper cover. Bulletin 40, Pennsylvania Depart- ment of Forests and Waters, Harrisburg, Pa. Fire is the worst enemy of our Pennsylvania Forests and Mr. Meek, who is Assistant Chict, Bureau of Forest Protection of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, has per- formed a valuable service in pointing out the dan- gers of fire and the best ways to secure protec- tion. Practically all forest fires are of human orif?in, mostly started through ignorance or carelessness. Land owners, tourists and farmers recognize the danger from fire, and it is for these that the Bul- letin has been prepared. The railroads cause the largest number of lires, and the rules are given as to the best method of making safety strips, their cost, and the desira- bility of patrolling wooded sections. Attention is called to forest fires resulting from lumbering operations, burning of brush, by camp- ers or transients, and other miscellaneous causes. Suggestions are given as to how to prevent forest fires, and maps are given showing the loca- tion of the State fire towers and their height above sea level. All persons who are interested in protecting Pennsylvania 's forests from fire should secure a copy. 1 1 I tl i< i tA 160 FOREST LEAVES Mr. W. R. Mattoon, of the U. S. Forest Service, says: "It is estimated that two tons of leaves fall to the ground yearly on an acre of well stocked oaks. Four dollars probably represents conservatively the money value of the fertilizing element that goes up in smoke and gas when a single year's crop of oak leaves on one acre are l)urned." . Experiments covering many years of study m Europe have shown that the wood growth is ma- terially decreased with the removal of litter from forests that are otherwise well handled. When the litter is removed annually in good quality Scotch pine stands the increment is reduced 8 to 11 per cent.; in Beech woods it falls off 8 per cent, on very good soil and from 32 to more than 50 per cent.^ on poor soils. All studies show that losses in wood increment increase with the num- ber of years during which the litter is removed from the forests. NEW PUBLICATIONS was planted by William Hamilton in 1784 in his garden, "The Woodlands," Philadelphia. The climate and soil were congenial, and it soon spread over southeastern Pennsylvania. Later it was planted in western Pennsylvania, and is now found in practically all parts of the State, but is not common in the highlands. It is the only introduced tree that is competing vigorously with our native trees, and unless a use is found for the wood will develop into a worth- less forest weed. To check its growth is a ditticult thing, and it is more practical to find a use for its wood. Some years ago a comparative ex])('ri- ment was undertaken by the Pennsylvania Dei»;irt- ment of Forests and Waters and the U. S. Forest Products Laboratory at Madison, Wis., to de- termine whether it could be used for wood-i)uli). These tests show that it is well adapted for such purpose, and in a number of ways is superior to woods now used extensively for wood-pulp. The Bulletin gives a general description oi" the tree, its distribution in Pennsylvania, character of its wood, etc. Common Trees of Pennsylvania.— By Joseph S. Illick. 10 vo., 123 pages, illustrated. Second Edition, revised and enlarged. Pai)er cover. The Times-Tribune Company, Al^.r)ona, Pa. This book was originally prepared as a pocket manual to satisfy a growing demand, particularly among young folks, for interesting and helpful in- formation about the common trees of Pennsyl- vania. Descripticms, with illustrations, are given of 132 trees. How well this book has been re- ceived is evidenced by the fact that the first edi- tion of 5,000 copies of this book, which was l)rinted about a year ago, was soon exhausted, and the handbook was then revised and augmented. There have been added short chapters on "Parts of a Tree," "Friends of Trees," "The Enemies of Trees," "What Forestry Is," "When Trees Grow," "Do Trees Grow at Night?" "Do Trees Breathe?" and "How to Tell the Age of Trees." It has been I)repared in such shape that it will fit in pocket and the price (50 cents) is made low so as to appeal to the young people. The Ailanthus Tree in Pennsylvania.— By Joseph S. Illick and E. F. Brouse, 8 vo., 29 pages, paper cover. Bulletin 38, Pennsylvania De- partment of Forests and Waters, Harris- burg, Pa. This is an interesting contribution on a tree imported from China, the first specimen of which How to Prevent Forest Tires.— By Chas. R. Meek. 8 vo., 32 pages, illustrated, puper cover. Bulletin 40, Pennsylvania Dv\k\y{- ment of Forests and Waters, Harrisburg, Pa. Fire is the worst enemy of our Pennsylvania Forests and Mr. Meek, who is Assistant Chiot, Bureau of Forest Protection of the Pennsylvj':iia Department of Forests and Waters, has per- formed a valuable service in pointing out the dan- gers of fire and the best ways to secure proti't- tion. . . Practically all forest fires are of human oriirm, mostly startcil through ignorance or carelessness. Land owner.s, tourists and farmers recognize t'nc danger from fire, and it is for these that the liul- letin has been prepared. The railroads cause the largest number of fires, and the rules are given as to the best method of making safety strips, their cost, and the desira- bility of patrolling wooded sections. Attention is called to forest fires resulting from lumbering operations, burning of brush, by camp- ers or transients, and other miscellaneous causes. Suggestions are given as to how to prevent forest fires, and maps are given showing the loca- tion of the State fire towers and their heiiiht above sea level. All persons who are interested in protect inir Pennsylvania's forests from fire should secure a copy. INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE CONTENTS At the Grave of Heinrich Von Cotta, Famous Forester, Resting Among pao. 80 Oaks Planted on His 80th Birthday, Tharandt, Saxony pute Editorials) 1^^ Fall Arbor Day Proclamation 161 Conservation Week at the Sesqui-Centennial 162 What Value is Being Protected from Forest Fire in Pennsylvania 163 Salvaging the Chestnut Tree 163 Wanted— Forests 164 Farm Forestry 165 Enforced Conservation 167 Seeing the Forests of Europe 168 The Lumber Industry of Bedford County 170 Pennsylvania's Forests and Game 171 Oldest Tulip Poplar Plantation in Pennsylvania 174 Methods of Propagating Nut Trees 174 New Quarantine for White Pine Blister Rust 175 Felton Redwood Grove Given to California 176 Experiment Station Counts Fire Losses in Southern Pines 176 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FOUNDED IN JUNE, 1886 Labors to diweminate informalion in regard to the necessity and methods of forest culture and preservation, and to secure the enactment and enforcement of proper forest protective laws, both Slate and National. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEE. THREE DOLLARS LIFE MEMBERSHIP. FIFTY DOLLARS Neither the membership nor the work of this Association is intended to be limited to the Stale of Pennsylvania. Persons desiring to become members should send their names to the Chairman of the Membership Committee, 130 South 1 5th Street, Philadelphia. President, Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents, Robt. S. Conklin, J. F. Hendricks, Samuel L. Smedley, Mrs. David Reeves. General Secretary, Samuel Marshall. Treasurer and Recording Secretary, F. L. Biiler. COMMITTEES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Henry Howson, FINANCE — Dr. Henry M. Fisher, Chairman H. W. Shoemaker. J. Rodman Paul, Hon. Marshall Brown, Hon. F. W. Culbertson Edgar P. Kable F. L. Biiler, Mrs. David Reeves, Miss Mary K. Gibson, LAW — Dr. Henry S. Drinker, Chairman Eli Kirk Price, George F. Craig, MEMBERSHIP— George H. Wirt, Chairman J. A. Seguine PUBLICATION Dr. George S. Ray Dr. H. A. Rothrock Egbert S. Cary, Joseph S. Illick, Harrison Souder. WORK — Mrs. Brinton Coxe, Chairman Miss Ethel A. Shrigley, E. E. Wildman. J. Franklin Meehan, FOREST LEAVES Published Bi-Monthly Entered at the Philadelphia Post-Office as second-class matter, under Act of March 3d, 1879 Vol.XX— No. 11 PHILADELPHIA. OCTOBER. 1926 Whole Number 234 EDITORIALS A FORESTRY meeting will be held at the Westtown School, Westtown, Chester County, Pa., on Saturday, October 16th, at 10 A. M. To this meeting, which is held under the auspices of the Westtown School and the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, are invited the officers and teachers of the public school systems of Delaware and Chester Counties. There are over 600 acres of land owned by this school, which was established in 1799. There are many very large trees, also about 10 acres of foiest plantations of pine, spruce, larch and some hardwoods about 25 years old. The planting is said by the Department of Forests and Waters to be one of the finest in the State. An arbore- tum is now being started on land recently cleared. An address will be made by Professor Joseph S. Illick, Chief Bureau of Information, who this Summer visited many noted European forests. Short talks on forestry will also be made by other speakers. The future of forestry in this country depends largely on the information given to the rising uciieration, and it is hoped that the teachers who attend this meeting will impart the forestry data which they will secure to their pupils who on reaching manhood and womanhood will carry out the precepts given to them in their youth. Any member of the Pennsylvania Forestry As- soeiation will be welcome. The following resolution was adopted by the ICnnsylvania Division, Izaak Walton league of /viiierica, in convention assembled at Williams- lort. Pa., September 29, 1925: Resolved, That we pledge our support to a State bond issue of $25,000,000 for the acquisi- tion of such wild and unproductive lands as may )'•' needed to protect the sources of our streams. Resolved, That we believe the State should ac- quire much of our wild land for the purpose of reiorestation, when such land is found to be not si.ited to agriculture. We believe that the young tr(^s thereon or later to be planted thereon should be protected from fire. We believe that our watersheds and stream sources should be guarded, if at present shaded, and reforested if denuded. This was reaflSrmed in the following resolution passed at the Izaak Walton League Convention which was held in Philadelphia on September 28, 1926: Resolved, That we reaffirm our adherence to the proposed constitutional amendment, to be voted on by the electors of the State in Novem- ber, 1928, which would authorize the State to borrow moneys to the amount of $25,000,000 for the purpose of acquiring additional wild and barren lands for State Forest purposes. FALL ARBOR DAY PROCLAMATION BIRDS and trees are the friends of man. Commendable progress has been made in reforesting the steep hills and vast waste areas within the State. During the last twenty- five years more than seventy-five million forest trees have been planted on idle acres. These trees are green and growing memorials to those who helped promote this great work. The teachers and pupils of our schools have taken an active pai*t in this achievement. During the spring of 1926, the schools of Pennsylvania planted more than 365,000 trees. Fifty thousand of those trees were planted by the 1500 children of a progressive town in western Pennsylvania. I commend most heartily the continuation and enlargement of this wholesome work. It will go far in guaranteeing the restoration of Penn's Woods. Much remains to be done to restore to produc- tion thousands of acres of idle land in this Com- monwealth. Wherever possible teachers should conduct trips to the out-of-doors so that the children early in life will learn the full value of the protection of trees, birds, and other forest life. These school journeys will be of inestimable health-giving value to the pupils, and go far to insure a wise handling of our forest resources. Each year a larger number of our people go to the forests for recreation. In the State Forests 11 k: OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATION. 13t S. FIFTEENTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA 162 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 163 of this Commonwealth have been provided many ideal recreation centers. We owe it to ourselves and our children to maintain beauty spots in the out-of-doors, keep our streams pure and clean, protect the Avild life of the forest and preserve healthful conditions for our working people. I commend to all the people of the State, and particularly to the school children, the proper observance of Arbor Day. Every teacher and every pupil should do something definite to pro- tect the trees and care for the birds. The recit- ing of poems and the holding of indoor exercises no longer satisfy those deeply interested in tree life and bird lore. What we need is actual tree planting, more object lessons in practical forestry, and an abundant bird life. These we can not have unless we keep fire out of the woods. The interest and enthusiasm which accompany the ideal Arbor Day should bear fruit in the form of more growing trees, a richer bird life, and better forests. Now therefore I, Gifford Pinchot, Governor of Pennsylvania, do hereby designate and proclaim October 22, 1926 as Arbor Day and Bird Day. In no other state is the observance of this day more significant than in Pennsylvania, with her thir- teen million acres of forest land. Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the State, at the city of Harrisburg this third day of September, in the year of our Lord one thou- sand nine hundred and twenty-six, and of the Commonwealth one hundred fifty-one. Gifford Pinchot. (Seal) By the Governor: Clyde L. King, Secretary of the Commonwealth. ' In 1915 several specimens of ''Castanea Millissima^^ were set out in Ligonier. One of these specimens was planted on the property of John H. Breneiser. Some of the other specimens that were planted were crowded out by other growth and a few were chewed off by rabbits or suffered other dam- age. The one specimen that is still living was measured on August 12, 1926, and gave the fol- lowing measurements: Height 14 ft. 9 in. Diameter 1 ft. above ground 5^ in. Branch spread 13 ft. 9 in. This tree forks 28 inches above ground and is still in a healthy condition. There are no evi- dences of blight on it. CONSERVATION WEEK AT THE SESQUI. CENTENNIAL THE week of September 27th-October 2nd was designated as Conservation Week in the Pennsylvania Building at the Sesqui- Centennial. Each day of the week was given a special name. Monday, September 27 — ^Wild Life Day. Tuesday, September 28 — ^Forest Day. Wednesday, September 29 — Park Day. Thursday, September 30 — Conservation Day. Friday, October 1 — Water and Mineral He- sources Day. Saturday, October 2 — Outdoor Recreation Day. For each day a special program was arranged. Monday was designated Wild Life Day. Dr. H. J. Donaldson, President of the Board of Game Commissioners, Williamsport, presided. People prominent in wild life conservation gave special addresses. Tuesday was Forest Day. Major R. Y. Stuart, Chairman of the Pennsylvania State Forest Com- mission, Harrisburg, presided. Special addresses were given by Col. W. B. Greeley, Chief Forester of the United States; Hon. Charles L. Pack, Lakewood, N. J., President, American Tree Asso- ciation; and Hon. George D. Pratt, Washington, D. C, President, American Forestry Association. Wednesday was Park Day. Col. Henry W. Shoemaker, member of the State Forest Commis- sion, presided, and Dr. J. Horace McFarland, of Harrisburg, give an illustrated talk on ** Pennsyl- vania's Unmatched Scenic Resources.'* Thursday was Conservation Day. Dr. Clyde L. King, Secretary of State and Finance, Hariis- burg, presided. On this day Governor Pinchot and Mrs. W. W. Milar, Chairman, Conservation Division, General Federation of Women's Clubs, Akron, Ohio, spoke. Friday was Water and Mineral Resources Day. The principal address was given by Dr. F. H. Newell, Washington, D. C, of the Pennsylvania Water and Power Resources Board. Saturday was Outdoor Recreation Day. Mrs. John W. Lawrence, Pittsburgh, member of the State Forest Commission, presided. In addition to this daily program of prominent speakers, interesting moving pictures covering many phases of wild life, forestry, recreation, water and mineral resources, and other important conservation topics were shown. WHAT VALUE IS BEING PROTECTED FROM FOREST FIRE IN PENNSYLVANIA? By Geo. H. Wirt THE question has frequently been asked * ' What is the probable value of the forests in Pennsylvania." With as few definite figures as we now have showing actual forest conditions, both with respect to area and content, the best answer that can be made to this question is nothing more than a reasonable guess. We know that there are approximately 13,000,000 acres of forest lands within the State. This in- cludes large bodies of forests as well as the small woodland tracts scattered throughout the farm- ing districts. Assuming that 3,000,000 acres will not return any wood volume production we have left 10,000,000 acres of productive forest land. Under practical and reasonable management these 10,000,000 acres are capable of yielding 80 cubic feet per acre per annum. Assuming that this annual crop of wood is worth to the owners of the land the low average of 3 cents per cubic foot, we have an annual wood crop stumpage value of $24,000,000.00. Capitalizing this possible annual income at 6 per cent, we have a capitalization of woodland production amounting to $400,000,000 and it is this iK)ssible wood crop value and capitalization with which we are concerned in the protection of forests from fire. If on the other hand the annual wood crop stumpage value is capitalized at a low and safe rate of interest close to the rate of interest which is actually obtained from farm investments, namely 3 per cent., it shows a capitalization value of $800,000,000.00. Taken from another standpoint we have the consideration of what the possible outlay in wages would be annually if 10,000,000 acres of forest laud in Pennsylvania are satisfactorily protected and reasonably cared for. We may reasonably assume that it will cost on the average of $2.00 to cut the annual production on each acre, $3.00 for trausportatioUt, '$15.00 for manufacturing, $3.00 for selling manufactured production, mak- ing a total outlay on the acre annual production of $23.00 or a total outlay in wages on account of the production of the 10,000,000 acres of $-3,000,000.00. These figures of course are esti- nii-tes but I believe are reasonable. Even allow- in; for considerably lower rates there is no ques- tion as to the fact that the productive forces of na'ure as expressed in our forest resources are of immense value to their owners and to the Com- monwealth and that the economic necessity for their protection, considered purely and simply from the value of the annual wood crop, is fully demonstrated. SALVAGING THE CHESTNUT TREE IN forest production, as in the growing of other crops, diseases are very important. From the time tree seeds germinate until the mature trees are cut, they are subject to the attacks of fungi which retard their growth and in many cases kill them. Of our killing forest tree diseases, the chest- nut blight, introduced on nursery stock from Asia, is the most destructive. This disease was unknown to the world until it attracted atten- tion by killing chestnuts in the vicinity of New York City in 1904. At that time the chestnut was an important tree on a large part of the forest land of the Northeastern States. The disease spread rapidly from New York through these chestnut forests. In places where it has been present longest there remains alive only an occasional tree of the many millions in the original stands. Such complete destruction over millions of acres is unequaled in the history of plant diseases. Surveys just completed show that the blight is spreading rapidly over the 33 million acres of chestnut growth in the Southern Appalachians. In a comparatively few years these trees will be heavily infected or dead. Unless owners plan for the utilization or sale of chestnut timber killed by the blight they will have to face severe losses. Woodlot owners who can not cut their diseased chestnut before it dies should remove it within two years after death, before insect injury, decay, and checking cause severe de- preciation. The blight merely kills the tree but does not in itself reduce the strength of the wood or cause deterioration. Poles cut from dead trees that are perfectly sound, especially in the sap, are as good as poles cut green and seasoned in piles. A pole seasoned on the stump is as good as one seasoned in a pile, and there- fore the only reason for not cutting sound dead timber for poles is the possibility of breakage in felling and transportation due to the seasoned timber being more brittle. Dead timber is satisfactory for round fence posts and hewed ties, if there is no sap rot. For sawed products (lumber, dimension stuff, sawed ties, switch timbers, sawed fence posts, shingles, and slack staves and heading) sapwood injury 1: 164 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 165 I i may be disregarded, as it will slab off. Though heartwood is usually sound for six years or more after the death of the tree, it checks badly after the second year if the tree is left standing. Trees intended for sawed products in which checking is a defect should therefore be cut within two years after death. Timber which is too badly checked to be profitably manufac- tured into sawed products makes excellent cord- wood. The destruction of our chestnut by blight will cause certain economic disturbances. Just as the squirrel has now to search for other foods, so the industries dependent upon the chestnut will have to depend upon other trees, or go out of business. A large proportion of the poles used in this country are chestnut, but these can be made from other kinds of trees and from steel. Chestnut lumber, ties and other products can be replaced by products made from other species, but there is no substitute for the chestnut ex- tract wood which supplies the raw tanning ma- terial for the extract plants and tanneries of the Southern Appalachians. The hemlock bark of the Northwest produces a different kind of tan- nin and is too far distant from the Eastern leather industry^ while the chestnut oak bark of the East is not sufficiently abundant and eco- nomical of manufacture to replace the chestnut. Thus we face the prospect of our vital leather tanning industry becoming dependent upon for- eign supplies of tannin. Already we are import- ing about one-half of our supplies and with the passing of the chestnut which makes up one-half of our domestic production of tannin, we will be in a much worse position. One step which would help to conserve the supply of chestnut available for the extract in- dustry is to stop the forest fires which annually burn over a material part of the Southern Ap- palachian forests. Growing chestnut is killed and blight killed chestnut is destroyed by these annual fires. Limited experiments are now being conducted to secure a strain of blight-resistant chestnut for planting as a source of tannin. The hairy Chi- nese chestnut shows promise because of its re- sistance to blight and its tannin content which preliminary tests indicate is higher than that of the American chestnut. But, as this chestnut does not produce a tall, straight tree like that of our American chestnut, and as other tests on it are limited, the planting of it on 'an extensive scale as a private investment, even if sufficient seed were available, can not be recommended. Other species of chestnut and related trees are being tested for their resistance to the bli-ht and for their tannin content. A few individual trees of American chest tint show a marked degree of resistance to the blight. Some of these trees are being propagated v id tested as one of them may prove to be the stjut- ing point for a new growth of chestnut. The Office of Forest Pathology in the Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of Agricul- ture, is interested in receiving reports of excep- tionally resistant chestnuts of any kind, but a tree should have survived the blight after neaily all of the chestnuts in the vicinity have been killed before it can be regarded as especially resistant to the disease. WANTED— FORESTS THE Pennsylvania Optometric Association, holding its thirtieth annual convention in Philadelphia, brings the subject of refores- tation to the front with an argument which oui,^ht to plant trees all over the State in short order. That these eye specialists should start a boom for one of the special hobbies of the conserva- tionists is just an interesting sidelight on the growing cosmopolitanism or universal reciproc- ity of all the professions, doctrines and isms. We must have forests, say the optometrists. And why? Because our eyes are suffering for want of green leaves to look at. Green is one of the best colors for the eye to look at. It is restful. It is curative. It conveys to the optic nerves and thence to the interpretative nerve ganglia which cater to the cerebral centers a calm quietude of behavior, which in turn impurt calm and serenity to the entire system. But massed green, the multitudinous and spacious green of a lordly forest, is redemptive, inspiring, gladdening to the optic orb. Eye strain and many other forms of eye fault and collapse are due to barren landscapes. Those who have traveled in desert places know all about that. Glaring suns and vast yellow clay per- spectives vie with the killing monotony of san'ly stretches and the dull gray chaparral plains in putting the eye out of business. If we are to have healthy and happy eyes, say the optome- trists, we must have plenty of forests rolling away to the horizon and offering to the weary eyes of men and women and children the reviving enchantments of a lot of rich, luscious green to look at. Thus is the whole argument of reforesta- tiuu lifted out of the merely economic and utili- tarian and placed where it belongs, in the esthetic ami the spectacular and beautiful. The optom- el lists are entitled to the thanks of everybody, not excepting the sawmill people.— Evening Pub- lic Ledger. FARM FORESTRY By J. A. Ferguson, Professor of Forestry, Pennsylvania State College WUAT has been the effect of the rise in the value of stumpage in recent years on the farm woodlot owner I Does he realize the present value of the standing timber in his woodlot and the possibilities of growing wood as a farm crop? That he has recognized the in- creased value of his timber is evidenced by the ])ortable sawmill, which is everywhere at work cutting the trees from farm woodlots. No one knows the number of small sawmills in the State but it runs into the thousands. Three hundred and twenty mills were sold in Pennsylvania last year by a single concern. Portable sawmill operators purchase the timber and not the land from farmers and their interest lies only in con- \erting the timber into money. They have little or no interest in the future of the land after the removal of the crop. Much of the timber from farm woodlots is being cut in the same manner that the virgin stands were cut. After the lojrging nothing is left. Portable sawmill men are skinning the land taking large and small. This practice would not be a detriment to the future of the woodlot provided fires did not fol- low the cutting and provided the trees were not too old to produce sprouts from the stumps and also provided that young tree seedlings were luesent beneath the old trees before the cutting, so as to assure good stocking for the future stand; but usually these conditions do not exist and the cut over woodlot is left in a devastated condition. So that the stand of timber that re- sults is thinly stocked, the trees branchy and of poor form and often of inferior species. With such a clean cutting of all the trees a second crop cannot be obtained until all the ^seedlings and sprouts reach merchantable size. If the small trees were not removed in the cut- ting but were allowed to grow and mature, a second cutting could be secured from these trees in a comparatively few years and at the same time the new stand of timber from seedlings and sprouts would be developing in the understory. Lumbermen net little or no profit from these small trees and the woodlot owner nothing at all, for they are not included in the sale of stumpage on a board foot basis. To leave these small trees would be to the advantage of the farmer and also to the sawmill man, for he would be providing for himself a second lumber opera- tion on the same land. By proper control of the cutting of trees as they mature, woodlots can be made to yield an annual income or a periodic in- come every few years, instead of an income pnce in a generation of tree life or a man *s life. It is doubtful if in general farmers yet realize the future possibilities in timber growing. They recognize the value of a well stocked woodlot of sound timber for it can readily be converted into money by sale and is an asset recognized by banks which money can be borrowed. But the on forestry idea of growing timber as a crop, of securing continuous revenue from the woodlot, has not yet sifted down to them. If they have heard of forestry it is something that applies to large areas of forest land, to the National forests or the State forests. They cannot conceive of its applying to their small patches of timber. Yet instances are not uncommon where farm wood- land owners have caught the idea of continuous forest production and are managing their timber with the idea of future crops in mind. Why is it when we see the owners of the large private forests beginning the practice of forestry because there is money in the growing of timber, that the farm owner in general still thinks of his woodlot as a mine from which the product is to be har- vested once and the mine abandoned f In the first place lack of attention to the farm forestry problem by foresters generally. Forest- ers are educated for the management of large areas of forest land. The goal of the forester is the regulation of a forest on a business basis, which requires an extensive continuous tract of forest land. The small isolated patch of farm woodland has little place in such a scheme. With few exceptions the whole literature of forestry refers to large forest areas, rather than to the small. It would be natural to suppose that the larger the forest area the more complicated the forest problems, yet just the reverse is true, for the smaller the tract of timber the more intensive can be the forest management. We find the same difference in the application of forestry as in agriculture. Intensive farming is practiced only on small areas. This is another reason why farmers are not starting the practice of forestry [ -I Ilji I 166 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 167 on their woodlands, they do not know that they can do it. The forestry they have heard about has been practiced by professional foresters, not by the simple farmer. A few articles on farm forestry scattered here and there through the literature of forestry have not sunk deeply into the farmers' conscience. It is only by stating a truth many times over that it finds a home in the human mind. Now that national and state forestry are firmly established and the larger areas of privately owned forests are being placed under forest management, usually under the direction of pro- fessional foresters, we need to prove to the owner of the smaller tract of timber that he himself can practice forestry. He needs to be shown that there are no secrets in forestry, that the practice of forestry is a comparatively simple matter to one who already possesses the necessary knowl- edge of how to grow a crop of timber because of his general knowledge of the growth of crops from the soil. Forestry does not differ materially from agri- culture except in the length of time it takes to mature the crop. What the farmer does so does the forester in growing a erop of trees, he plants it and tends it throughout its life and finally reaps the harvest and makes provision for another crop of trees on the same soil. Both make use of the same laws of nature and of growth, and each does nothing but assist nature to put forth its best efforts. The farm owner already has the knowledge to practice forestry in his woods, if he only knew how to apply it. Furthermore the farmer needs the inspiration of knowing what other farmers have accomplished in forest prac- tice. Has it been worth while? What have been the results in dollars and cents'? A farmer is a business man and sizes up a new venture from the business standpoint alone. Prove to a farmer it will be to his material advantage to thin out a patch of young timber because another woodlot owner has found the remaining trees have grown faster, and he will do it because he knows the results of thinning out a row of beets. Forestry needs to be made simple and brought home to the farmer by showing him that the growing of a timber crop is materially in no way different from growing one of his own familiar crops. There is much that we do that we did not learn from books or pamphlets or articles in the farm magazines. There is much that a forester does that he has learned not from books but from other foresters in the woods by being shown. It is this principle of showing a farmer bow to do it that is the basis of the extension work in agri- culture carried on by the School of Agriculture at State College. Extension representatives are sent to the individual farms to show the farmer in his field, or in his orchard, or in his pasture what to do and how to do it. It is the most effec- tive method of agricultural education. Farm forestry extension is a new field of forestry activ- ity in this country. In Pennsylvania for the past five years farm forestry extension repre- sentatives have been teaching the farmers of the State how to care for their timber, taking the farmers into their own woodlots and showing them how they can apply the knowledge they have of crop production to tree growth. When- ever a farmer asks for help the County Agent plans a demonstration. He sets the date for the extension representative to come, gathers to- gether all the farmers in the neighborhood in- terested in the project and when the extension man arrives he teaches all the farmers in the region interested as well as helping the individual farmer. Farmers are shown how to plant forest trees, to start woodlots or to thicken a thin crop, how to weed out young timber, how to thin out thick stands to increase the growth of the trees remaining, the advantage of leaving young trees standing in the woodlot in logging the timber, how to estimate the quantity of timber in their woodlots, how to place a stumpage price on their timber, how to market their timber, etc. In this practical way many farmers are catching the forestry idea and in turn passing it on to their neighbors. The whole idea in this work is to apply what the farmers already know of growth and management of farm crops to the growth and management of timber crops. Farm forestry will develop only as rapidly as farmers are taught to apply the knowledge they already have of crop production to forest tree growth. Farmers already realize the money value of their present woodlots and as soon as they learn how to grow and manage a stand of timber and realize the financial possibilities in the practice of forestry in the woods, the growing of timber for profit will become a natural activity of farm- ers and wood will become a farm crop. There is no owner of forest property who can make more money out of growing timber than can the farmer. The fact that the woodlot is located near a market with good roads already constn^ict- ed enables him to sell his wood products to better advantage than the larger forest owner. It en- ables him to dispose of products of smaller size, such products as are burned up in the slash on lar^e lumber operations. Trees grow faster in the"^ woodlot as a rule than in large forest areas, because the woodlot is located usually on better soil so that the crop will mature in shorter time and be grown at less expense. The farmer can give his personal attention to the growing trees. He can give each tree the proper amount of space it needs for its best and most rapid development. He can change the slower growing kinds of trees for trees of faster growth. He can protect his trees from insects and disease. He can secure the maximum quantity of wood growth of which his soil is capable. There is no owner of forest property who can practice forestry more intens- ively and secure a larger income from growing forest trees than can the farmer. A well stocked woodlot of fast growing species of trees on good soil with a good market for the products will yield an annual income equal to the income from average farm soil. There is land now being cultivated by farmers that will in the long run yield a higher annual return from grow- ini; a forest crop than from growing a farm crop. We have traveled far in the development of forestry in this country in a comparatively few years. Forty years ago there were but a few voices crying in the wilderness of forest destruc- tion. Today we see national and state forestry an established fact in the minds of the people. We see the very lumbermen who but a few years ago were ruthlessly laying waste millions of acres of forests every year by not providing for the future of the forest because it was financially impossible to do so, now making provision for a second crop on the land they cut over by pro- teeting from fire, by encouraging reproduction and by planting forest trees, because of the financial possibilities of growing a timber crop. Private owners of large areas of forest land are investing money in the growing of timber be- cause they have been shown it is a profitable venture. Just as soon as it is demonstrated to the farm woodlot owner that farm timber can be grown at a profit, and that the owner himself can grow them, Farm Forestry will be a common I»ractice among farmers. ENFORCED COlfSERVATION The Department of Conservation and Develop- nient of North Carolina has issued an interesting book entitled *' North Carolina'^ which describes the natural resources of that State. This bro- chure says that North Carolina has 10,000,000 acres in forest lands, and derives a revenue of •tl 68,000,000 annually from its timber products. THE MEXICAN Government recently passed a law requiring the preservative treatment of all lumber used for ties, posts, piles, mining props, etc., where it is subject to frequent renewal because of decay. This is one provision of a law passed for the purpose of regulating the use of forest resources, looking to better utiliza- tion and conservation. That the Mexican Gov- ernment, when it was found advisable to take legal measures to restrain unwise use of forest resources, recognized the value of preservative treatment as a conservation measure to the ex- tent that its adoption was made mandatory, in- terests those who know what preservative treat- ment will do, because they know that Mexican or any other forests can be effectively conserved by this policy. This is, to our knowledge, a singular case of such legislation, and as such may seem extreme — but, without the foresight that induced us for a long time to talk forest conservation and then to formulate a policy therefor, might not some such policy become necessary in our own country, to maintain a supply of lumber for those uses for which no other material can compare in suita- bility ? That is far from improbable. Such legislation would accomplish more than forest conservation — it would result also in enormous saving to users of treated wood. Al- though man is so constituted that legislation de- manding the practice of economy in personal en- terprises might not be welcomed, there can be no doubt that he would profit by enforced conserva- tion through preservation. The user of treated wood realizes enormous returns on his investment at the end of the period representing the life of the untreated wood, and at each repetition there- of, because he saves the cost of replacement, and he will have saved considerable in maintenance costs. There is no doubt that Mexico can profit by compliance with this measure, provided it is inter- preted to mean proper pressure treatment, which is true preservation. If only superficial treat- ment is given the timber maximum results will not be forthcoming. One thing is certain, this method of handling the conservation problem in a country where conditions are as favorable to decay as in Mexico, and where the termite causes such inestimable damage to untreated wood, can be made highly effective.— Wood Preserving News. Do not forget Fall Arbor Day, October 26th. S!^ 168 FOREST LEAVES SEEING THE FORESTS OF EUROPE By Josei^h S. niick DURING April and May, 1926, the students of the State Forest School at Mont Alto made the third annual tour of the forests of Europe. The previous study tours were made in 1924 and 1925. It is planned to continue these school journeys as a regular part of the curric- ulum. The writer was in charge of the student group during the 1926 tour and is pleased to record a few of the outstanding observations of this interesting outdoor study program. Dr. C. A. Schenck, former director of the Bilt- more Forest School, and now special lecturer at Mont Alto, acted as Guide and Director General through the European forests, many of which he has known since his boyhood days. It was a rare privilege for the young foresters to meet the older foresters of Europe and see the outdoor laboratories in which they study and work, and particularly to hear Dr. Schenck, with his world- wide experience in forestry, and a linguist of the first order, tell the story of these great lorests of Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Ger- many, and Italy. It was at Arnhem, Holland, that our party in- spected the operations of one of the world 's most unique forestry associations. It is an association made up of owners of forest land. It has already reclaimed more than 600,000 acres of waste land in the highlands of Holland. Here was shown in a most practical way how sand can be put to work, how coppice can be converted into high forests, and how roadsides can be beautified with trees. Here was seen a most intensive utilization of the forest tree. Every part of the tree clear up to the buds is used. The waste of forest prod- ucts is out of the question. In this reclamation work a number of American trees were used. Among them were red oak, white pine, jack pine, and Douglas fir. The red oak is one of their favorite trees. It grows well and promises much. In 1901 three rows of red oak were planted along a prominent highway. These trees are now 20 to 25 feet high and have a diameter of 3 to 6 inches. Last year they grew 12 to 18 inches in height. Another place where man reclaimed vast areas by planting forest trees was visited in The Landes located along the coast of southwestern France. It was at Mimizan, not far from Bordeaux, that we spent several days inspecting the refoiestation work and the turpentine industry that has de- veloped into a profitable business. The I^vndes of yesterday were accursed by nature and for- saken by man. The Landes of today are inhabited by a contented and prosperous people. Wliat was formerly a desolate waste is now one of the prosperous regions of France. It is one of the few sections of France where the rural population is increasing. Here can be seen how human prog- ress is made in a most exacting environment. The people of The Landes have triumphed through toil. They work almost exclusively in the pine woods and their main crops are naval stores and wood. The average cost of reforesta- tion in The Landes has been estimated at $C.41 per acre. One operator reports that from an original hectare (2.47 acres) with 625 trees spaced L3 feet apart, and ranging from 15 to 65 yenrs in age, there was obtained an average net income of $10 per acre from the naval stores and wood. This great reforestation project was started in 1787 by M. Bremontier. In the little village of Labourheyre stands a memorial statue erected in his honor. On it the writer read these words: *'To the French Inspector General who checked the advance of the Dunes by the Planting of Pines.** Surely the young American foresters here learned practical lessons in reforestation and that far greater lesson of human achievement that comes to those who look ahead, think straight, and work diligently. Among the other forests visited in France was the famous forest of Fontainebleau, 25 miles south of Paris, and the forest of Chantilly, 35 miles north of Paris. Within the latter was seen the finest coppice under standard system ever ob- served by Dr. Schenck in all his forestry travels. Not the least interesting feature of the trip was the World Forestry Congress at Rome. Here the students had the privilege of seeing and meet- ing many of the world's most prominent forest- ers. Such a privilege does not come often and this meeting will long be remembered. While in Italy the party also visited the forest school at Florence. A day was spent in the famous forest at Vallombroso on the crest of the Apennines, and another day's trip took the party to the Alban hills south of Rome, where the chestnut continues to flourish. The deadly chestnut blight has not yet found its way into this section of the world. In Switzerland the party visited some of the foremost protection forests of the Alps. Amon : the principal stops were Interlaken, Thun, Soht turn, and Zurich. In this highland country wer^' seen some of the best forests of the world han died by the selection system, so well adapted t" the protection forests on steep slopes. Th' ii 4 ll I Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 11. [xsi'ECTiNO Thrikty Chkktnut Si'uottts in the Historic Forest of Vallomkrosa on the Crest OF THE Apennines — Not a Trace of Chestnut Blight Was Found Upon Them In the Turpentine Pineries of Southwestern France IMiotoa Courtesy Department of Forests & Water* Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 11. — ^ Stuoyinc, the Picturesque Italian Stone Pine, Also Called Umrrella Pine, in the Mountains Near Florence, Italy The Young Foresters Saw Many Well-managed Forests of Spruce in Switzerland Forest Leavks, Vol. XX, No. 11. Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 11. I.\S,'KCTIN(} THRIKTV ClIK.STNrr SlMKHTS IN TI'K lIlKTOIUC FoKKKT OK VAM.OMItROSA ON THE CUKST OF THi: Apennines — Not a Track ok Ciikstnitt Hlicht Was Found I'i-on Tiikm STUDViNd THE Picturesque Italian Stone Pine. Also Called Umurklla Pink, ln tiik .Mcmntains Near Florence, Italy In the Terrentine Pineries of Southwestern France I'lmfos ('onrlcs.v Dcpiirtiiu-iit nt Knnsts A: Wiiti-rs The Young Foresters Saw Many Well-manageu Fokehts of Spruce in SwiT/'erland INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE i FOREST LEAVES 169 historic Sihlwald, belonging to the city of Zurich, was also visited. This is one of the oldest manag- ed forests in the world. In 1422 the city council ot Zurich decreed that the cut of the Sihlwald shiill not exceed 20,000 pieces of timber per year. This is probably the oldest recorded volume regu- lation known. It was in 1630, almost 300 years a,i;o, that a regular system of bookkeeping was started in this forest, and in 1696 the first regular working plan was made for this forest. This was exactly 230 years ago. It is interesting to see and walk through a forest that has helped lay the foundation stones of forest history. A European forestry tour would not be com- plete without visiting the famous Black Forest. Three full days were spent in this world famous forest studying a wide range of forest conditions. Evergreen trees make up more than 90% of this \ ast stretch of forest land. In the Schifferschaft- wald, which is typical of the entire forest, the tree makeup is as follows: Spruce 44% Fir 42% Scotch pine 9% Beech 6% In the early days of forestry in this region beech made up a much larger percentage, but jrradually the forest has been transformed over to almost a pure evergreen forest. Here one finds, I)articularly on southern slopes, some of the best stands of Scotch pine in Europe. This special race of Scotch pine is far superior to that found in the Rhine region and in Prussia. During the stay in the Black Forest, Oberforster Stephani, who has had charge of the Schifferschaftwald for 22 years and has known this forest for 33 years, acted as our special guide. He pointed out all the striking features and achievements. Among his many pointed statements he said: '*The forest is not here to be regenerated but to produce wood.*' Dr. Scholl guided the party through the Buhl Town Forest — one of the famous city-owned iorests of central Europe. The excellent tree growth in the Black Forest is attributed to the annual rainfall, which ranges from 30 to 40 inches, and comes at a time of the year when tree growth is at its height. The party voted unanimously in favor of this statement, for it rained every day during our stay in the Black Forest. In spite of the wet weather, many in- teresting object lessons in practical forestry were s<'en. Road and trail systems and water power projects were inspected. Special consideration was given to silvicultural systems that aimed to develop forest stands along natural lines so as to withstand the wind, for here the wind is the chief enemy of the forest. Many thanks to Ober- forster Stephani and Dr. Scholl for a sylvan treat that is hard to beat. An interesting day also was spent in the pineries of the Rhine. Here we saw many ordi- nary stands of Scotch pine, the kind from which we do not want seed to plant in Pennsylvania. Probably we have already gotten too much of this inferior strain of Scotch Pine! After seeing these inferior stands one can appreciate the merits of insisting upon definite knowledge regarding the source of all seed supplies for use in our reforestation work. Dr. Munsch, one of the foremost forestry professors of Europe, told the writer that there are at least 750,000 acres of Scotch Pine plantations in Germany that have grown from poor or doubtful seeds. Let us avoid the costly error of Europe. Another great day was spent in the Heidelberg Town Forest. Heidelberg acquired its first forest land in 1392, exactly 100 years before Columbus discovered America. In this man-made forest we saw many interesting stands of American trees. Among them were white pine, Douglas fir, hem- lock, red oak, black locust, and yellow poplar. One of the outstanding study projects in the forest is a series of 15 sample plots established in 1888. In these plots are such American trees as Lawson's cypress of the western United States, Douglas fir, and hemlock. One of the most rapid growing of American trees is the grand fir (Abies grandis). Oberforster Krutina, who has had charge of this forest for more than 20 years, acted as our guide and pointed with pride to the successful growth of American trees. Among many interesting statements he said : ' ' The chest- nut is now extending its range in the Heidelberg Town Forest.*' The records of the forest show that the chestnut was introduced at Heidelberg by the Romans. Until recently it was managed under the coppice system. With this system the trees were not permitted to become old enough to throw seeds, but in late years the system of han- dling the chestnut has been changed and the trees were permitted to become older. Now these older trees are throwing seeds and as a result the chest- nut is gaining ground. This picture stands in strong contrast to the chestnut of Pennsylvania which is now losing ground rapidly. From Heidelberg we jumped to the spruce forests of Saxony. Here we visited the famous Tharandt Forest School, established in 1811 by Heinrich Cotta, one of the founding fathers of li 11 ■ li if I ^ k 170 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 171 European forestry. The entire party did honor to this famous pioneer forester by standing rever- ently before his grave amidst eighty oaks planted on his eightieth birthday by his former students and friends. His body rests upon the hill over- looking the famous forest school he founded 115 years ago. While in Saxony we saw some of the most intensively managed Norway spruce forests of the world, and visited the mountain forests of Saxony bordering Czecho-Slovakia. Here in the highlands of Saxony we saw examples of Euro- pean forest practice that are difficult, and where the forester must constantly battle with insects, fungi, wind, grazing animals, and many other unfavorable influencing factors. Among the most interesting wood-using industries visited in this part of Germany was a mill in which wood flour is manufactured from spruce. In the Tharandt forest we saw the results of a big ( ?) forest fire. It actually covered 3 acres. They regarded this as a big fire. We would think of it as a tiny one. The tree growth on the area ranged from 15 to 25 years. Every stick was salvaged. The dead trees on 1/14 of an acre were sold for $2.50. This is equivalent to $35 per acre. And this price was for the material on the stump. A single dead tree 20 feet high and 4 inches in diameter brought 25 cents. Yes! forestry pays in Saxony. From Saxony we journeyed to Eberswalde near Berlin. En route we passed through the extensive pineries of Prussia. At Eberswalde we saw ex- tensive reforestation work in Scotch pine. Modern tree felling machines and many types of tree planting tools were exhibited. In these extensive pineries planting is the rule. Women are ex- tensively employed in the reforestation work. They do practically all of the nursery and re- forestation work. The women of Europe deserve a considerable share of the credit for the success- ful practice of forestry. On this the third annual tour of the forests of Europe were seen many of the outstanding achievements in European forestry. Not all the observations could be listed here nor could all the forest problems be cited. It is significant that not all the time was devoted to the study of forest conditions, problems, and operations. The students also availed themselves of the op- portunity to visit the great museums and art galleries of Europe. The foremost cathedrals, castles, and the important educational institu- tions were also made a part of the trip. His- tory, social conditions, economic problems, and questions of international scope occupied an es- sential part of the travel program. For the sake of forestry alone such a trip is truly worth- while, and with the supplementary educational advantages it is of inestimable value to the stu- dent who is fashioning a worthy career. I hope these forestry tours will remain an established part of the program of the Pennsylvania State Forest School at Mont Alto. They deserve to live long. THE LUMBER INDUSTRY OP BEDFORD COUNTY By W. L. Byers, District Forester APPROXIMATELY 25,000,000 feet of forest products, valued at $750,000.00, were cut from the forests of Bedford County in 1925. This estimate is based upon replies received from a questionnaire sent to each sawmill operator in the county. Replies were received from 55 of the 155 operators in the county. They include a num- ber of the larger operators in the county so that it is felt the results represent more than 50 per cent, of the total cut in the county. These 55 operators reported a total cut of 10,- 106,780 feet lumber, 247,753 ties, 1,350 cords locust, 1,460 poles, 449,9810 props and 78 cords pulp wood. On an average of $30.00 per thousand feet, there was received for the material an in- come of $750,000.00. An average of $5.00 per thousand feet goes to the forest owner for stumpage. The woods work- er, for cutting, skidding, manufacturing and transportation to railroad receives an avera«?e of $20.00 per thousand, leaving $5.00 per thou- sand feet for the operators. The three classes of persons who benefited directly from the lumber industry are practically in all cases local citizens, so that the community as a whole is benefited and the people of Bedford County added $750,- 000.00 to their wealth as a result of the manu- facture and sale of forest products. An m- dustry which adds $750,000.00 to the wealth of the county in one year and is capable of adding a great deal more is worthy of thought and con- sideration. Forty-five per cent, of the total land area of the county is in forests. The lands from which these forest products, in 1925, were cut will not yield on an average of more than 3500 board feet per acre. This means that approximately 7200 acres were lumbered over during the year. The practice in the past years has been to al- low those lumbered areas to revert to waste lands through bad lumbering or through carelessness with forest fires. This practice is economically wasteful to the community and the State. The local government must levy and also col- lect taxes in order to function. Every acre that is allowed to revert to waste lands from which none or very little taxes can be collected means that the taxes on the producing areas will have to be increased in order to make up the deficit. The cut-over lands, if properly cared for and fires kept out, will restock themselves with natural ofrowth of young trees and will produce another crop of merchantable timber in a period of 25 to 75 years. If we wish to keep each acre at work, and this is the only economical thing to do, we must prevent forest fires from burning upon our forests and cut-over lands. The important question as to whether forest fires will be allowed to burn or not, rests principally with the people of each community. The State has recognized its obligations in this respect. It is doing everything possible to stop this terrible waste. But the State can accomplish little without the active co-operation of the local people. It is up to the local citizens to decide whether or not an industry that makes the people of the county wealthier by $750,000.00 in one year is worth perpetuating, or if, after the present growth has been removed, the cut-over lands are to be allowed to revert to areas of desolation and become a liability to the community. By preventing forest fires, areas that were cut over last year will begin at once to cover them- selves with a new forest which will increase in value each year, prevent erosion, help to equalize stream flow, serve as a home for game and add to the beauty of the county. The prevention of forest fires will benefit you, your children and your community. District Forester Byers, of McConnellsburg, is making a collection of all the important woods used in the Buchanan forest district. When these blocks are finished they will be arranged, labeled and placed in the district office at McConnells- burg. They will be very helpful in demonstrat- iii?: the important uses of all the woods that grow in the Buchanan forest district. When completed, this wood exhibit will also be taken to farm shows, fairs, and other meeting places in southern Pennsylvania. PENNSYLVANIA'S FORESTS AND GAME The Anthracite Forest Protective Association is issuing a new forestry paper called '*The An- thracite Forest Protector.'' By Franklin G. Mcintosh, Member Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners I AM very glad to have this opportunity to speak before your association because the subject in which I am most vitally interested, namely, the conservation of the wild life of the State, and that in which you are interested, name- ly, the conservation of the forests of the State, are very closely allied. We know that if we did not have any forests we would have very little game or wild life, and you who undoubtedly love to wander through the leafy forests would find a pretty dismal place if there were none of God's creatures to be seen in your stroll. I am sure that we all get an extra thrill if we happen to see one of our graceful white-tail deer bounding through the woods ahead of us, or if it is only a little cotton-tail rabbit skip- ping along, we welcome him with a smile; and if that king of game birds, the ruffed grouse, sud- denly springs up at our feet and whirrs away through the trees, we get a kick out of it that noth- ing else can give — even if he does scare us half to death. So much for the esthetic side of the picture, but I am sure that if we had no song or insectivorous birds the life of our forests would be very short. You probably know a lot more about this than I do, but I am sure that the wood- peckers, the nuthatches and creepers, and the warblers and flycatchers in their consumption of bugs, worms, insects and scale must do an untold amount of good to the trees and shrubs of our woodlands. And I would like to pause here long enough to tell those of you that do not know it, that the Game Commission is the best friend of the song and insectivorous birds that these little creatures possess. We use just as much effort and the same machinery to protect the song bird that we do the game bird. Our game protectors will work just as hard to catch and convict a man who kills a robin or a flicker as they will to catch a man who shoots a grouse or a pheasant out of season. A study of our list of arrests and con- victions wall show that we do get a lot of that sort of violators. In order that I may not be accused of self- praise, I would like to say that when I speak of the Game Commission as "we," I refer to the work of the Commission in the past, for the pres- ent Board, with one exception, have held office for only the last two years, and while we are giving our very best efforts to the work and have, in J 172 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 173 a few instances, made what we consider advances and improvements in the work of game conserva- tion, yet we are only working on the foundations that were laid by the so-called "old board," and are striving to the best of our ability to carry on along the general lines laid out by them. The position that Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners hold in the world of game conservationists today is largely due to the efforts of such men as the late Doctor Kalbfus, the late Doctor Penrose, Mr. John Phillips, Mr. McCaleb and others who in the past worked and planned so well, and T want to publicly acknowl- edge our indebtedness to them. It is also quite fitting that I should here give credit to one who has been with the Commission almost from its inception, and whose resignation has just been made public today. I refer to our most competent Executive Secretary, Mr. Seth Gordon. t Mr. Gordon was assistant to Dr. Kalbfus, and at his death, he was made Executive Secretary and for seven years he has held this offiice. He is nationally known as an expert conservationist and it is with great regret that we have accepted his resignation. He has, however, be^n offered a much more lucrative position with one of the national sportsmen's associations, and in justice to him we could do no less than reluctantly per- mit him to go. The law creating the Game Commission was passed in 1895, but they were obliged to depend upon appropriations from the legislature for money to carry on and for the first ten years they averaged only about two thousand dollars per year, and you can readily see that they could do no constructive work for this small amount of money. In 1901, if I am right, the act creating the State Forestry Department was passed and I presume they at once began to build up the State forests, for when the Legislature of 1905 passed the act enabling the Game Commission to establish Game Refuges on State forest lands, they im- mediately took advantage of it and established one on State forest land in Clinton County, near Kenovo. The Commission continued to establish their Refuges on State forest lands with reason- able speed until in 1915 they had ten of these refuges at advantageous points throughout the State. The Game Commission had now been in exis- tence for twenty years, but they had in reality ac- complished comparatively little due to a lack of funds with which to operate. It is true that they had established these ten Refuges and some legis- lation tending to reduce bag limits on game killed had been passed, but we must remember that the State had been largely denuded of its forests and the game, once plentiful, had been practically shot out, so that it needed more drastic action than this if we were to bring back the game. The cry- ing need was for more funds with which to oper- ate, and some of our wise sportsmen and con- servationists, realizing the difficulty and the un- certainty of obtaining an appropriation from the legislature each session, put on their thinking caps and the result was that in 1913 they passed the "Hunter's License Law," which provided that any- one desiring to hunt in the State would first have to obtain a license. This cost a resident of the State one dollar per year. The most sanguine backer of the law expected that about 150,000 of these licenses would be sold. As a matter of fact the Commission that year had more than $300,000 to work with, but under the old system of paying bounties on vermin, there were a lot of unpaid claims, and it was not until 1915 that the Com- mission had any real money to spend. It is, therefore, from this date, only eleven years ago, that practically all the constructive work of the Commission starts. In 1905 the law putting the black bear on the game list was passed and in 1907 the Buck law was passed, making it il- legal to kill a female deer. These laws had in a measure helped to save some of the remnants of large game that still were left in the State, but it was quite apparent that the great areas of for- est and cutover lands in the State would never be restored as hunting grounds without the introduc- tion of a fresh supply of game, so in 1915 the Commission spent a portion of their funds for the purchase of game to be released in the State; and a portion for the purchase of lands outside of the State forests, to be used for game refuges and to be owned by the Game Commission themselves. It was also in this year that the first good vermin law was passed and si portion of the funds re- ceived by the Commission was spent in payment of bounties on vermin or noxious animals that prey on the game and the beneficial species of birds. These practices have been continued by the Game Commission ever since and the wisdom of their policy is exemplified when Pennsylvania, one of the thirteen original colonies, is universally recognized as the best game State in the Union. The one thing that contributed most to bringmg this about was, in my opinion, the "Hunter's License Law," as this gave the Commission plenty of money to work with, and the fact that we have been able to keep this fund intact and separate frcmi the general funds of the State has been the salvation of this work, and it speaks volumes for the sportsmen of the State that every time the gixedy politicians have reached out to grab it til* y have risen in their might and thrown out a warning that, so far, has been given grave con- sideration by the politicians. And the sportsmen and their organizations have grown so strong that it will most certainly be a foolish sort of a legis- lature that tries to take this fund away from them. This fund has now grown to such an extent that we, as representatives of the sportsmen of the State, have approximately $750^000 per year to spend. No one pays one penny of taxes to sup- port the Game Commission and no moneys are appropriated from the general funds of the State for the work of the Commission. It is the sports- men alone who contribute this sum and the Board of Game Commissioners consider themselves in the light of a Board of Directors for this large cor- poration and endeavor to expend this money so that the stockholders may get the very best re- turns for their money. We are proud of the fact that out of the $1.25 which the hunter pays for his license only 5 cents goes for office expense or overhead. We feel that we have a pretty well managed concern. The county treasurer who is- sues the license gets 10 cents of the $1.25 fee just for handing it out. We now have a total of 35 Game Refuges in the State of which we own 12, we have under lease 3, and we have on State forest land 20. We own 86,000 acres which cost us $245,000, or less than three dollars per acre, and in addition to this we have auxiliary refuges under our control for a period of years, in excess of 77,500 acres. There- fore with the lands which we own and control we have upwards of 230,000 acres which we adminis^ ter as State Game Lands. Now a State Game Land does not necessarily mean that no game may be killed on this land. On the contrary it often means exactly the opposite of this, for it is this system known as the ^^Pennsylvania Plan," which is rapidly being adopted by other States and is praised by all conservationists, that has ( r)abled Pennsylvania to come back from a State ]>ractically devoid of game to the greatest hunt- ing State in the Union today. The Pennsylvania plan or system differs from others in this way that when we get control of a piece of land we not only make a refuge or sanc- tuary for game but we provide a public shooting or hunting ground. And we believe in many small refuges, rather than a few large ones. Many States set aside great areas of hundreds of thou- sands of acres and designate them as a game refuge, and prohibit all hunting on this area. This is all wrong. To begin with it is too large to properly police and protect, and there will be much poaching. It is too large to properly con- trol the vermin, and if the game does increase to any extent, the vermin will increase to a corres- ponding extent, and you have the old story of the man who had a cat ranch and raised rats to feed his cats which he killed to feed the rats to raise more cats, etc. Ol* if it is possible to keep the vermin down and the game is confined to any certain area, it will soon increase to such an ex- tent that there will not be enough feed to sustain it and it will die of starvation. These are not fanciful tales but are occurrences which have actually taken place in this country. Our plan is to buy or lease, preferably, about ten thousand acres and out of the center of this tract we will select about two thousand acres which is designated as the * ^ Refuge. ^ ' Around this two thousand acres we run a single strand of wire, on which at frequent intervals we have our signs warning everyone that this is a game refugee and all shooting is prohibited. Outside of this wire we swamp out a twelve-foot road on which all trees and brush are cut and no tall grass is per- mitted to grow. You forest lovers do not need to be told what an advantage that is in case of a fire. We put a house on this land and establish a permanent Refuge Keeper whose duty it is to patrol that road around the Refuge, to keep it in good shape with no tall grass, to watch out for fires and to control the vermin. Inside of that wire there will never be a gun fired at a game animal or bird. Think what that means! There for all time to come is a sanctuary where game will always be safe. But the land which we own or control outside of the wire and on to which the surplus game of the Refuge will spread is known as ''public shooting ground" and will always be open to public shooting. This means that on our refuges there will always be game protected and on the surrounding lands there will always be hunting for the poor man or the man who cannot belong to one of the exclusive hunting clubs which are growing more and more common all the time. And in addition to supply- ing game on our game lands for the edification and pleasure of you forest lovers and others, we do other things which should meet with your ap- proval on our lands. We build roads and make trails to every part of our lands, so that in case a fire is started even the most remote parts are readily accessible and we can quickly put in a bunch of fire-fighters. Every one of our field em- ployees is also a fire warden and many are the 174 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 175 fires that they have helped to extinguish. You all know what that means, for we know that fire is the one great menace to our forests. Then our men also plant a great many trees. We plant hundreds of thousands each year. Many of these are seedlings which we get from the State Forestry Department, but we also plant many nut trees, the seeds of which the men gather on our own lands. We plant many fruit bearing trees to pro- vide for the birds and we plant many cuttings, such as wild grapes and willows along the trout streams that may be on our lands. I think I have told you enough to prove that the interests of the forest conservationist and the game conservationist run very close together, for it is true that as we have brought the good old Keystone State back from a State practically barren of game to one that is universally admitted to be the best game State in the Union, so are the forest lovers rapidly bringing Pennsylvania back to a real timber State once more. But it takes so much longer to grow a tree to maturity than it does a deer that their progress seems slower, but I am sure if we all put a shoulder to the wheel that it can be accomplished all right. I would like to tell you a lot more about our work and go more into detail but I am sure that I have told you enough for this evening and again thanking you for the opportunity of appearing before you I will close. OLDEST TULIP POPLAR PLANTATION IN PENNSYLVANIA By Leroy Frontz WHAT is probably the oldest tulip poplar plantation in Pennsylvania is located on the property of the Friends School at Westtown, Chester County, Pa. This interesting forest tree plantation was established in 1908 on an abandoned field. Growth measurements made April 12, 1926 of 82 trees on a Vg-acre permanent sample plot gave the following results: Average Height 35 feet Maximum Height 50 * * Average Diameter (breast-high) 4.2 inches Maximum Diameter (breast-high) 9.5 ** These planted tulip poplar trees at the end of 17 seasons of growth show an average height of 35 feet, indicating an average annual height growth of more than 2 feet. The largest speci- men on the plot shows a total height of 50 feet — an average annual height growth of almost 3 feet. The trees were originally spaced 6x6 feet. Approximately 20 per cent, of the planted trees died in the early years of the plantation, due to weed and grass competition. Because of this loss, the resulting stand is not as dense as is desirable, but the trees are generally of good form and clear of side branches for half their length. The few lateral limbs which persisted near the ground were dead, of small size, and easily removed. The underbrush consists of a few specimens of Ameri- can elm, red maple, white ash, and wild black cherry. The ground cover is made up of leaves, grass, and weeds. This condition suggests that the tulip should be underplanted with some shade- enduring evergreen which will ultimately result in a mixed stand of evergreens and tulip poplar. By mixing a tolerant or half-tolerant tree with the tulip poplar, good growth results can be se- cured. Tulip occurs naturally in southeastern Pennsyl- vania, growing in mixture with oaks and other hardwoods. It forms tall, straight trunks and produces lumber of the highest quality. One of the largest tulips in Pennsylvania stands in a grove near the Westtown School, which measures 15 feet 9 inches in circumference at 3 feet above the ground. It is 70 feet to the first branch, con- tains 6,500 board feet of lumber, and its height has been estimated at more than 150 feet. The tulip tree has been considered difficult to propagate artificially because of the low fertility of the seed and the loss in transplanting. As a result of recent experiments it has been found that tulip lends itself readily to transplanting if handled properly. This operation can be carried on most successfully during a period of about three weeks in the spring just before active growth begins. If the transplanting is done at this time, the loss is often small compared with that of other trees extensively used in reforesta- tion work. It is imperative that the fleshy tap- root of this tree be not exposed, for the drying out of the roots means certain death. The growth of the tulip planted at Westtown and recent nursery experiments indicate that it is worthy of a more prominent place in the reforestation work in Pennsylvania. Its wood ranks with that of white pine, making it one of the most import- ant hardwoods in Pennsylvania. METHODS OF PROPAGATING NUT TREES Tree Propagation, just published. Nut trees do not reproduce themselves true to variety when grown from seed, but must be propagated asex- ually as other fruits. Propagation with most species of nut trees is more difficult than with ordinary fruit trees although the general principles are the same. Certain methods of budding and grafting are practically identical with nuts and with fruits. The ability to propagate nut trees should be acquired by every grower, says Mr. Reed, so that if the occasion arises he may top-work to better kinds any inferior trees in his planted orchards, may work over seedlings in his native groves or, if necessary, may establish a branch or two of a variety for pollination purposes from the tops of trees of standard varieties. With new varieties it often happens that scions only are available and not trees. Trees in sufficient num- bers for orchard planting may not be available. In any case, by obtaining from a nursery a single tree true to variety, the planter may provide him- self with an early supply of scion wood with which to increase his planting stock. The purpose of this bulletin is to provide grow- ers with a working knowledge of how asexual propagation is effected. It is not to encourage the general practice of growing their own trees, as the production of desirable planting stock is ex- pensive and without experience it is generally unsatisfactory. Under normal conditions it is cheaper in the end to buy such stock from pro- fessional nurserymen. Regardless of other reasons that prompt a mastery of the art of proagation, the nut orchard- ist will find his ability to bud or graft his trees of great advantage in handling his orchard, says Mr. Reed. ('opies of this bulletin may be obtained upon request, as long as the supply lasts, by writing to the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. NEW QUARANTINE FOR WHITE PINE BLISTER RUST USEFUL information on the propagation of various nut trees is given by C. A. Reed of the United States Department of Agri- culture in Farmers* Bulletin, No. 1501-F, Nut- ANEW quarantine measure involving the entire Continental United States on ac- count of the white pine blister rust disease lias been signed by the Acting Secretary of Agri- ("'liture. This quarantine which went into effect October 1, 1926, embodies the restrictions dis- cussed at the public hearing before the Federal Horticultural Board June 30, 1925. It prohibits or restricts the movement of five-leafed (or white) pines and currant and gooseberry plants from any State, including the District of Colum- bia, superseding Federal plant quarantines No. 26 and 54. The new quarantine is similar to Quarantine No. 26 in that it prohibits the movement of five- leafed pines from the eastern half of the United States to the western half. The dividing line is the western boundary of Minnesota, Iowa, Mis- souri, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Inspection and certification by the nursery inspector of the State of origin of shipment is required for the move- ment interstate of five-leafed pines and currant and gooseberry plants from any State not in- fected with the white pine blister rust. In addi- tion, a permit from the nursery inspector of the State to which the shipment is consigned must accompany such shipment into any State having a legally established blister rust control area. The quarantine prohibits interstate movement of five-leafed pines. (1) From the New England States into any State except the six States com- prising this group. (2) From New York into any other State. (3) From Minnesota and Wisconsin into any State except the two States comprising this group and the New England States and New York. (4) From Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania into any State except the three States comprising this group and the New Eng- land States, New York, Minnesota and Wisconsin. (5) From Washington into any other State. (6) From seven designated counties in northwestern Oregon into any State. The new quarantine prohibits interstate move- ment of European black currant plants commonly known as cultivated black currants, except with- in the area comprised in the States of Alabama, Arkansas', Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Missis- sippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Okla- homa, South Dakota, and Texas. Shipment of these plants must be accompanied by a State certificate of inspection stating that inspection was made between August 15 and September 30 preceding shipment, and the plants found free from the blister rust. All currants and gooseberry plants are pro- hibited movement from any infected State or county to any other State, except cultivated red and white currants, mountain (or alpine) currant and cultivated gooseberry plants. Shipment of these excepted plants must be inspected and certi- fied by a Federal inspector and bear a Federal permit tag of specified form. The usual State inspection certificate must also be attached to such shipments, as well as a permit from State 176 FOREST LEAVES of destination if such State has established blister rust control areas. The shipper of such plants is also required to certify that specified require- ments have been met including dipping the plants in a lime-sulphur solution. The infected States and counties in which white pine blister rust is now known to be present are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, and Clatsop, Colum- bia, Lincoln, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhil] counties in Oregon. TELTON REDWOOD GROVE GIVEN TO OALirORNIA ANOTHER grove of California Redwoods on the Redwood Highway 250 miles north of San Francisco has just been deeded to the State of Calfornia by Mrs. Kate Felton Neilson of San Francisco in memory of her father, the late United States Senator Charles N. Felton. The gift was made through the Save-the-Red- woods League to the State Forestry Board. The tract, which is one of the most beautiful groves in the vicinity of the Dyerville-Bull Creek area, contains approximately 100 acres and over seven million feet of Redwood timber. It oc- cupies a point of land situated in a picturesque bend in the South Fork of the Eel River, an ideal site for a memorial park. It lies across the river from Boiling Grove, another memorial, dedicated several years ago to Colonel Raynal C. Boiling, the first American officer of high rank to fall under fire in the world war. This is the latest memorial grove to be pur- chased privately and deeded to the State. Since its organization in 1918 the Save-the-Redwoods League has preserved through appropriation and gift more tlian 3000 acres of primeval Redwoods representing a valuation of close to a million dollars. Dr. John C. Merriam of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, D. C, president of the Save-the-Redwoods Lea2:ue, in expressing his appreciation of what Mrs. Neilson had done in saving this unusually beautiful grove for all time spoke of the origin of the League seven years ago and of its accomplishments and told of its plans to preserve a fair proportion of the forests still standing, as part of a '^ balanced program'' which gives due consideration to the economic interests involved ; and to support the efforts of the lumber companies in reforesting areas that have already been denuded. This work, Dr. Merriam pointed out, is being made possible through the interest of the workers of the League and the generosity and fine sentiment such as has been shown by Mrs. Neilson. EXPERIMENT STATION COUNTS FIRE LOSSES IN SOUTHERN PINES ONE out of every four longleaf pines, and one out of every nine shortleaf, in ihe virgin forests of the South bear visible tire scars, according to E. L. Demmon of the Southern Forest Experiment Station. The experiment station has recently undertaken a study of the amount and extent of fire damage to mature timber. This damage to virgin timber is a sub- stantial portion of the tremendous fire loss in the southern forests which, in 1924, amounted to 75.5 per cent, of the total fire loss in the United States, and covered 84.3 per cent, of the area of the country burned over by forest fires. Representative stands of original timber were carefully surveyed in the four States of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi. In these forests Mr. Demmon found that the damage to longleaf pine was more than twice as great as that to shortleaf pine. This is accounted for partly by the fact that the biggest fires are in the more southerly **piney woods'* region where longleaf pine predominates, and partly because of the greater pitchiness of the longleaf pine. The percentage of trees damaged increased with their size. Over 50 per cent, of the largest trees of both species were scarred. It was found that in many instances the tire wounds in the smaller trees heal over, so tliat finally no scar may be visible until the tree is cut down. In these cases, however, as well as in the more obvious damage to the larger trees, the loss remains in the damage to the butt log of the tree, the most valuable timber that the tree will yield. This loss takes several forms, such as high stumps left standing, lower portions of the butt log left lying in the woods, and later in lumber which must be discarded or degraded be- cause of the pitch. On this account, boards that would probably otherwise grade ^'B" must often be thrown into No. 1 Common, and sometin.es into No. 2 Common. Damage from scarring of mature trees is but one of the ways in which fire is destroying the pine forests of the South. The Southern Forest Experiment Station is devoting a considerable proportion of its efforts to the study of the efd^t of fire in all its many aspects. 11 i'eless. Forests which are so used that they cannot renew themselves will soon vanish and with them all their benefits. When you help to preserve our forests or plant new ones you are acting the part of good citizens. M When I think of the conservation of natural resources I think of all materials available for the use of man, including those on the surface of the earth such as soil and water, those below the surface, such as minerals, and those above the surface, of which the forest is the most conspicu- ous example. These natural resources include the land on which we live and from which we get our food, the living waters which fertilize the soil, feed the fishes, supply power, and form the great waterways of commerce, the growing forests with their great assortment of animal and plant life, and the many minerals which form the basis of our industrial life and provide us with heat, light, and power. All these natural resources are vital parts of the big conservation movement. A forest is more than a collection of trees. It is not merely a wood storehouse. It is a wood factory, a water reservoir, a fish hatchery, a game refuge, and a wild flower preserve. All these in one the forest truly is. We like to think it took three centuries to har- vest our great forest wealth, but it is a fact that most of our forests were cut during the last 75 years. Forest destruction is moving forward at an enormous speed. One of the effects of forest destruction in Pennsylvania is an annual lumber freight bill of $25,000,000. This is the price Pennsylvania wood users — and we all use wood — pay for getting their lumber from distant forests. We are the biggest wood users on the face of the earth. The people of the United States actu- ally use two-fifths of all the wood consumed in the world. I see no chance for an early abandon- ment of the wood-using habit. The way out of this situation is clear. We have been — and I hope we can continue to be — a nation of wood users, but to enjoy this privilege and the pros- perity that goes with it we must become a nation of wood-growers. The biggest mistake made in the lumbering methods of the paat was that no provisions were made for forest renewal. As a result, we have vast stretches of idle forest land. It brings no good to anyone. It pays little or no taxes, keeps willing hands out of work, builds no roads, sup- A 178 FOREST LEAVES ports no industries, kills railroads, depopulates towns, creates a migratory population, all of which work against a good and stable citizenship. Idle forest land serves no one well. It is a menace to our normal national life. The first step in the solution of our idle land problem is the control of forest fires. Right now we SLvei at the beginning of another forest fire season. Commendable progress has been made in handling the forest fire situation in Pennsylvania. The size of the average fire has been reduced from 31 G acres in 1915 to 48 acres in 1925. A big for- ward step has been taken in forest tree planting. During the last 25 years more than 75 million forest trees have been planted in Pennsylvania. More than 20 million trees are ready for planting next spring. This is more than twice the number that were available for planting in any previous ^ilanting season. I am heartily in favor of enlarging the State Forests, which now comprise 1,132,590 acres. Dur- ing the last 3 years a big forward step has been taken in this direction. A resolution to amend the State constitution authorizing a bond issue of $25,000,000 was passed by the legislatures of 1923 and 1925. This proposal is now ready for the approval of the people. It will be submitted to the voters of the State in 1928. This is one of the most/ important conservation measures now pending before the p)eople. It deserves the hearty support of all true conservationists. Enlarged state forests will mean not only better forests, but better water, better fishing, better hunting, better out-door picnic places, and many other ad- vantages. And we must not overlook the fact that conservation is a powerful factor in the maintenance and improvement of public health. Another important conservation problem is giant power. Power is one of the most important instruments with which man produces the things necessary for human use out of the natural re- sources. We now know that the water resources of Pennsylvania are meager. To serve the best interests of our people our water resources must be developed under a broa- i^estion in regard toi tree planting. The senior class planted them in a square, for they were all on the square. The juniors decided on a circle because it had no end, while the freshmen de- cided on a triangle, for there were always good points. Professor Joseph S. Illick, Chief, Bureau of Information, Department of Forests and Waters, said that prior to coming to the Westtown School he had stopped at the grave of Dr. J. T. Roth- rock, and thought of the ideas he had given him. Those at Westtown had had a good opportunity to study trees, not only here but in the vicinity. It seemed as if all the early botanists began work near Philadelphia. At Longwood was the Pierce Arboretum, near Lima that of the Painter Broth- ers, while in Philadelphia was that of Bartram, and iVom these object lessons can be secured. He had just returned from a trip to the forests of Europe, and while these are great, there are great forests in the making here. The Westtown Ar- boretum would lead to tree appreciation and a love of historic and memorial trees. He then ex- hibited some forestry publications which could be secured free from the Department of Forests and Waters, the Highway Department, and the American Tree Association, and read extracts of appreciation of trees from letters of Ex-Governor William Sproul, and Judge Fox. Mr. Albert L. Baily, Jr., spoke briefly of the Arboretum which now had 250 species of t'ees in it, and which it was expected would be in- creased to over 400. ANNUAL MEETING OF ERIE BRANCH THE second annual meeting of the Erie Branch, Pennsylvania Forestry Association, was held on November 2, 1926. The minutes of the first annual meeting were read and approved. Report by the secretary on the activities of 1926, comprising the celebration of Arbor Day in rural schools, and list of plant- ings. In 1925 approximately r)8,00fl' trees were planted; 1926—121,293, with an additional 5650 in the fall. Mr. Joseph C. Mayer outlined the i^x)ssibilities of a natural park on the Mayer estate property in Wintergreen (lulch, a tract of 200 acres. Mr. C. F. McGuire, of the Erie County Fish and Game Protective Association, outlined [)lan of co-operation between his association and For- estry Association. Mr. R. H. Engle, County Agent of the Farm Bureau, explained the work of this bureau in placing practical forestry demonstration )»lots along the! state highways and in the education of owners of wood lots in proper cutting and planting. Miss Cora Smith, Director of the Botanical Work in Erie City schools, told of possibilities tor forestry work in public schools. Our society authorized the offering of two prizes for the best collections of forest leaves for school children and teachers. Mr. S. H. Drown described the Black Forest in Potter County, and Heart's Content, a stand of virgin forest near Warren. Mr. J. M. Sherwin showed what success he had made in plantings over a period of several years. The following resolution, proposed by Miss Smith and seconded by Dr. Kelsey, was duly passed : Be It Resolved, That the Erie Branch of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association extend to the Erie Lighting Company congratulations on its broadminded policy of employing an experienced forester and tree surgeon to care for the trees along the lines of its wires throughout Erie County, and that the secretary be instructed to forward to the Erie Lighting" Company a copy of this resolution. The report was noted of progress of the Cooke Forestry Association in Jefferson County in its purpose of acquiring and perpetuating the Cooke Forest. The election of officers followed, by which Dr. George S. Ray was elected president, and Mr. H. R. Spencer, secretary and treasurer, to serve until the next annual meeting. The membership is now 27. In the discussion which followed, the followinir suggestions were made for the work of the com- ing year: Publicity and advertising to prevent the promis- cuous stealing and selling of Christmas trees. Prizes for forestry; work by school children, under the direction of Miss Cora Smith. City or county park at Wintergreen Gulch. Get blight-proof chestnut tiees from Fe^lcral Department of Agriculture. Encouragement of school forest. Speakers to the schools on forestry questions. Articles in newspapers about general forestry and means of obtaining seedlings from the slate, K(dlow-up letters on the plantings in rural sch<>ols. Kncouragement of Public Utility Companies caiing for trees along their lines. Known applications from Erie County for next spring planting total 7500 seedlings. Of these 4,()()() were made through the Erie Branch of Pennsylvania Forestry Association. NEW BRUNSWICK'S CROWN TIMBER ACCORDING to a report by the Minister of Lands and Mines of New Brunswick show- ing the result of the survey of tim})er on the Crown Lands of the Province, soft woods with a diameter of 12 inches breast-high amount to 5 billion feet board measure; soft woods under that size are given at 11,136,000,000 feet, a total esti- mate of 16,136,000,000 feet. Hardwoods with the same diameter of 12 inches total 4,460,000,000 and under that diameter 6,690,000,000, a total of 11,- 150,000,000 feet. Placing a value of $4 per thou- sand feet, a value of $64,000,000 for softwoods and $45,000,000 for hardwoods is reached, a total of npwards of $100,000,000. The Minister emphasized the fact that spruce was the most plentiful, being upwards of 8,000,- (100,000 feet, fir was placed at 3,000,000,000, and cedar wa« 2,000,000,000. Of the hardwoods he pointed out that yellow birch was the most abundant, the quantity being estimated at 2,- 500,000,000. Maple was about 2,000,000,000. The entire cut since 1916, including salvage, had iHcn 1,868,072,000 feet, while the estimated fire loss, not including salvage, had Iwen 824,000,000 teet. The total estimate of bud wonn loss, which meant timber rotted beyond salvage, was 5,018,- 000,000 feet. Increment was estimated in various ways. Two per cent, growth was one method and then' were others. The Minister's own opinion was that the Chief Forester had been conservative in his estimate of the increment. He had placed it at 1,998,100,000 feet. He could state that the juinual cut had not been more than the increment. It could be reckoned that from 250,000,000 to •'^00,000,000 feet could be cut each year. In the hardwoods there had been a very small cut, and the increment could not b(» reckoned as great be- cause many of the trees were very large and old, and much of the timber was dying. If land is protected from forest fires trees will reproduce in Pennsylvania. As many as 50,000 young sugar maple trees were found on an acre m Northern Pennsylvania. FIFTY YEARS AGO * By Charles Lathrop Pack, President of The American Tree Association FIFTY years ago, after spending a month at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, I carried away many indelible impressions of which an especially outstanding one related to bread. Perhaps some of you will remember, the soft bread of a half century ago, and how yeast was largely made in the home and the mother yeast passed on from neighbor to neighbor. In fact, no crisp crust had yet formed over our American bread. We had no hard rolls for break- fast. At thci exposition the Fleischmann's from Vien- na established a large bakery restaurant — not a notable thing, apparently, but no other exhibit attracted more attention. At the bakery-restau- rant was served bread completely encrusted with golden brown. Wonder ingly the patrons broke open and carefully examined this strange new bread. The word spread and soon multitudes were waiting every day for seats. Thus the Cen- tennial witnessed the first use of soft yeast on a commercial basis — an innovation that has made possible the great baking industry of today. But what has this to do with forests? More than appears on the surface. Just as bread is the staff of human life, forests are the staff of economic life — the indispensable arc of the cir- cle of forest, rainfall, streams, arable land and crops. Just as fifty years the first small be- ginnings of a great foodstuffs industry were laid; so a half century ago our government took its first feeble steps in the direction of a forest policy. This Sesqui-Centennial year of our na- tional freedom is, as well, the semi-Centennial year of forestry activity in the United States. It is true that here and there a far-seeing man recognized the vital importance of assuring an adequate forest resource. One such was William Penn, who advocated the setting aside of one acre out of every five settled as a permanent forest tract. Had his advice been followed in Pennsyl- vania and in our country as a Avhole, we might not be faced today with some eighty million acres of idle and waste land, once forested; with the bulk of our remaining supply far from the cen- ters of demand; with a waning resource and with the vital necessity of conserving and reforesting for ourselves and coming generations. ^' "' ' Yes. fifty years ago soft commercial yeast and •Address made on Forest Day at Pennsylvania Building, S^8qui-C?"t?nn>al Ejcposition. 182 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 183 government forestry had their start. They have not advanced proportionately. It took compara- tively little education of the people to arouse them to the advantages of crispy bread and of hard table rolls. It has taken unremitting education to arouse the people to the necessity of standing for- ests. And the latter work is yet far from done. Pennsylvania is one of the few states which have really awakened to the task. Yet what is your problem? Four hundred and fifty million board feet are cut from your own forests each year. A tremendous figure, you may say. Yet, the state's great industries demand two billion seven hundred thousand board feet, or six times what you are now able to produce at home. The difference must be made up by timber brought from far west and far south with high freight rates that are passed on to the consumer. But as against these facts and figures, wo find as well that there are 3,500,000 acres of Pennsylvania listed as idle or unproductive for- est land. These idle acres point the answer to your problem; indeed, they fairly shout it. This land must be put to work growing trees to sup- ply Pennsylvania's industry for the future and to | safeguard the standards of living of her people. | In 1928 you are voting on a constitutional amend- ment which will authorize a twentv-five million dollar bond issue to acquire land for forest pro- duction. This is an indication that Pennsylvania is awake to her problems and will support her fine Department of Forests and Waters in the great work it is doing. The situation in Pennsylvania is quite typical, so far as supply and demand go, of other eastern and middle western states. That wise use must bo made of their own existing forest resources is becoming apparent to western and southern states. They are moving in the direction of greater pro- tection against forest fires and replacement of timber cut. "Wood, not food, should be the immediate con- cern of man," says Dr. Thomas Forsyth Hunt, through the service letter of your forestry depart- ment. "The world cannot suffer a permanent shortage of food because a shortage is felt im- mediately. This shortage is corrected within a year by increased production. With the wood supply the situation is different. It may be fifty to a hundred years instead of one year, before people realize the supply of lumber is becoming exhausted. It mav then take fiftv to a hundred years instead of one year to correct the situ- ation." This is a significant, simple and true state- ment. Fifty years ago, in 1876, a faint glimmor of understanding of the fact that Dr. Forsyth states caused Congress to give Dr. Franklin B. Houj^h a few hundred dollars and tell him to go and sur- vey the forest resources of the nation. Gradually public sentiment bom out of the union of pioneer foresters and educators with the growing eco- nomic pinch has brought about the creation of a large national forestry organization; the setting aside of National Forests; the establishment of Forestry Departments in three-fourths of the states. I particularly stress the importance of public education because I feel that it is the funda- mental means to the end. I am prone to feel that I am right when I witness the wonderful cooperation of the editors of the nation in pre- senting the facts to the people. The educational service of the American Tree Association has enjoyed this cooperation to the fullest. Prop:res,s in forestry during the past few years has been more marked than during all the rest of the half century, and I am confident that this can be traced in large measure to the really militant [)opular public education of these few years. There is less need to present to Pennsylvania the facts of the problem than to any other group. They have accomplished much and set an example. While I shall hardly be vouchsafed the ])rivi- lege of witnessing the centennial of forestry, with my love for the cause I like to look forward with high hopes to that date, 1976. I like to see in my mind a nation that has mended its profligate wavs with its forest resources. I like to picture an American celebrating at one and the same time the two-hundredth anniversary^ of its politi- cal independence and the hundredth anniversary of its start toward independence in the forestry sense. What is said to be the largest Douglas tir tree in the world stands 15 miles southeast of Eaton- ville, Washington. The tree measures over f(>ur- teen feet in diameter, is 48 feet in circumference, 225 feet high, and 90 feet to the first limb. Its estimated age is 800 to 1,000 years. It is believed to contain approximately 125,000 board feet ot lumber, or 250 cords of wood. A BIG CALIFORNIA REDWOOD TREE Twenty-six chapters of the Izaak Wiilton League in Ohio have planted 45,000 forest tree seedlings on farms and in municipal parks. State Forester Edmund Secrest co-operated in plans lo/ the planting, and the State furnished the trees. FOREST COMMISSIONER W. P. WHEEL- ER, of Endeavor, Pa., submits the follow- ing data of a big Redwood Tree standing ill the woods of the Little River Redwood Co., ( rannel, Humboldt County, Calif.: Total height 308 ft. I )iaineter, 5 feet above ground : With bark 20 ft. 0 in. Without bark 18 ft. 2 in. When cut it will produce 361,366 feet of lum- JM'i' from the following logs: Diameter Feet Board Ft. In. Measure 1st log 17 10 34,347 2nd log 17 .6 33,075 3rd log 17 2 31,827 4th log 16 10 . 30,603 5th log 16 6 29,403 ()th log 16 2 28,227 7th log 15 10 27,075 Sth log 15 4 25,392 nth log 14 10 23,763 loth log 14 4 22,188 nth log 13 10 20,667 12th log 13 4 19,200 l.Uh log 13 2 18,724 1 Uh log 12 6 16,875 Total feet board measure merchant- able timber : 361,366 Figures based on Spaulding standard scale with allowance for loss in felling, and twenty-two inches for bark. This tree when manufactured will yield suffi- cient lumber to build complete twenty-two average homes. * 'BLANKET LiaHTNING 1 1 Col. Henry W. Shoemaker celebrated fall Ar- hor Day by planting six descendants of the tamous Charter Oak in front of his home, *'Rest- 1< ss Oaks," at McElhattan, Clinton County. These trees will be known as Sesqui-Centennial Oaks. These six Sesqui-Centennial oaks will be splen- roof chestnut trees from Federal Department of Agriculture. Encouragement of school forest. Speakers to the schools on forestry riuestions. Articles in newspapers about general forestry and means of obtaining spedlings from the state. Follow-up letters on the plantings in rural schools. Encouragement of Public Utility Companies caring for trees along their lines. Known applications from Erie County for next spring planting total 7500 seedlings. Of these 4,000 were made through the Erie Branch of Pennsylvania Forestry Association. NEW BRUNSWICK'S CROWN TIMBER ACCORDING to a report by the Minister of Lands and Mines of New Brunswick show- ing the result of the survey of timber on the Crown Lands of the Province, soft woods with a diameter of 12 inches breast-high amount to 5 billion feet board measure; soft woods under that size are given at 11,136,000,000 feet, a total esti- mate of 16,136,000,000 feet. Hardwoods with the same diameter of 12 inches total 4,400,000,000 and under that diameter 6,690,000,000, a total of 11,- 150,000,000 feet. Placing a value of $4 per thou- sand feet, a value of )|;64,0()0,()00 for softwoods and $45,000,000 for hardwoods is reached, a total of upwards of $100,000,000. The Minister emphasized the fact that spruce was the most plentiful, being upwards of 8,000,- 000,000 feet, fir was placed at 3,000,000,000, and mlar wa« 2,000,000,000. Of the hardwoods he pointed out that yellow birch was the most abundant, the quantity being estimated at 2,- 500,000,000. Maple was about 2,000,000,000. The entire cut since 1916, including salvage, had l)een 1,868,072,000 feet, while the estimated Hre loss, not including salvage, had lM»en 824,000,000 feet. The total estimate of f)ud worm loss, which meant timber rotted beyond salvage, was 5,018,- 000,000 feet. Increment was estimated in various ways. Two per cent, growth was one method and there were others. The Minister's own opinion was that the Chief Forester had been conservative in his estimate of the increment. He had placed •t at 1,998,100,000 fVet. He could state that the annual cut had not been more than the increment. It could be reckoned that from 250,000,000 to •^00,000,000 tWt could be cut each year. In the hardwoods there had bocn a very small cut, and the mcreinent could not be reckoned as great be- ^•ause many of the tre<*s were very large and old, and much of the timber was dying. If land is protected from forest fires trees will ••eproduce in Pennsylvania. As many as 50,000 young sugar maple trees were found on an acre •n Northern Pennsylvania. TITTY YEARS AGO ♦ By OhATleg Lathrop Pack. President of The American Tree Association FIFTY years ago, aftt^r spending a month at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, I carried away many indelible impressions of which an especially outstanding one related to bread Perhaps some of you will remember, the soft bread of a half century ago, and how yeast was largely made in the home and the mother yeast passed on from neighbor to neighbor. In fact, no crisp crust had yet formed over our American bread. We had no hard rolls for break- fast. At thu exposition the Fleischmann's from Vien- na established a large bakery restaurant— not a notable thing, apparently, but no other exhibit attracted more attention. At the bakery-restau- rant was served bread completely encrusted with golden brown. Wonderingly the patrons broke open and carefully examined this strange new bread. The word spread and soon multitudes were waiting every day for seats. Thus the Cen- tennial witnessed the first use of soft yeast on a commercial basis—an innovation that has made possible the great baking industry of today. But what has this to do with forests? More than appears on the surface. Just as bread is the staff of human life, forests are the staff of economic life— the indispensable arc of the cir- cle of forest, rainfall, streams, arable land and crops. Just as fifty years the first small be- ginnings of a great foodstuffs industry wore laid; so a half century ago our government took its first feeble steps in the direction of a fot-est policy. This 8esqui-Centennial year of our na- tional freedom is, as well, the semi-Centennial year of forestry activity in the United States. ' ''^ It is true that here and there a far-seeing man recognized the vital importance of assuring an adequate forest resource. One such was William IVnn, who a^lvocated the setting aside of one acre out of every five settled as a permanent forest tract. Had his advice been followed in Pennsyl- vania and in our country as a whole, we might not be faced t4)day with some eighty million acres of idle and waste land, once forested; with the bulk of our remaining supply far from the cen- ters of demand; with a waning resource and with the vital necessity of conserving and refore^ttji^ for ourselves and coming generations. '" ''' Yes. fifty years ago soft commercial yeast an3 ^Address made on Forest Day at Pennsylvania Building, Sesqui- Centennial Exposition. 182 FOREST LEAVES iii 1 g:overni»ent forestry had their start. They have not advanced proportionately. It took compara- tively little education of the people to arouse them to the advantages of crispy bread and of hard table rolls. It has taken unremitting education to arouse the people to the necessity of standing for- ests. And the latter work is yet far from done. Pennsylvania is one of the few states which have really awakened to the task. Yet what is your problem? Four hundred and fifty milHon board feet are cut from your own forests each year. A tremendous figure, you may say. Yet, the state's great industries demand two billion seven hundred thousand board feet, or six times what you are now able to produce at home. The difference must be made up by timber brought from far west and far south with high freight rates that are passed on to the consumer. But as against these facts and figures, wo find as well that there are 3,500,000 acres of Pennsylvania listed as idle or unproductive for- est land. These idle acres point the answer to your problem; indeed, they fairly shout it. This land must be put to work growing trees to sup- ply Pennsylvania's industry for the future and to safeguard the standards of living of her people. In 1928 you are voting on a constitutional ametid- ment which will authorize a twentj^-five million dollar bond issue to acquire land for forest pro- duction. This is an indication that Pennsylvania is awake to her problems and will support her fine Department of Forests and Waters in the great work it is doing. The situation in Pennsylvania is quite typical, so far as supply and demand go, of other eastern and middle western states. That wise use must bo made of their own existing forest resources is becoming apparent to western and southern states. They are moving in the direction of greater pro- tection; against forest fires and replacement of timber cut. "Wood, not food, should be the immediate con- cern of man," says Dr. Thomas Forsyth Hunt, through the service letter of your forestry depart- ment. "The world cannot suffer a pennanent shortage of food because a shortage is felt im- mediately. This shortage is corrected within a year by increased production. With tlie wood supply the situation is different. It may be fifty to a hundred years instead of one year, before people realize the supply of lumber is becoming exhausted. It may then take fifty to a hundred years instead of one year to correct the situ- ation." This is a significant, simple and true state- ment. . Fifty years ago, in 1876, a faint glimmer of understanding of the fact that Dr. Forsyth states caused Congress to give Dr. Franklin B. Hough a few hundred dollars and tell him to go and sur- vey the forest resources of the nation. Gradually public sentiment born out of the union of pioneer foresters and educators with the growing eco- nomic pinch has brought about the creation of a large national forestry organization; the setting aside of National Forests; the establishment of Forestry Departments in three-fourths of the states. I particularly stress the importance of public education because I feel that it is the funda- mental means to the end. I am prone to feel that I am right when I witness the wonderful cooperation of the editors of the nation in pre- senting the facts to the people. The educational service of the American Tree Association has enjoyed this cooperation to the fullest. Progress in forestry during the past few years has been more marked than during all the rest of the half century, and I am confident that this can be traced in large measure to the really militant popular pul)lic education of these few years. There is less need to present to Pennsylvania the facts of the problem than to any other group. They have accomplished much and set an example. While I shall hardly be vouchsafed the privi- lege of witnessing the centennial of forestry, with my love for the cause I like to look forward with high hopes to that date, 1976. I like to see in my mind a nation that has mended its profligate wavs with its forest resources. I like to picture an American celebrating at one and the same time the two-hundredth anniversary of its politi- cal independence and the hundredth anniversary of its start toward independence in the forestry sense. i FOREST LEAVES 183 What is said to be the largest Douglas fir tree in the world stands 15 miles southeast of Eaton- ville, Washington. The tree measures over four- teen feet in diameter, is 48 feet in circumference, 225 feet high, and 90 feet to the first limb. Its estimated age is 800 to 1,000 years. It is believed to contain approximately 125,000 board feet of lumber, or 250 cords of wood. Twenty-six chapters of the Izaak Walton League in Ohio have planted 45,000 forest tree seedlings on farms and in municipal parks. State Forester Kdmund Secrest co-operated in plans lof the planting, and the State furnished the trees. A BIG CALIFORNIA REDWOOD TREE f FOREST (X)MMISSIONER W. P. WHEEL- ER, of Endeavor, Pa., submits the follow- ing data of a big Redwood Tree standing in the woods of the Little River Redwood Co., Crannel, Humboldt County, Calif.: Total height 308 ft. Diameter, 5 feet a))ove ground : With bark 20 ft. 0 in. Without bark 18 ft. 2 in. When cut it will produce 361,366 feet of lum- ber from the following logs: Diameter Feet Board Ft. In. Measure 1st log 17 10 34,347 2nd log 17 .6 33,075 3rd log 17 2 31,827 4th log 16 10 30,603 5th log 16 6 29,403 6th log 16 2 28,227 7th log 15 10 27,075 8th log 15 4 25,392 9th log 14 10 23,763 10th log 14 4 22,188 11th log 13 10 20,667 12th log 13 4 19,200 13th log 13 2 18,724 14th log 12 6 16,875 Total feet board measure merchant- able timber 361,366 Figures based on Spaulding standard scale with allowance for loss in felling, and twenty-two inches for bark. This tree when manufactured will yield suffi- cient lumber to build complete twenty-two average homes. Col. Henry W. Shoemaker celebrated fall Ar- bor Day by planting six descendants of the famous Charter Oak in front of his home, *'Rest- less Oaks," at McElhattan, Clinton County. These trees will be known as Sesqui-Centennial Oaks. These six Sesqui-Centennial oaks will be splen- did additions to the other historic trees already planted at "Restless Oaks." A row of native «ugar maples was set out by Col. Shoemaker's grandparents to celebrate the centennial of 1876. They have now reached goodly proportions and are in a vigorous condition. Centennial trees were planted in large numbers in central Pennsyl- vania, especially in Clinton, Cameron, Potter and Tioga counties. I 4 BLANKET LiaHTNING f > By Harry Lee Baker, U. S. Forest Service STORIES sent in from the districts this season about lightning bolts which jumped from tree to tree — ** three-tree lightning" — ^recall a phenomenon which occurred in 1921 on the Coeur d'Alene Forest, just over the divide from the Cabinet. At least 28 trees of pole size were struck by lightning at one time. Practically all needles were burned off the upper third of the entire hemlock crown cover. The branches were as black as ink — in about the same condition as would have prevailed if the needles had been burned off with a blow torch. The lower third of the crowns remained green. Varied degrees of singeing occurred throughout the middle third of the crowns. The branches or trunks of the trees were not shattered in the least. There ap- peared to be no evidence to support the theory that a single tree trunk had served as a lightning conductor to the ground. On an average, as I remember, the trees stood about 5 feet apart. The spacing, of course, was much greater in a few cases. In the center of these larger openings the duff covering seemed to have ignited first. The rain which must have been falling when the fires first started apparently caused them to smolder and helped to preserve the evidence. While I was not so certain about this part of the evidence, I could find nothing to indicate that the fires started at the bases of the trees. The only theory that I have ever been able to advance is that the amperage was suflSteient to charge the atmosphere over an area approxi- mately 30 feet in diameter. The hemlock trees may have been very poor conductors. Possibly the conductive capacity of the trees was suffici- ently low to cause the lightning to decide that the air was the line of least resistance. I have imagined that the lightning traveled as a blanket through the tree tops direct to the ground, re- fusing to use the trees as conductors. Similar pranks were played by. lightning at two other points not far distant but, as I rec- ollect, only three trees in one case and five trees in the other were singed by this peculiar kind of lightning.— The Forest Worker. Mininu: companies of Pennsylvania this sprfhg planted more than 1,565,000 forest trees supplied by the State. Orders were filled for 37 different companies, of wh'ch seven received the maximum allcvvance of 100,000 trees. 184 FOREST LEAVES TREES AND MEN •ilf ;i WITH all the attention given to the farmer and his troubles, only^a few people are turning their thoughts to what may well become before long the fundamental problem of crop raising. The tree crop has never been treated as agri- jpilltural; but as population increases, the country will be compelled to focus all its agricultural knowledge upon the growth of forests. Nor will this be enough. To it must be added a forest wisdom that we do not now possess, gathered from chemistry, biology and other basic sciences. It is not merely that the supply of wood will become scarce if trees are cut much faster than they grow. Cities cannot exist without great sup- plies of water, and this in turn depends upon huge areas of water-bearing lands, a characteris- tic factor of which is forest growth of one sort or another. We do not know enough about trees to grow them on the scale which future consump- tion will require. Trying to feed a great popu- lation with wild species of oats and maize would be comparable to the present helplessness in re- gard to forests. Compared with this basic problem of human support, the sentimental, aesthetic, recreational and even commercial uses of the forest dwindle considerably. But man cannot live by water alone any more than he can by bread. It is fortunate that the demand for an increasing num- ber of park areas and public sentiment in their favor should come along just as we begin to realize the seriousness of the forest problem. For a park, national, state, county or municipal, is iusually nearly all forest. Setting aside land for park uses does not teach us how to grow trees, but it does preserve some of those in existence. Much public attention has been devoted to the national parks^ nearly all in the Far West. Only a few- people yet realize how numerous and varied are the state parks i^ many states. In respect to these areas conserved for the public good, the Far. West has no monopoly. Several of the At- lantic Coast states have made great strides in establishing park systems, with equal activity shown in parts of the Southern and Middle Wes- tern areas. Texas has fifty-one state parks all received by gift; and in Indiana and Iowa, not generally known for rugged scenery, are fine ex- amples of gorge and river-bottom country within the state reservations. , Many states have features of their own, but in nearly all constant progress is being made in the twin movements of forest and park land conser- vation, the areas often being one and the same. Only a reading of the recent report of a field sur- vey of the country by the National Conference on State Parks will give any idea of the scope of the movement. In many states it is found that by exchanging and assembling scattered sections of school lands, or by the purchase or gift of the shores of lakes the water surfaces of which are already owned by the state, valuable areas can be brought together at little cost. It does not follow that every tract which has park value should become a park, or that a park should be created wherever a tree is seen to grow. Lumbering and grazing interests have often ac- quired prior rights which have actual capital value that can be taken from them in justice only by fair purchase. Their legitimate commercial opera- tions must be respected. Yet each state, each county and each locality must strike a balance. The tourist who visits the park may add more wealth than the sometimes exploitative industries that use up forests or over- graze the forage. That is a cold-blooded busi- ness question to be decided by each political sub- division for itself. Certainly if a California county decides that more will be gained by keep- ing its redwoods for a thousand years or so for all men to look at than by cutting them down, it ill behooves the lumbermen to deride such a policy as sentimental. The rising tide of automobile travel is a sufficient answer to any such view. But fortunately there are few owners of scenic property who will not accept a fair value for it. Numerous large groves of the superb giant red- woods are to be purchased at prices ranging from twenty-five hundred to thirty thousand dollars. Many of these will be razed in the near future if no such purchase is made. Each is now serene in beauty and grandeur, the pride and glory of some particular community. Each when gone leaves behind only desolation and ugliness, to be seen and felt not only by local residents but by the strangers within their gates. These groves when purchased are saved for centuries. They become the property of the state, but may be dedicated to someone loved or re- spected by the donor. They are thus living me- morials, more worthy than any monument, yet dedicated to a noble cause as well. — Saturday Evening Post. ! The Crystal Springs Rod and Gun Club, of Clearfield, Pa., set out 40,000 young trees in the spring of 1926, Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 12 Forest Leaves, Vol. XX, No. 12 ill ! I I JK ;f II '. 1 1 I': M -W f k;:> ^mb^ 5 H 04 s < O Q z tJ 2; o M b >* >H U J H _] i; •< K > U U X tf 5?; H < is; < > H u. u O « ;? H c^ BS u '■^ ■< 0^ < s , (£ Sh J u H o >5 HS ^H M >• p: ^ o K p/» < 5 « u u J a E-i u IJM Q , o u < z O ^ • > 0 ca > < ^ {H H « 0 z O z b u: 0. rH >«* U H y Z z t> u o a: o » S )A P » u u es ca o Q Z ><* 2 0 a » -1 X o > z f O CO « H < U o £ K IN K J- * •> . • :i: O a: ~ ''• ■* > < y. c •^ X i: "^ " K w ^- - n Si: 1^ K 2i H H ,; A.M<».\(; I in; Oi.'kmx.m, Winn: Oak.s and IIukouik.s \ tiik .J. A. l)i:ir.i.i:u Gkovk Nkaii Mili.kksi'.uug, J)AtIMII\ CorXTV, l'i;\.\SYI.\ AMA If thk YouNf, Thkks Are Oivex a CiiANrK to Orow Oimi F'okksth Wim- Propuo: I^arc.k QuANTiTii:.s OF Wood Phof.ig C'.iiirlosy F>«p.'trtm<'iit of Fnnsts & W;itrrs INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE FOREST LEAVES 185 :! !l I > I 111 I J a I il'i ■E I -ajiij MORE HISTORIC TREES OF BERKS COUNTY By Henry W. Shoemaker THE Oley Valley in Berks County is famous for its noble groves and individual trees. Two of the finest groves of white oak, the deTurck Grove at Fridensberg, and the Guldin Grove at^ Yellow House, have been painted by artists and sung by poets. Recently representa- tives of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters visited andi photographed two of the most noteworthy individual white oaks in the Oley Valley. One of them, known as the Fisher oak, is in front of the old Fisher Mansion, one of the finest specimens) of colonial architecture in eastern Pennsylvania, and owned by Daniel D. Fisher, a direct descendant of John Fisher, who arrived in the Oley Valley in 1731, and was the ancestor of John Stuchell Fisher, Governor-elect of Pennsylvania. The other white oak, known as the Huguenot oak, stands in the middle of a pub- lic road, and bounds the corners of four farms, and is on the site of an earlier white oak under whose spreadii^ branches the first Huguenot settlers in the Oley Valley held services on their arrival from Rotterdam in 1719. Both oaks are of imposing proportions, with beautiful crowns, and bid fair to flourish for many years to come. NEW STAND OF SHORTLEAF PINE IN PENNSYLVANIA By Joseph S. Illick WHAT is believed to be the most northern stand of Shortleaf Pine in America was found recently by Colonel Henry W. Shoe- maker and Joseph S. Illick, in the heart of Lykens Valley, about 8 miles northeast of Millersburg, Dauphin County. Before this discovery it was thought the most northern stand of this impor- tant timber tree was near Mont Alto, Franklin County, just 100 miles south of this new station. The stately Shortleaf Pine trees stand in i\ 60-acre tract of original timber on the J. A. Deib- ler estate. This property has been in the Deibler family since 1735, when the Penns deeded it to Michael Deibler. Deputy Attorney General Philip Moyer piloted the party to this tract of timber, which he has known since his boyhood days, when he often tramped over the hills and valleys of upper Dauphin County. The present owner of this won- derful tract of timber is Joseph A. Deibler. Lum^ bermen have offered Mr. Deibler $500 an acre for the timber, but he plans to keep it as a sample of the kind of forest which nature pro- duced in the rich soils of the Lykens Valley. Mr. Deibler showed the party the original Penn deed. It was written on deerskin and is still in a fine condition. Some of these stately Shortleaf Pine trees are free from branches for more than 75 feet from the ground and are as straight and clean as a gun barrel. Last winter Mr. Deibler felled a tree which had died. From it he cut two 18-foot and three 16-foot logs, and when sawed he secured from it almost 1,900 board feet of choice boards and planks. This tree was 240 years old. This splendid stand of Shortleaf Pine is one of the rare collection of Dauphin County trees, and tree friends hope this stand will be carefully pre- served. It is a worthwhile trip for tree lovers to go to Lykens Valley and see these wonderful trees. THE REDWOOD TREES OF CALIFORNIA THE Sequoia sempervirens (Redwood) is found in its native state nowhere except along a narrow fringe on the California ( oast. Its companion species, the Sequoia gigan- tea (big tree), found only in the Sierras, has been extensively preserved in national parks and na- tional forests. But except for the California State Redwood Park in the Big Basin and Muir Woods, none of the best of the virgin Redwood forests had been preserved before the organization of the Save-the-Redwoods League in 1918. In Humboldt and Del Norte Counties where the Redwoods reach their very finest form, the League has been successful in preserving park areas ex- tending over 15 miles along the Redwood High- way and comprising almost 3000 acres. "We have reason to believe that during the mil- lions of years since vegetable life first appeared, no finer forest has existed on earth than the Red- woods that are found along the Eel River and to the north." Thus did Madison Grant of New York charac- terize the Redwood regicm in Humboldt County, California, at the time of the dedication of the Boiling Memorial Grove. The traveler along the Redwood Highway, or by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad enters the Redwood belt shortly before the Humboldt County line is reached. As the route progresses, the forests become more and 186 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 187 y i)| more impressive and spectacular. The Highway winds along the bank of the South Fork of the Eel River until it reaches the Humboldt State Redwood Park, 225 miles north of San Francisco, embracing a sixteen-mile strip of forest, contain- ing the Lane, Stephens, Boiling, Hickey, Ham- mond, Kent, Mather, Gould, Perrott and* Sage Groves. The climax of this tour is reached at the Dyer- ville and Bull Creek Flats. This area has been singled out as representing the very finest exam- ple of Redwood forest in existence, containing on the average the tallest and the largest trees, as well as the densest timber stand per acre. It is for this reason that, after seven years of study of the Redwood belt, the Dyerville-BuU Creek area has been selected to be the greatest outstanding national Redwood Forest Reservation. "The scientific interest of the Redwood is un- doubtedly greater than that of any other tree of the cone-bearing class," says Dr. W. L. Jepson, eminent authority on California trees. "It has most wonderful vitality; it has almost complete immunity from disease; its regenerative power is very remarkable; and it has a most astonishing resistance to fire. Lastly, it.s migrations over the northern hemisphere since the period of our record of its first appearance on earth, give it an unusual and romantic interest. "No less than forty-five species of Redwood have been described from the fossil beds of the Eocene and Miocene from the northern hemi- sphere including* some 12 species from North America. They grew in France, Switzerland, Aus- tria, Bohemia, Germany, England and Spitzber- gen. In North America they grew at the mouth of the Mackenzie River, in Alaska, in various parts of the Rocky Mountains, in Oregon and in California. We may suppose that during the glacial epochs in Europe they were driven south- ward to the Mediterranean and there perished, since they could move no further southward. "In North America the climatic factors were such as to favor their persistence only in Cali- fornia. These Redwoods then are in many ways the sublimest types of the earth's vegetation. For untold thousands of years this race of trees has been growing here— the finest example we have on the earth today of the vegetation of the Miocene epoch. And now — do we mean to sweep clean from end to end the finest part of the Redwood belt, where the forest is most representative of the vegetation of a geological age long since past ? That would be a shameless thing to happen." Out of a total remaining stand of 881,393 acre of virgin Redwood forest there has thus far been preserved by the public 13,597 acres, or about iy2 per cent. There are yet many miles of Red wood Highway, the scenic attractions of which should be preserved. TIMBER RESOURCES OF BRITISH GUIANA By Lloyd T. Emory, Consulting Engineer, Philadelphia, Pa. WITH the exhaustion of the American and Canadian timber resources in the not too distant future, it becomes necessary for engineers to look elsewhere for materials of con- struction. The South American forests offer cer- tain possibilities in the way of tropical woods that have decided advantages for special pur- poses and that could be used by engineers where prices on large sizes and long timbers have risen to the point that would enable the paying of the extra cost of transportation. This article deals with the woods of British Guiana, which is the only Colony of Great Bri- tain on the South American Continent, and is readily accessible to steamers and sailing ves- sels from the Gulf and Atlantic ports. British Guiana has an area of 89,480 squa'-e miles, 86 per cent, is covered with forests, 00 per cent, of which are probably virgin as only timber alonjj: the lower reaches of the navigable streams has been cut. Practically all of the in- terior is Crown (Government) Land, which can be leased on easy terms on a royalty basis. The Colony consists of three belts— a coastal plain, a broken mountainous region and an up- land plateau. The variety of timbers foun 1 varies not only with the distance from the coast, but also with the valleys of the different rivers. As the Colony reaches from one to eight degrees north latitude, the climate is tropical and with an abundance of rainfall is ideal for forest growth. As it is outside of the hurricane belt, the lumber is free from the many defects caused by high winds. While there are twenty-five or thirty varieties of wood that have commercial possibilities, only the five considered of most importance for struc- tural purposes will be described in detail. The names in most cases are derived from the abo- riginal Indian nomenclature and have been adopted by the local, or British Guiana Forestry Department. Greenheart is probably the best known British Guiana wood outside of the Colony, and has been exported in considerable quantities for over a il hundred years to Europe. It is rated as one of the eight first-class woods by ''Lloyds" and is used extensively locally for shipbuilding and in foreign ports for submerged work such as wharves, docks and lock gates, etc. It was used in the construction of Nansen's Arctic ship the ''Fram'^ and of the ''Discoverv" of Antarctic fame. The dock gates in the Mersey Harbor and the 50 lock gates of the Manchester Ship Canal are built of this wood. Owing to its teredo resisting qualities and the fact that logs can be obtained that will square from 10 to 25 inches, up to 65 feet in length, it is especially adapted for dock work in salt or brackish water. The wood is used quite extensively for both framing and weather-boarding locally, owing to its resistance to wood ants which are very de- structive. This resistance to the attack of in- sects is attributed to the presence in the wood of an alkaloid known as biberine and of a resin- ous substance known as tyloses. The wood when freshly sawed is of a light yellow color with a greenish tinge. It is com- pact in structure, having a specific gravity of 1.143, weight per cu. ft. of 71 pounds, tensile strength of 8,960 pounds per sq. inch, and a crushing strength of 14,200 pounds per sq. inch. It saws easily and turns or machines well. Mora {Demorphandra Mora) is also listed among the eight best construction woods by '' Lloyds. '^ It is of a reddish tinge in color and owing to a gummy substance which exudes dur- ing sawing is rather ditticnlt to work. Locally it is used for railway ties, piles in fresh water, caps, beams, guards and decking on wharves, ship Irames, guards and planking above the water line, also for house frames and weather-boarding and is very resistant to dry rot. It has a specitic gravity from 0.87 to 1.10, weight per cu. It. of 67 pounds, tensile strength 11,060 pounds per sjjuare inch, a crushin strength of 9,980 pounds per sq. inch. It will work well under a planer when proper- ly seasoned, but turns poorly. Trees often grow to the height of 2:)() teet, but such specimens are usually hollow. Sound logs that scpiare 24 inches are obtainable. Crabwood {('nrapa auianensis) or British Guiana Mahogany as it is sometimes called, re- sembles mahogany very much in texture and ap- pearance when finished and is oiten used as a substitute. In the unfinished state it looks very nmch like Spanish Cedar, but is harder. Logs up to 60 feet in length and squaring 16 inches ij? can be obtained. Exceptionally large trees have been known to reach the height of 170 feet with a diameter of 42 inches. It is essentially a finish wood for interior work and furniture, but is sometimes used locally as weather-boarding and is resistive to insects. It has a specific gravity from 0.47 to 0.70, weight from 38 to 46 pounds per cu. It., tensile strength 9,760 pounds per sq. inch and a crush- ing strength of 8,980 pounds per sq. inch. It planes easily, turns and polishes, which makes it valuable as a cabinet wood. Wallaba (Esperua Sp.) when freshly cut has a deep red color which darkens on exposure. In the green state it exudes a red sap that smells and tastes somewhat like creosote. Locally, it is used for house frames, fence, telegraph and other posts, vat staves, shingles and railway ties. It is burned for charcoal for local use and export. It has a specific gravity from 0.99 to 1.02, average weight of 65 pounds per cu. ft. It splits easily in making shingles or staves, planes fairly well and turns in a hand machine, but not in a power lathe. Both the local i ail way and the street car lines in Georgetown use it quite extensively, as ties, but owing to its tendency to split, spike or bolt- holes have to be bored. Trees of this timber aver- age 80 feet in height and logs squaring 20 inches are obtainable. Determa (Nectandra Sp.) is pinkish red, al- though sometimes of a salmon color, with a well defined sap wood of a dirty white. It is used locally for weather-boarding, boat- planking and spars, and almost anywhere that a light strong wood is required. It has specific gravity around 0.57, average weight of 39 pounds per cu. ft., tensile strength 5,580 pounds per sq. inch and crushing strength of 5,660 pounds per sq. inch. Trees have an average height of 100 ft. and logs squaring up to 30 inches are obtainable. It saws and planes easily and can be used for almost any kind of construction, if proper j)re- cautions are taken to protect it from the weather and insects. On the navigable reaches of the rivers below the first falls or rapids the best timber has been cut back for two or three miles from the river bank. However, large tracts are easily within the reach of narrow gauge logging roads. Owing to the high spe^cific gravity of the principal woods, it is impossible to fioat them without supiK)rt. They have to be either made 188 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 189 ^liU ■■i »;' III into rafts with lighter woods or supported along- side of punts or scows. This feature has one advantage, however; timber can easily be stored in shallow, fresh waters as, once it rests on the bottom it stays there and is safe from dry rot and insects. Most of the rivers have long stretches of navigable water above the first rapids where virgin timber grows at the water ^s edge, but an operation must be of such magnitude as to justi- fy the building of a railway or skid-way around these obstructions. The Crown (Government) Land Regulations provide for leases for long periods under special terms. Several twenty-one-year leases have re- cently been granted on the following terms: Rent free for the first year and an annual rental of one cent per acre thereafter. Royalty to be paid on all timber cut at the schedule of rates published in the Regulations, but in no year shall the total amount of royalty paid be smaller than the sum of 50 cents ior every hundred acres leased, or the difference between the royalty and such sum to be paid by the lessee. The Lessee within three years is required to erect and thereafter maintain a fully equipped power-driven sawmill plant on, or for the pur- pose of sawing timber from, the property. While there is not a great surplus of labor in the Colony, little difficulty need be experience 1 in mobilizing a labor force up to a thousand men for a new proposition. Cutting and squaring in the bush is usually done by aboriginal Indians from tribes near at hand; transportation and saw-mill work is per- formed by negroes. While labor is not as effi- cient as in northern climates, if proper food in sufficient quantities is furnished, sanitation care- fully looked after in bush camps and medical at- tendance supplied, very fair results can be ob- tained, especially if pay can be arranged on a piece-work basis. In ordef to reduce the weight as much, as pos- sible because of the crude methods of transpor- tation, it has been the custom to rough square logs where the tree is cut. Most of the ** export timber^' at present is squared by hand with a broad-axe. The principal mills now operating are locate! on the water front at Georgetown and buy their supply of raw material from small grant-holdors. The question of type of mill like that of moh of transportation is a debatable one, and a selec tion should not be made without first carefully studying the characteristics of the woods, local conditions and the type and intelligence of labor used as operatives. The circular saw, either with solid or inserted teeth, has not proved satis- factory, as a number of the timbers tend to split when sawn at high speed. Gumming also has to be overcome, as it adds considerably to the heat- ing of the saw. The writer installed and used successfully a band saw having a capacity of 10,000 board feet per day, whea-e lumber was Required on the ground for the construction of a mining town. However, a sawyer and sawsetter had to be im- ported from a hardwood mill in the States and not having spares left us in a rather difficult position. The local custom of cutting logs of long lengths, except in special cases, had to be abandoned and a maximum length of 20 leet adopted. The log frame saw is used almost entirely lo- call}^, and performs quite well with the type ot labor available. It, however, has its limitations in speed and economy of timber. With a cir- cular or band saw, if a defect is discovered it can be cut out with the minimum of loss while, with a frame saw set for given widths, the log may be sawed through to the end without dis- covering the fault. Anyone considering starting operations in the Colony should make a very careful study of local conditions to ascertain why certain equipment is in use before attempting to introduce new machinery no matter how successfully it has proven elsewhere. Several attempts have been made during the past fifteen years by American capital to ex- ploit the Guiana forests on an extensive scale, but each ended in failure, due, in the writer's opinion, to faulty management or lack of suffi- cient funds at critical times. Anyone entering the field should have had not only lumbering ex- perience elsewhere but also breadth of vision and sufficient openness of mind to adapt his knowledge to both new conditions and new ma- terial. The importance of troi)ical sanitatioji sho>dtl never be forgotten. People from a northern climate should eat, drink and work in mo«ler- ation. The facts that the English language is spoken in the Colony, dollar currency in circulation i>nd Law Courts that are beyond reproach available, make the field an attractive one for investment. — Engineers and Engineering. FUTURE TRENDS IN NATIONAL AND STATE FORESTRY* . By W. B. Greeley, Chief, Forest Service ONE of the most interesting political devel- opments of the last 25 years in the United States is the skill — it might almost be call- ed the genius — we have shown in preserving the constitutional relationships between the States and Federal government and at the same time get- ting all manner of things done through voluntary cooperation. It has solved many economic, social, and educational needs in a big way. We are dealing with a gradual economic evolu- tion arising from the depletion of virgin resources, which directly affects the concerns of probably as many individual citizens as any other land or economic development of recent times. There is only one real criterion of our progress; namely, the extents to which the one-fourth of our soil adapted to timber culture is actually gotten into timber culture. It is significant that the States were well ahead of the Federal Government in launching move- ments of one sort or another toward forestry. In 1872 New York created a Commission to con- sider State ownership of *Hhe wild land lying northward of the Mohawk.^* In 1883 New York began withholding tax-defaulted lands in the Adirondacks from sale and thereby created a nucleus of 600,000 acres towards its forest pre- serves; and in 1885 began to build up its forest preserves by purchase. Michigan and Wisconsin both inaugurated inquiries into their forest con- ditions in 1867. In 1869 the Maine Board of Agriculture appointed a committee to report on a forest policy for the State. Between 1868 and 1872, eleven States passed bounty or tax exemp- tion laws to encourage timber planting, all be- fore the first Federal timber culture act. For- estry bureaus or commissions were inaugurated in a number of States during the 80 's. Pennsyl- vania was in the lead of the Federal Government m inaugurating a real progiam of forest owner- ship. Then came a period when national develop- ments took the center of the stage, and the vig- orous leadership of Roosevelt and Pinchot estab- lished a national conservation policy and a na- tional forest program of commanding propor- tions. In its later developments, this national program has defined the basis on which the Fed- eraJ^Government Will deal with our forestry prob- FoZTersrOcZe'rf^[9^. '^'''^''"'^ '' '^" conference of State lem in the broad. It has accepted the cooperative principle. It has passed the ball back to the States. It anticipates and prepares the way for the out- ward spread of forestry under State leadership. I believe that the Federal policy dealing with forestry may, with the enactment of the Clarke- McNary law, be regarded as complete for many years to come. It is an integral part of this policy that for the main progress from now on in getting forestry into the ground, we must look to action by the States and other localized ef- forts. In saying this I do not ignore the strik- ing and encouraging developments in State forest activities which have taken place concurrently with the developments on the part of the Na- tional Government. Nor do I minimize the neces- sity for greater effort on the part of the Federal Government to make its own deliberately adopted program effective and to carry its part there- under. But the principal idea which I wish to place before you is that from the nature of for- estry as a country-wide use of land and from the nature of the program which has been adopted and to which I presume we all subscribe, the de- velopment of greatest importance from this time on should be in the forest policies and activities of the States and in the forest undertakings of local institutions and individual citizens which the States can most directly aid. With this general back^ound, I will give you my viewpoint briefly on some of the trends in National and State forestry which lie ahead of us. The first has to do with public forest owner- ship. Perhaps the greatest single obstacle to the rapid spread of timber growing i^ the United States is the unstable ownership of forest land or ownership which contemplates only temporary use or benefit from the land. Our forest land, in round numbers, is split up approximately as fol- lows; Federal Government 89,000,000 acres States 10,500,000 acres Municipalities and counties 700,000 acres Large private owners 220,000,000 acres Small private owners 150,000,000 acres The Federal Government may be said to have adopted a stable policy of administration for the great bulk of its forest lands in the Continental United States, although this is not true of an immense area of second rate forest land in Alaska. The State forest holdings vary from highly stabilized to wholly unstable. About 63 per cent, of them, or 5,500,000 acres, is under permanent administration as State forests or State parks, while nearly 5,000,000 acres more is ■lli 190 FOREST LEAVES FOREST LEAVES 191 if either subject to sale or is being held with no definite policy or plan for future development. Instability of ownership and uncertainty as to future use are still characteristic of the larger private forest holdings; but a strong trehd to- ward greater permanency of ownership and pro- ductive use is evident. This trend constitutes one of the most significant and encouraging features of the present situation. I feel it incumbent upon public agencies to put greater stability into our forest land situation, where it is most needed and where it will exert the best demonstrational influence, by a vigor- ous extension of public forest ownership. And in line with the general precept of localizing for- estry effort and identifying it with the State or community, I urge particularly the extension of public forest ownership, with permanent forms of administration, by States, counties, and munici- palities. From the standpoint of stabilizing the forest land situation, it is particularly important to ex- tend public ownership in the classes of forest land which present' the greatest difficulties and problems in profitable reforestation. I have in mind particularly the poorer forest soils with slow growth rates, areas subject to the more ex- treme hazards, and areas whose present denuded condition holds out the least prospect of restora- tion under private ownership. I have in mind the land-bankruptcies which are a serious factor today in many counties, owing to the presence of large areas of denuded or poor land with a future wholly uncertain under present ownership, where public forest administration would not only sta- bilize the forest situation but aid in general eco- nomic and social stabilization. At the same time, by no means should public forest ownership be limited to the dregs in the pot. The expansion of public activities in this field must carry a popular appeal, not only as meeting an urgent problem in land utilization but as offering substantial public returns in the long run. Moreover, the more demonstrations we can get in all parts of the country of good forest practice and profitable forest management, the more will the whole process of reforestation by all agencies be stimulated. In meeting these needs the public forest administrator should have some good and well-stocked land to work with. For many reasons a vigorous extension of State forest ownership is desirable. It should be de- signed primarily perhaps to fill in the gaps where farm forestry and industrial forestry can not reasonably be anticipated. But it may well com- bine with this function the administration of areas where timber growing is of special urgency to maintain established manufacturing communi- ties or other community interests and areas adapted to demonstrations of the best and most profitable forest management. In broad terms, considering our forest situa- tion in the United States and drawing upon the experience of the most progressive forest coun- tries of Europe, I do not think it unreasonable to get one-third of the forest land in the United States under public administration. This would mean the acquisition by all public agencies of about 60 million acres more, including the 5 mil- lion acres already in State ownership but not yet under any permanent form of administration. Such ownings should be widely distributed. There should be some of them in every State, and broadly speaking in every important forest region of every State. They should strike at the heart of the most serious idle land situations. They should serve as centers of the best sort of forestry education, by demonstrating good practice adapt- ed to our immense range of soil, climate, and forest types. The part which the Federal Government should take in this development is to me quite clear and, I believe, well defined by existing legislation. To the public land forests of the West, we should, as a matter of Federal housecleaning, add the 4 or 5 million acres remaining in the unreserved pub- lic domain which is chiefly valuable for growing timber. Beyond that we should consolidate the Federal holdings, under our exchange authority, within the natural units of forest management already established by the existing forest bound- aries, but without any material extension of such units. In the Eastern States, 2,760,000 acres of National Forests have been purchased to date, mainly under the Weeks act. The purchase pro- gram set up when the Weeks law was passed has been 46 per cent, completed. About three mil- lion acres more should be acquired to carry out the program with reference primarily to the pro- tection of watersheds of navigable streams. The Clarke-McNary act of 1924 extended the conception of National Forest purchases along the lines which I have touched upon — of stabilizing the general forest land situation and aiding the reforestation movement at the most critical points presented by large areas of denuded land. The plan which we have proposed to make that feature of the law effective provides roughly for the ac- quisition of about 5 million acres, divided equally between, the cutover regions in the Lake States and the cutover regions in the South, with the purpose of placing the new National Forests in the sections where they would have the greatest value as aids in local progress. All told, aside from consolidating the western National Forests, the acquisition of 8 or 10 mil- lion acres under the Weeks and Clarke-McNary acts represents to me about what the Federal Government should undertake by way of addi- tional forest ownership. Its total holdings in the States east of the Great Plains will, I believe, always remain a small fraction of their aggregate forest area. This will leave the great bulk of the additional public ownership which I have set up as a gen- eral target to State or other local undertakings. That, in my judgment, is entirely as it should be. I believe that the population, financial resources, industrial interests, and public sentiment in the great majority of the States, particularly in the Eastern States, are able and ready to support a large expansion in State forest ownership, with whatever aid it may be possible to secure through county or municipal forests. And while we should go right ahead with full steam in developing fire . protection, forest taxation and other encourage- I ments of industrial and farm forestry, I doubt if there is any single item in the whole program that will give it greater strength or greater public appeal or a more specific focusing point for public action than State forest ownership on a generous scale. Furthermore, just as more public forest owner- ship will aid in stabilizing the general situation, equally I believe will it aid in stabilizing the forest policies and forest administrations of the States. The very responsibility and obligations assumed/ in the public administration of forest land will tend to give State forest organizations the stability, the technical development, and the public standing which they need to function most eflfectively. This has certainly been true of the National Forest Service. I believe it will be equally true of any State forest service. I would like to suggest the wisdom of a strong drive, fea- tured in a big way, for the extension of State lorests, in at least the great majority of our states. A national program of fire protection has been well charted by the Clarke-McNary act. The f'onception was that of Federal cooperation, in '•ef'ognition of the general public needs, to the ex- tent of 25 per cent, of the cost of effective piotec- tion from fire in the individual States and in the country as a whole. We ought immediately to extend our cooperation beyond the initial stages thus far possible and be prepared to carry the national one-quarter of the cost, at least to the same proportion and in the same degree that the States and private owners are carrying their three-quarters. It will require an increase of $465,000 in the appropriation; and that is the immediate target on which our sights are set. With each severe fire year, like that of 1926, we are learning afresh on the National Forests that effective protection is far more than a mat- ter of providing funds and employing men. There are large opportunities for progress in protection. We must recognize that we have a technical job, comparable to our technical job in silviculture, in determining how to make forest protection most effective. I regard this as a mat- ter of vital consequence to our whole national protection program. And one of the most impor- tant things that should be done, between the States and the Federal Government, is to pro- vide a clearing house of ideas and experience, so that we can all share in and profit by them. In the domain of timber planting the Federal Government is very conspicuously occupying a glass house. With something like two million acres of National Forest land that needs planting, we are creeping along at a pace of 12,000 acres yearly. Without overplaying the part of plant- ing in relation to forest protection and the de- velopment and improvement of natural stands, there is no doubt in my mind that more tree plant- ing should be emphasized in Federal and State work. I am convinced that the creation of greater forest values by planting will add to the stability of forest land ownership and to both individual and public support of forest protection and more rational forest taxation. We should not ignore the concrete value of timber planting in creating forest sentiment and bringing support to all parts of the program. This is even worth some mis- takes in planting technique or in planting where subsequent results may show that natural repro- duction would have accomplished a satisfactory job. r am personally satisfied of the soundness of the State nursery system and the distribution of timber planting stock at or near cost, although there has been some criticism of it from commer- cial nurseries. At least during the present stage of forestry in the United States, with the finan- cial hazards attending reforestation on private lands, I have no hesitancy in advocating the wide- spread employment of the State nursery system. Another matter which deserves special atten- ^i' I* 192 S FOREST LEAVES :!^ ! i tion is the need for research in timber growing combined and correlated with the local problems in wood utilization and maintenance of profitable forest industries. I think we all appreciate the tremendous gain made in recent years in public comprehension of the whole series of problems connected with for- estry. It is probably true that public* thought still views forestry too largely in generalities and that the public interest is not focused suffiiciently upon specific things that ought to be done. In the ac- tivities of the Forest Service, I find it necessary constantly to clarify enthusiastic but foggy minds and get their interest focused upon definite and practical things. What we need, I believe, in our public relations, is to bring forestry down to brass tacks. Our work has wonderful general support. This should be brought behind specific and localized forestry programs, carried home to the people in each State in terms of immediate and practical inter- est or responsibility which they can readily grasp. With this in mind and as part of the general campaign for more localized forestry, I believe the time is opportune for an aggressive setting up of State forest programs upon which public interest and support can be focused. I want to urge the desirability of keeping before the peo- ple in each State a forest program adapted to the needs of that State, conceived in large terms and persistently and unremittingly hammered home as the specific things that the particular com- monwealth should do. The Stat;e programs might appropriately adopt the slogan of a well known manufacturer in advertising his product, ^* Even- tually, why not nowf STORY or A GIANT PENNSYLVANIA PINE MR. J. W. MURPHY, of Coolspring, Jef- ferson County, Pa., recently told of his having cut Pennsylvania's biggest pine in the late 60's. The tree was felled on the Mc- Creight lands between Reynoldsville and Sykes- ville in Jefferson County. This giant pine mea.sured 6 feet 4 inches across the stump. It was felled on a specially prepared M of smaller trees that were previously felled to relieve the shock of the big tree and prevent its trunk from breaking into pieces when it crashed to the ground. Mr. Murphy relates that it took a full day of hard work for himself and his uncle, John Mc- Creight, to bring this forest giant down and saw off the butt and the top. The main part of the stem was cut into a 50-foot log. This log was hewed and when squared it measured 40 in. x 45 in. on the face and contained 650 cubic feet. To load one end on a bob-sled required six men and three teams, and seven yoke of oxen were re- quired to drag it to the landing on the bank of Sandy Creek. Mr. Murphy remembers that he sold this forest giant delivered at the rafting place to Bob Cathers at 13 cents a foot. Even in the early lumbering days he received the magnificent sum of $84.50 for this single stem. Mr. Cathers rafted this giant "tooth-pick" to Cincinnati, and sold it to a mill man who kept an accurate record of all the material sawed from it. He in turn sold the products for $300, a sum equal to the price paid for the 10 acres of original forest land on which the tree grew. Mr. Murphy in a recent interview said: "It is difficult for the present generation to realize the enormous forest wealth that Mother Nature had stored up on the hills of Pennsylvania, many of which are now bare and barren.' President Judge Claude T. Reno, of the courts of Lehigh County, recently affirmed the judg- ment of Alderman Slough, of Allentown, in the case of Vincenzo Senape, of 1951 Liberty Street, Allentown, who was ordered to pay a fine of $700 and the costs upon a summary conviction before the Alderman on charges of removing 28 pieces of shrubbery from the lawn of Dr. C. A. Her- wig, at Summit Lawn. At a recent hearing held in the grand jury room he was ordered to pay a total of $815 or spend one day in jail for each dollar unpaid, which would total two years and three months. Forest fire losses in Canada during 1925 were heavier than in the previous year but were less than the average for the five-year period 1920- 1924. In all 5,490 forest fires were recorded, burning over an area of 1,913,066 acres and caus- ing a total loss of $6,646,889. In Quebec, owing in part to the good patrol service now established and also to the favorable weather conditions, only about 25,000 acres were reported bnmed over dunng the year. This was about 10 per cent, of the area burned over in 1924 and less than 1 per cent, of the 1923 figure. \: