Title: Forest leaves, v. 25 Place of Publication: Philadelphia Copyright Date: 1935 Master Negative Storage Number: MNS# PSt SNPaAg064.3 5/ is lal St lie » [ar res is ies pir. |ikt we li li- ases lat ion id. :e(l ^ec- lis- le- it- [or 111(1 )W ion of IS, ro- iwe of inie -ed up kcts lat (ere Inot rill I the DEPARTr.lENT OF F:'>^^r^- -« • s ■,\r^ CONTENTS Page Wild Turkeys on Pennsylvania Game Lands Cover Annual Meeting 43 Editorial 44 Activities of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters for the Year 1934 45 Some of the Accomplishments of the Pennsylvania Game Commis- sioners 49 Practical Forest Research in Pennsylvania 52 Our Elm Trees— We Shall Miss Them 57 Birds as Practical Forest Aids 58 Forest Boundary Marking 60 Cover Saves Soil 62 Failure of Black Locust-Coniferous Mixture in Central States 63 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, 306 Commercial Trust Building, Philadelphia. President — Samuel L. Smedley President Emeritus — Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents— Robert S. Conklin, W. B. McCaleb, Edward C. M. Richards, Francis R. Cope, Jr., Edward Woolman Secretary - H. Gleason Mattoon Treasurer R. A. Wright, C. P. A. COMMITTEES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION FINANCE— Edward Woolman, Chairman Mrs. Albert C. Barnes Dr. Henry S. Drinker Miss Mary K. Gibson EUwood B. Chapman Henry Howson Frank B. Foster LAW — Francis R. Taylor, Chairman Hon. Marshall Brown Grover C. Ladner Thomas Liggett Albert B. Weimer MEMBERSHIP— John K. Harper, Chairman Herman Cope Mrs. Irvin M. James Edgar P. Kable J. A. Seguine Dr. E. E. Wildman Samuel N. Baxter Hon. F. W. Culbertson Dr. George S. Ray Dr. J. Clinton Starbuck Miss Mildred M. Jones Ernest Bartlctt PUBLICATION— W. B. McCaleb, Chairman Edward C. M. Richards Louis B. Ambler, Jr. Dr. E. E. Wildman George S. Perry COMMITTEE ON PRESERVATION OF VIRGIN FOREST AREAS Francis R. Cope, Jr., Chairman Herman Cope Thomas Liggett Dr. E. E. Wildman S. L. Smedley Edward C. M. Richards Grover C. Ladner OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATION, 306 COMMERCIAL TRUST BUILDING, PHILADELPHIA FOREST LEAVES Published Quarterly Subscription $i.oo per Year. Vol. XXV -No. I PHILADELPHIA, JANUARY, 1935 Whole Number 276 ANNUAL MEETING THE annual luncheon meeting of The Pennsylvania Forestry Association was held at the Adelphia Hotel, Philadel- phia, on January 21, with an attendance of over sixty. Following a review of the year's activities by Mr. Samuel L. Smedley, Presi- dent, Mr. Francis R. Cope, Jr., Council mem- ber from Susquehanna County, gave an in- teresting talk on the flora, topography, and beauty of the Tionesta Tract of primeval tim- ber, which was recently purchased by the Fed- eral Government from Central Pennsylvania Lumber Company. It should not be forgotten that The Penn- sylvania Forestry Association instigated the movement for the preservation of this tract of land, and that much of the credit for success- ful consummation of the deal is due to Mr. Cope, who gave unsparingly of his funds and time in the effort. Mr. Reginald D. Forbes, Director of the Allegheny Forest Experiment Station, fol- lowed with a discussion of the value of this tract of timber from the viewpoint of a Re- search Forester. During this talk, the meet- ing was again impressed with the wisdom of preservmg this tract as a Forest Laboratory. Balloting for Officers and Council members tor the year 1935 followed. The followin^r were elected : ^resuieut fiwcntus~Dr. Henry S. Drinker "^^•Prcsi'o»0'— Benjamin D. McPherson Fhiladelthia County— Dr. J. M. Anders Samuel N. Baxter Owen M. Bruner Grover C. Ladner Eli Kirk Price, IIL Dr. Rodney H. True Albert B. Weimer Pib. r ,. * TT rfe ?^)^?'^^> I- Wildman Fike County — Hon. Gifford Pinchot Fatter C ounty—Hlarry E. Elliott Schuylkill County — A. C. Silvius Somerset County — V. M. Bearer Susquehanna County— Dr. Frederic C. Brush Tioga County — Paul IL Mulford i 44 FOREST LEAVES Union County — Kaynioiul li. Winter Vi'arrcn County — Walter W. lieaty Wayne County — Hon. Alonzo T. Searle Westmoreland County — Hon. D. J. Snyder York County — li)dgar P. Kable Forestry as it is viewed today is a l)road term, including in addition to the conservation and development of forests areas for timber purposes, also recreational and game features of woodland devel()])ment. Accordingly, the meeting was very much interested in a talk- by Mr. Henry Woolman on the location of the Horse Shoe Trail and its need as a con- nection to the Appalachian Trail. We would be remiss, also, if we did not speak of the reading by Dr. Frederic Brush, of one of his poems entitled "l^light". Dr. Brush, who is a member of the Associa- tion, has had a varied and interesting life, which is reflected in the poems he has writ- ten, w^hich are now published under the title "Crooked River". All in all, the meeting was one of the best held in several years and we believe that it presages increased interest in the activities of the Association. With the impetus given to forestry during the last few years, the work of such an Association is more than ever needed. In the battle for any large objective, a point is usually reached when popular inter- est would suggest that there is no longer need to continue the battle. The inclination is to say, ''The public is aroused. There is no longer necessity for our work." At that time, however, there is greater need than ever for the counsel and aid of those who are whole-heartedly interested in the cause, not only to maintain momentum but also to prevent ill-timed and unwise i)rojects from being undertaken. The Pennsylvania Fores- try Association is needed more than ever. It should have within its membership every person w^ho believes in forest conservation and development. That number, we are sure, is many times the present membershijx Will you not endeavor to interest others in this Association ? Since 1919, except for the years^l921 and 1922, Oregon has ranked second in lumber production, its ])eak year being 1929 with a total cut of 4,784,000,000 ft. EDITORIAL Our readers will find much of interest in the annual report of the State Department of Forest and Waters appearing in this issue. The report shows the scope of the work de- volving on this Dei)artment which is little understood by the general i)ul)lic. One item mentioned is that about three thou- sand one hundred i)ermanent camp sites in tht forests have been leased to individuals for ten year terms ui)on which the ])arty leasing erects a i)ermanent cabin or house. These houses are occupied during the Summer and Fall by the family of the owner and his guests all' of whom are thus enabled to enjoy being out in the forest and derive the benefits which out door life brings. These leased tracts, therefore, are the means of ])roviding out door recreation for thousands of i)e()])le and to that extent are to be commended. There are, however, some criticisms of the permanent nature of the occui)ancy of these leased tracts, especially since the number has become so large. It being claimed that they occui)y ^^ie iii^^'^t desirable locations in the for- ests and thereby exclude others who go into the forests from using them. There would ai)i)ear, however, to be ample room for all in the forest areas at present but as the demand increases for these permanent cam]) sites, in all i)r()bal)ilities the Department of Forests will find it advi.sable to limit the number granted in the future. Governor ICarle has a])pointed Ralj^h M. I^ashore, of ]V)ttsville, Secretary of the De- l)artment of Forest and Waters to succeed Lewis E. Staley, who held the position for the ])ast four years under ( lovernor Pinchot. While Mr. Bashore is not a trained Forester he has always been interested in conservation and out- door recreation. With his l)usiness training and the close a])]^lication which he ])ro]^oses to give the affairs of his De])artment there is every reason to expect that his administration will be a success. It will be recalled that Governor Fisher ap- ])ointed Mr. Dorworth of Bellefonte. who also was not a Forester, to the position which he held during Governor Fisher's term. President Smedley and several members of FOREST LEAVES 45 the Council met Mr. Bashore recently by ap- pointment, and had an agreeable meeting with him. Matters pertaining to Forestry affairs in the State were freely discussed and Mr. Bashore expressed his willingness to co-oper- ate with our association. He solicited our sug- gestions and advice, and President Smedley said that our association had always stood back of the Forestry Department in the i)ast and would continue to do so insofar as it could be heli)ful in keeping Pennsylvania as the lead- ing state in Forestry development. ACTIVITIES OF THE PENNSYLVA- NIA DEPARTMENT OF FOREST AND WATERS FOR THE YEAR 1934 WHAT FOREST LEAVES DO YOU PREFER? At the last meeting of the Council of The Pennsylvania Forestry Association, a discus- sion arose concerning Forest Leaves. It was discovered that a difference of opinion existed as to the kind of magazine desired. We are therefore a])i)ealing to the readers for an ex- pression of opinion. Will you kindly write, telling us what type of article you i)refer? Do you wish more technical material ? Do you read the long arti- cles .-^ Would you like greater discussion of the recreational phase of forest development? Would you care for more information on for- est activities in other states and countries ? Do you want more space devoted to private for- estry? What type of short article do vou like :' The (\)uncil of the Association is anxious for a well diversified exi)ression of opinion on the questions. .May we have yours? The auxiliary forest reserve laws, bv which the Department of Forests and Waters has at- tempted to alleviate the burden of tax ex- cesses on owners of ])rivate timberlands in 1 ennsylvania. is declared unconstitutional. In ' many instances before the i^assage of these aws, timberland owners paid annual taxes, the aggregate of which exceeded the value of the timber at the end of the rotation. The ad- vantage of the auxiliary forest reserve laws ^vas not in evading taxes, but in deferring pay- "lent until the timber crop was harvested. The opinion IS by James W. Shull, deinity attorney general. ^ By Lewis E. Staley, Secretary State Forest Land The State Forests of Pennsylvania comprise an area of 1,647,986 acres, acquired at an average cost of $2.46 per acre. Forest Protection The forest area burned in 1934 was 179,827 acres. A total of 4170 fires cost the State $146,568.00. In September a three-day training school for fire wardens was held at the abandoned ECW camp at Kato in Centre County. This meeting, the first of its kind in Pennsylvania, consisted of indoor and outdoor sessions, with discus- sions of forest fire control methods and war- dens' duties, and instruction in handling fire fighting tools and equipment. .With funds made available through Federal api)ropriations and labor of the Civilian Con- servation Cori)s, the number of forest fire ob- servation towers in the State was increased to 144, 138 of which are owned and controlled by the Department of Forests and Waters. From these towers approximately 90 per cent of the 13,000,000 acres of forest land in the State is visible. White pines on an area of 12,812 acres were protected from white pine blister rust. This required the eradication of 5,735,000 currant and gooseberry plants on 61,385 acres. Much of this work was done with CCC labor, directed i)y the personnel of the Bureau of Forest Pro- tection. Forest Extension During the year 9,975,761 trees from the State Forest Nurseries were planted in Penn- sylvania as follows: Class of Planters Number of Trees Individuals 2,938,877 Alining Companies 139,500 Water and Power Companies. 478,500 Other Industrial Organizations 256,500 Schools and Colleges 43,262 46 FOREST LEAVES ini! * Municipalities and Counties.. 725,501 Churches, Homes and Private Hospitals 1 16,500 Associations and Clubs 155,500 State Forests 3,147,350 Other State and Federal Lands 1,739,271 State Nurseries (Transplants) 200,000 Transfer Orders (Reshipment) 35,000 9,975,761 Planting in the State Forests, totaling 3,147,- 350 trees, was the greatest since 1918, and was made possible through the ECW program. There was an increase over 1933 in i:)lanting by ''Municipalities and Counties" and on "Other State and Federal Lands." The number of private j^lanters in 1934 fell considerably below that of 1933. This was probably occasioned by lack of funds. The greatest falling off was among those classified as "Private Planters," *'Other Industrial Or- ganizations," and "Associations and Clubs." With the decrease in trees sold to private planters, receipts from the sale of trees fell to $12,334.23. With labor available in the CCC, and from funds of the Civil Works Administration and the Local Works Division great saving has been possible for the Department, in that much of this welfare labor and funds was used in the nurseries and for reforestation and other planting projects. The nursery areas were ex- tended, water supply systems enlarged and re- newed, storage dams built, irrigation systems improved, and one sub-surface drainage svs- tem installed. Large amounts of native Pennsylvania seed were secured, particularly that of white pine, 1934 being the first seed year for this species since 1927. Seed Collection in 1934 Species Amount Wajnut 815 bushels J^f^^l oak 14 inishels White oak 2 bushels Tulip poplar 180 pounds )}*^^teash 10 pounds Sugar ma])le 8 pounds )V'^^ l'"'^ 772 bushels ".^";^«^.^ 105 bushels ^^^^^^ P'"^ 9 bushels The Auxiliary Forest Reserve Laws, by which the Department has attempted to alleviate the burden of tax excesses on owners of pri- vate timberlands in Pennsylvania were declared unconstitutional. Auxiliary Forest Reserves of 48,434 acres consisting of 81 tracts held by 58 owners in 80 townships and boroughs in 28 counties were removed from classification. Recreation It is estimated that more than ?vyq million people visited and enjoyed the recreational, his- toric, and scenic areas of the State Parks, State Forest Parks, State Forest Monuments, and Public Camping Grounds in 1934. An addi- tional number hunted and fished in the State Forests and visited the forest fire observation towers. The number of permanent camp site leases in the State Forests has reached 3,029. This is the largest number of permanent camp sites ever leased in Pennsylvania. The first leases were granted in 1913. The taxable value of the camps and summer homes erected on State Forest land is almost $3,000,000 and is ap- proximately 75 per cent of the total cost of the land of the State. With the ^y^ cents per acre of State Forest area paid annually in lieu of taxes to the local governments, the camp taxable value goes far to make up the loss of local taxes from State-owned land. Public Relations and Co-operation More than 275,000 copies of bulletins, cir- culars and maps were distributed by the De- partment in 1934. Bulletin 52, "Hemlock the State Tree of Pennsylvania," by Henry E. Cle])i)er ; Circular 2?i, "Forest Protection Laws of Pennsylvania"; a folder on Washington Crossing Park; and leaflets on the work and control of 2^7 forest and shade tree insects by Josef N. Knull, were pre- pared and distributed. Fifty thousand text book covers, with pic- tures and slogans stressing fire prevention were distributed to school children in rural districts where fire danger is imminent. Two 35 millimeter motion pictures were made, "The Story of a Pine Seed," and "The Curse of the Forest." These films are having running lectures and sound effects attached. FOREST LEAVES 47 The Department has been handling the book- ing of the educational films for the ECW camps in the State Forests. More than 1100 showings have been made in ^Z camps. Reprints of the films "The Red Enemy" "In Penn's Woods," and "New Forests for Old" were made on 16 millimeter stock for educational use. From November 15 to November 2Z, H N Wheeler, lecturer for the United States Forest Service, delivered nine lantern slide lectures before CCC and service club audiences. The attendance at these meetings was well over o,UUU. District foresters and rangers delivered ad- dresses on forestry and local historv in their respective regions, and the Department motion pictures were shown at schools and civic club meetings. The Department files of photographs and slides for publication and exhibition work were considerably enlarged with ECW and general forestry material. News items for press release were pre])ared each week, and the weekly Service Letter with a OUU copy circulation, and the quarterlv Fire Hardens' News with a circulation of 4200 were published regularly. The Department assisted in planning pro- grams for the annual meetings of the Pennsyl- vania Forestry Association at Reading and the 1 ennsylvania Parks Association at Renovo. The Pennsylvania State Farm Show in Janu- ary featured a Department of Forests and Waters Exhibition, and the district foresters prepared exhibits for eight county fairs. In addition numerous smaller exhibits were shown at stores, clubs, and civic organizations. Emergency Conservation Work Continuing the impressive work record made ^wnng the last six months of 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps gained considerable favor ^vith the people of Pennsvlvania in 1934. Those Who were skeptical, at first about the worth of ^'le Emergency Conservation program, are be- ginning to appreciate the CCC accomplish- nients. * There are now 83 ECW camps, under the ^^ntrol of the Department of Forests and ^vaters, in the State. Seventv-one of these are in the State Forests, five on Game Refuges, and seven on private land. Although the camps were set up on the basis of 200 enrolees in each, the average number is usually close to 180, of these approximately 140 daily are employed on projects. Among the 1934 accomplishments worthy of note, were the eflforts towards fire prevention and suppression. A total of over 188 miles of telephone lines was completed and 390 miles of telephone lines were maintained. Fire haz- ards were removed from an area of more than 5383 acres and 508 miles of fire breaks were . constructed. Roadside clearing amounting to 1251 miles was accomplished. The efficiency of Pennsylvania's forest fire fighting forces was increased through the erec- tion of 10 fire towers and eight fire tower cabins, the construction of 1351 miles of truck trails, the maintenance of 2902 more miles of truck trails, and the building of 167 truck bridges. Five hundred and twenty-seven miles of horse trails were completed and 548 addi- tional miles maintained. Man trails were com- pleted to the extent of 431 miles, 874 miles of trail and fire break were maintained and 110 foot bridges erected. The men spent 9902 man-days in fire pre- suppression work, 3254 man-days in fire pre- vention, and Z2,2:^S man-days in actual fire fighting. Planting projects in the State were extended and preparations were made for future plant- ing— \Z,2ZS man-days were spent in nursery work, and 3290 acres of trees were planted. Seed collection amounted to 386 bushels. Tree and plant disease control work was car- ried on over 42,272 acres and poisonous plants were eradicated from 1933 acres. Public camp grounds were improved, 130 buildings being erected, and 488 acres of clear- ings established. Twenty-eight water im- provements were made at camp grounds and 663 other facility improvements eflFected. Twenty recreational dams and 1130 fish dams were constructed. Two hundred and fifty-nine miles of streams were improved. In addition 1442 miles of surveys were made and 598,676 acres were surveyed. Forest stand improvement amounting to 19,942 acres and 917 acres of general clean-up were accom- plished. m ii 48 FOREST LEAVES Forest Research Institute — jVIont Alto In 1933 an outline was prepared to guide the work of an inventory and stock survey of the Pennsylvania State Forests. A thorough trial of the methods was made at the Mont Alto State Forest and the work extended to the other State Forests in 1934. Data were collected in the field hy 81 crews of CCC enrolees under the direction of forestry foremen. Eleven crews have completed their territorial assign- ments and computations are availahle for 320,- 000 acres of State Forest land, including the Mont Alto and Lackawanna Forests in their entirety. About 100,000 acres are in process of computation and the field work has been done on an additional estimated area of 175,000 acres. It is proposed to cover about 1,500,000 acres of State Forest land and probably some of the State Game lands. A statistical report on the use of land in Pennsylvania was pre])ared including 67 county tables, and 67 county maps showing the ex- tent, location, and present ownership of forest land and 67 maps giving the future recom- mended ownership of forest land. Weather observation has been continued at the Research Institute at Mont Alto for fire weather studies and prediction, and to compare the reaction of native and exotic trees species under varying climatic conditions. Seed testing and germination studies are made in advance of all tree seed i^urchases. Fifty samples per year are carefully studied. A detailed and persistent study of methods for reforesting scrub oak lands is under way. Studies have been made of the practicability of different planting tools and under various methods of planting and later assistance. A series of ex])eriments were made on old fields and in brush with soil cultivation of different types. So far cultivation has failed to show sufficient advantages to pay for it. Water Supply Probably one of the most outstanding ac- complishments of the Department of Forests and Waters was the completion of the reservoir at Pymatuning in Crawford County. This reservoir has a drainage area of 160 square miles. The finished project cost ap])roximate- ly $3,750,000, of which amount $415,000 was subscribed by the steel companies and other beneficiaries in the Shenango and Beaver Val- leys for the purchase of the necessarv lands in Ohio. Water supply for Pennsylvania homes and industries is insured by 870 reservoirs and storage basins, each with a cai)acity of one million gallons or more. Over 10,900 square miles of drainage areas supply these reservoirs with the 238 billion gallons of water they con- tain. The purpose of these dams and reservoirs is to regulate stream flow throughout the year. Without regulation the dei)endable amount of w^ater which may be supplied by a stream is limited to the minimum flow in drought periods. CUT FIRE LOSSES Robert Fechner, director of Emergency Conservation Work, says the Forest Service and the National Park Service report that the l)resence of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the woods this summer together with the forest ])rotection work completed in past months by the C. C. C. had been of the greatest assistance in holding down fire losses on na- tionally owned lands during an especially bad first year. "I am advised,*' Fechner says, ''that fire fighting ex])ense and acreage burned over in the 163,000,000 acres of national forest lands has been held below the record of other coni- ])arable years, despite the driest summer in decades. ^'Officials of the National Park Service re- ]X)rt that damage to national jmrks this past year has been negligible exce])t for one serious ccmflagration in the Mesa National Park. Each service attributes its success in holding down fire losses largely to the availability of large numbers of C. C. C. men and to the better communication, trans]X)rtation and fire detec- tion facilities which have been built into the forest and park fire protection systems." Reports from the various C. C. C. camps dis- close that from Ai)ril 5, 1933, to July 31, 1934, the C. C. C. had si)ent 1,086,000 man-days fighting fire. During the first year of the C. C. C, which ended March 31, 1934, a total of 686,000 man-days were spent fighting forest fires. FOREST LEAVES 49 SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF GAME COMMISSIONERS WHICH MAY BE OF INTEREST TO THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSO- CIATION Submitted by W. Card Conklin, Director of Refuges and Lands Funds A LTHOUGH it is generally known to the Members of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, there is no harm in calling attention to the fact that the Game Commis- sion is self-supporting. It is financed entirely from moneys received from the sale of hunting licenses, collection of fines for violations against the game laws, etc. No funds are re- ceived from general State revenues. May I also call attention to the fact that 7dc out of each $2.00 resident hunting license is ear- marked by law for the purchase of lands, the creation of game refuges, and the maintenance of the system of refuges and public hunting grounds. The last report of the number of hunting licenses sold this year indicates that It had reached 514,427. This will be slightly mcreased. This means that almost $386,000 HHbT Sometimes Bruin Must Extend Himself to Get Food 50 FOREST LEAVES i will be available for Refugees and Lands for the present fiscal year. The total revenue for Game Commission uses will slightly exceed $1,000,000. LAND PURCHASE PROGRAM During the past year the Game Commission acquired title, in the name of the Common- wealth, to a total of 70,407.4 acres of State Game Lands, bringing the total acquired to date to 395,030 acres. The total amount paid for lands up to this time is $1,431,819.74. In addition to this, approximately 81,000 acres are under contract for purchase. State Game Lands are now distributed in forty-two of the sixty-seven counties of the State. It is the Game Commission's desire to purchase game lands in as many counties of the State as possible, and special efforts are put forth to acquire tracts within easy reach of the more thickly populated sections. Sports- men throughout the State continue their whole- hearted support to the policy of public owner- ship of wild lands. One additional game farm of 217.3 acres was recently purchased in Lycoming County. Four game farms are now maintained, with a total area of 1,991.7 acres. Primary State Game Refuges Eleven primary state game refuges were created during the year, ten of which are on State Game Lands and one on the Allegheny National Forest. The Game Commission is now maintaining: 59 primaries on 46 blocks of State Game Lands, totalling 44 j20 20 primaries on State Forests, totalling...!! 45 612 7 1 primary on the Allegheny National Forest 400 Aggregate 90,1327 Auxiliary State Game Reeuges Fifty-three auxiliary state game refuges, totalling 20,343 acres, are now maintained; fifteen of these, with a total area of 6,679 acres, are located on State Forests, and the remainder on privately-owned lands for which the Game Commission, by written agreement, controls the hunting rights. Under the terms of such agreements 42,598 acres surrounding the refuges are open to public hunting. Refuge Keepers Employed Thirty-eight full time and two part time salaried refuge keepers are now employed on primary game refuges. Civilian Conservation Camps The following Civilian Conservation Camps are located on State Game Lands : No. 101. State Game Lands Nos. 44 & 54, in Elk and Jefferson Counties, located at Croyland. No. 102. State Game Lands No. 57, Wyo- ming County, on Mehoopany Creek. No. 103. State Game Lands No. 12, Brad- ford County, at Laquin, an abandoned chem- ical plant town. No. 104. State Game Lands No. 13, Sullivan County, located near Elk Grove. No. 105. State Game Lands No. 61, McKean County, near Port Allegheny. No. 106. State Game Lands No. 74, Clarion County, near Strattonville. The principal work being done by the men of these camps is the construction and repair of fire protection roads. In all cases winter quarters have been provided for the men. Civil Works Administration The inauguration of the Civil Works Ad- ministration program presented an o])portun- ity for the Game Commission to co-operate with the National Government in providing work for the unemployed. At the same time, it provides an opportunity for making much- needed improvements on State Game Lands and game farms. Sixty-eight approved C. W. A. projects are in operation on State Game Lands, and four on game farms. Work has been provided for S33 men in forty-two coun- ties of the State, involving an expenditure of $116,170 of C. W. A. funds. Work on State Game Lands to be conducted to February IS, 1934, is mainly the opening up of fire protec- tion trails. A small amount of road repair work is also under way. Forest Fire Posters During each of the past three years the Game Commission published for free distri- bution vividly colored forest fire posters. This year's posters depicted a badly frightened rabbit fleeing from a forest fire. The posters FOREST LEAVES 51 have been m great demand, and no doubt have brought to the minds of many persons, not only sportsmen but nature lovers in general the fact that much wild life is destroyed by Game Kill The extent of the game kill for the year forest fires. Restocking Depleted Areas Restocking of game on depleted areas was conducted on even a larger scale than hereto- fore. Rmgnecked pheasants, bobwhite quail and wild turkeys were raised on the several game propagation farms. Rabbits and other species were purchased from dealers mainly outside of the State. The follow released for restocking: ►wing were Raised on State Game Purchased Farms 12,223 2,133 484 Cottontail rabbits '^^'a"'a : 1 reel (16 mm. and 35 Kasng Game Birds: 1 reel (16 mm. and 35 mm.). mi ^ ^^S^'r"^^'"''^^'''" "^ Pennsylvania: 3 reels (16 mm. and 35 mm.). anH f/«^^^\«^^ Traming School: 1 reel (16 mm. and J5 mm.). i'ennsyiva.iia's Game Refuges: 1 reel (16 mm. and JO mm.). Birdl"'nf D P^="he'-s- 2 reels (16 mm. and 35 mm.). Pinn 1 ^"-^r- J '■^^' ^6 mm. and 35 mm.), mm/"^"'* Mammals: 1 reel (16 mm. and 35 Citizens' Conservation Camp: 1 reel (16 mm. and jj mm.). Oame News: 4 reels (16 mm. and 35 mm.), winter Feedmg of Game: 1 reel (16 mm. only). 1933 is not yet available. Following is^he kill for the 1932 season: Kitid ., , £11^ Number Deer, legal males *.*.*.'.*.*.*.*' iq';;: Deer (antlerless) .*;; ^^'^^^ Bear . • • • • Rabbits *:::::;;:;;;;;: ^^^A]^ Hares (Snowshoes) ...::::::;::;:::;: itill Squirrels coni^o Raccoons ... ^V' i^S Wild turkeys ..*.:;: %iii Ruffed grouse ;;:;;:; ,2,992 Rmgnecked pheasants ?4^'ic? Bobwhite quail f^^'f^] Woodcock ^^?'?5f Shorebirds [ ^^ Blackbirds .li^ Wild waterfowl ....■.'.*.'.'.*.*.■.';;;;;:;:::::;; 25431 Total wdght ***'.■.**.'.'.'.*. 1 0 oislnd \k ^^ Reduced to tons, equals .:::::::::::: '5:474 ions The Charter of the Forests, granted by Henry III in 1217, was founded on .Magna Charta, granted by King John, June 15, 1217 and confirmed in 1225 and 1297. From Magna Charta 31. Neither shall we nor our bailiffs take any man's timber for our castles or other uses, unless by the consent of the owner of the tim- ber. 44. Those men who dwelt without the forest from henceforth shall not come before our justiciaries of the forest, upon common sum- mons, but such as are impeached, or are pledged for any that are attached for something con- cerning the forest. 47. All forests that have been made forests in (nir time shall be disforested; and the same shall be done with the river banks that have been fenced in by us in our time. 48. All evil customs concerning forests, war- rens, foresters and warreners, sheriffs and their officers, rivers and their keei^ers, shall forthwith be inquired into in each county, by twelve sworn knights of the same shire, chos- en by creditable persons of the same county • and within forty days after the said inquest,' shall be utterly abolished, so as never to be restored : so that we are first acquainted there- with, or our justiciar, if vve should not be in England. If 52 FOREST LEAVES PRACTICAL FOREST RESEARCH IN PENNSYLVANIA Edwin A. Ziegler, Director, Pennsylvania Forest Research Institute Importance of Forest Research A PROFESSOR in one of our leading for- est schools recently stated in discussing the training of professional foresters, ^'Forestry as a professional subject is broader than agriculture. It includes, to a more inti- mate degree, a dependence on utilization and marketing technique and economics. It brings far more extensively the princicples of engi- neering into harvesting and transportation of the product. It is concerned with broader fields of land utilization, involving recreation, game and fish resources, grazing, and the field of forest protection including control of erosion, water supplies, and stream flow. It deals in a comprehensive way with large scale industry, in manufacturing, involving a field of economics as broad as agriculture, i)lus business problems on a scale not presented by farms, and including transportation, milling and processing. These are largely excluded in agricultural courses. It deals directly with a land use problem which requires an extensive public program with laws and administration not merely supervisory or inspective, but di- rect, through public ownership, and with reg- ulation as comprehensive as in agriculture. "It directly affects the large field of public recreation, and sport, which agriculture does not touch. A true comparison with agricul- ture would confine forestry largely to silvicul- ture, economics and the woodlot. This un- happily is the attitude of many agricultural colleges. For the number and range of sub- jects taught, agriculture is overmanned in com- parison to forestry by very high ratios, and the willingness of the forestry profession to ])ut up with faculty equipment based on an agri- cultural or woodlot estimate of its importance is the chief source of weakness in professional training." In thus summing up the field of professional forestry for education he also summed it up for research. Forest research deals then with land problems of equal size to those of agri- culture. The forest land in Pennsylvania and the nation is of as large an area as the agri- cultural land. Its mismanagement will bring on our i)eople as much hardship as the mis- management of agricultural land. True agriculture is concerned largely widi supplies of human food and clothing. But forestry is concerned with adequate supplies of materials involved in shelter and other struc- tures, with fuel, with implements, tools and machinery, with education through books and magazines and i)ai)ers, with potable water sup- plies, with water power supplies, with protec- tion of both forest and adjacent agricultural land from erosion, with recreation, with game and fish resources, and in the aggregate with the height of floods, and probably with climate Itself. The forest is also contributing to cloth- ing, such as artificial silk and tanning of leather, and even to human food other than game and fish. WMiile incorrect agricultural methods show up rather quickly, errors in forest management may not be evident for decades. The responsi- bility in forest research is nuich greater there- fore from the time element involved. Agriculture has caught u]) with human food requirements for its staj^le products. Forest growth* still replaces but a fraction (55 per cent) of our total diverse forest product con- sumption and 20 j^er cent of our saw-timber cut. It is also unequal to the contributory water, erosion control, recreation and other forest cover services which we may expect from a proper forest stand on non-agricultural and submarginal agricultural lands. From this point of view we may say of agricultural re- search, that it is overmanned in comparison with f()rest research by very high ratios just as agricultural education is overmanned com- pared to forestry education. ^'et agriculture seeks continually to control and subordinate both forestry education and forestry research to the detriment of the na- tional and state reforestaticm programs. It seeks to stri]) state forestry organizations of all functions save public land adnn'nistration and fire protection. Forestry education and research will continue to make limping prog- *P. 222— WA. 1— "A Xational Plan For American Forestry," Senate Document Xo. 12 — 73d Conjfress— 1st Session. U. S. Govt. Printing Office— 1933. FOREST LEAVES 53 ress untd they cut these agricultural apron strmgs and reach the responsible place in the public nnnd warranted by the extent and im- portance of our forestry problems. The Problem of Land Use The basic problem in the rebuilding of our economic life is that of land use. Normally we have been a large exporter of farm prod- ucts. These foreign markets have dwindled from a number of causes so that the prices of our excess crops have been so low over the last 13 years that increasingly large areas of cleared land are being al)andoned for taxes. The federal government is at present engaged in a further efl^ort to limit the land cultivated for agricultural crops and thus increase the prices of farm products. But at the same time work in other directions must be found for the farm labor released both through farm abandonment and crop reduction. There are three major uses of land— agri- culture, timber growing, and grazing, ranking in that order in the creation of product values and in the support of labor. With over-produc- tion in agriculture and grazing the attention of the nation and state is turning to the prob- lems involved in reforestation of the sub- marginal agricultural lands as well as the cut- over timber lands. Forest Grozvth Beloiv Consumption In marked contrast to the agricultural situa- tion, the best data shows that we are growing ^>ut 55 per cent of our total cut and wastage of forest growth in the U. S. Indeed if we consider saw timber alone we are growing only 20 per cent of our normal consumi)ti()n of the late 1920s. In Pennsylvania the ratio is not precisely known (this is one of our Institute problems) but the situation is little better as to total wood growth to drain, and for saw timber the situation is even worse, than the national situation. It has been estimated that Pennsylvania spends roughly 100 million dol- lars annually on forest products and 2 million acres of marginal cleared land can in time be made to supj^ly this. Ability of Forests to Employ Labor In Europe forest managers employ one ^vorker for approximately each 100 acres of land in the reforestation stage, and one work- er to approximately each 50 acres when cut- tings begin. If milling work is included there will be two workers employed for each 50 acres. But accepting for the present one work- er to each 100 acres, Pennsylvania forest land should be able to employ 140,000 workers full time in her 13 million acres of forest and cut- rimS?'' ^""^ f reforesting upwards of 1,^00,000 acres of already abandoned farm land. All told 4 million acres of cleared and cut over land need reforesting as will be pointed out later. Forest Land Research The Department of Forests and Waters realized the importance of the drift from agri- culture on the poorer state lands to reforesta- tion. In order to have definite information on the location and value of these idle cleared lands, the State Forest Research Institute was ( irected to conduct an ^Idle Land Survey''* in the state. The purpose of the survey was to show (a) the location, amount and value of idle land that could be assembled in blocks of 500 acres* or more for state reforestation and ad- ministration, (b) the location of smaller areas near enough to existing state forests to be purchased and attached to these forests, (c) areas too small and scattered for state adnn'nistration. The canvass of the 17 county samples, in which all assessors' books were consulted and the counties traversed township by township revealed 1.200.000 acres of entirely idle cleared land in the state, not even grazed by stock While only 172,000 acres of entirely clear land appeared suitable for state acquisition and re- forestation, woodland attached to these cleared tracts would bring this total to 375,000 acres. A reasonable state program would pur- chase 35,000 acres of this land each biennium of which about 21,000 would be planted up' at an estimated cost of $399,000 or sightly less than $200,000 per year. This would require less than 22 years to complete the program. The federal government is at present look- ♦See Bui. 51, Pa. State Dept. Forests & Waters Reforesting- Pennsylvania's Idle Land As a Self- Liquidatnig Public Work." f' .' I 54 FOREST LEAVES ■^mf'y- ing into the problem with the possibility of federal aid. These moves toward reforesta- tion require more than research. After the situation is proven the active support of such public welfare bodies as this Association is needed to translate knowledge into action. A second piece of forest land research by the Forest Research Institute was a study of the abandonment of forest and cleared lands for taxes ; the amount of forest land taxes ; the ratio of tax assessments to sale value on (a) business and residence property, (b) on farms, and (c) on forest land; the fairness of the present state payment of 5 cents per acre on state lands to local governments in lieu of taxes; and the effect on local public finances of further state forest land purchases. The study was carried on m eight counties in co-operation with the State Tax Commis- sion of 1931-32. These counties were selected because of the county tax assessment records separating clear and forest lands. Many coun- ty tax records are not in sufficient detail for such a study. Adams, Crawford and Frank- hn counties were taken from the agricultural counties, and Center, Clinton, Elk, Potter and Sullivan from the more predominantly forest counties.* The study brought out that wood- lands m farming areas with saw timber paid aiinual taxes of from $.54 to $7.40 per acre. 1 his IS confiscatory and the Tax Commission recommended extending the vield tax system to farm woodlands. The lowest average annual tax in anv coun- ty on all forest lands, including ''unseated" or mountain tracts was 8.1 cents per acre in Center County. Clinton had 8.6 cents, Elk 12.5, Sullivan 12.4, Potter 15.6, and Crawford 51.0 cents i)er acre and year. The Tax Commission recom- mended therefore that the state should raise Its payment on state lands in lieu of local taxes to 4 cents per acre for schools, 2 for road, and 2 for county purposes, dropping the payment for roads as soon as the state main- tains all roads. This would give schools 2 cents more and the county 1 cent more than at present, and reduce the hardship caused by the^tate taking over additional private forest ♦These detailed county progress reports are avail- able in mimeographed form from the Research Inst Mont Alto, Pa. A final report will appear in print*: areas from the tax base for state forests. The study also showed a higher ratio of tax assessment to sale value for farm and forest land than for residential and business town- property. This results in the shifting of too much county tax on to farm and forest proper- ty. There was also great inequality in assess- ment of individual properties, town and rural. The Tax Commission recommended county as- sessors, as are now provided in 3rd class coun- ties, to remedy these two evils. 'i'he local detailed county studies were sup- plemented with a delinquent land tax canvass covering the state. Many county records were very unsatisfactory but the summary showed 139,996 acres of cleared and 412,101 acres of forest land "sold to the county" at tax sales for want of private purchasers ; and 264,16P acres of cleared and 326,476 acres of forest land advertised for sale. 23 counties reported tax delinquencv to 1931, 18 to 1930 and 10 to 1929 or earlier, with 16 not rei)orting but estimated. This understate- ment shows over half a million acres of land sold to the counties and another 691,000 listed for sale. The act pcnnittiug the counties to dit^d county owned land to the State will not achieve the desired results. It will require a state appropriation of $100,000 ])er bienniuni for several years to accjuire the land by pay- ing back taxes not to exceed j^erhaps 30 cents l)er acre, along with advertising costs and cer- tain small transfer fees. Countv officers will then clear their records of tax lands, the title of which is good enough for the state to pur- chase. Forest Stand and Grmvth Research Xext to the basic forest lands problems comes a group of problems relating to forest stand and growth. The yields of forest lands with different s])ecies of trees must be accu- rately measured and jnit in such published form that both the state and private forest owner may be able to reduce timber growing to a business and take it out of the present guess- ing and speculative field. Perhaps the most important piece of forest research ever undertaken by anv agency in the state is the present "Forest Stock Survey" i)eing conducted by the Department on over a million acres of state land with the assistance FOREST LEAVES 55 of 60 E.C.W. camp foresters and crews of 8 men each, making a total of 480 men, directed by the District Foresters and Research Insti- tute. I his survey will reveal the amount of wood growing in trees 4 inches and over in diameter : the rate of growth in diameter and height of the individual species ; the increment per acre, and the wood that should be cut in thinning ; the areas that are f ullv reforesting partially reforesting, or need planting. It will furnish the data for a large forest product business that represents the next step in the management of our state forests beyond the road and protection work being set forward so effectively now by the President's E. C W Camps. This forest stock taking is carried on by tallying and measuring the trees on 1 chain strips i)laced 20 chains ai)art and giving a 5 per cent sample. By comi)arison with a 10 per cent sami)le on a trial compartment the 5 &^',''?1'''"'^^^ '''" ^'^'^ sufficient accuracy. Each 100th tree is a sample tree and is bored for age, and measured for height, merchant- able contents, crown class, etc. The data are computed at the Research Institute. The Alont Alto Forest is far enough along to show that the present increment of mixed oaks IS about 45 cu. ft. solid or one half cord per acre and year; and the diameter growth about 5 years per diameter inch (10 inches at ^U years) and an average height of 60 feet at jU years. While this piece of research will show what the state lands are actually growing, it is equal- ly important to know the possibilities of the torest in the shape of fully stocked areas or normal" stands. For this studv fully stocked sample plots are laid out in plantations and in the different natural forest tvpes over the state covering different species and land site quali- ties. The main efforts are at the moment di- rected ( 1 ) at the Oak-Hard Pine Type yields, and (2) at the yields shown by different spec- ies in pure stand i)lantations. The oak type «s showing yields of 40 to 100 cubic feet per acre and year in fully stocked stands, while ^oniterous plantations show 75 to 150 cubic cet per acre and year with current growths recorded exceeding 200 cu. ft. Plantations yield at once these high normal or tully stocked yields, while the natural forest will require years of management even to ap- proximate normal or full yields. These yield studies required much prelimi- nary work in the construction of volume tables particularly for 2nd growth hardwoods in I ennsylvania. The plantation yields cannot be properly interpreted without detailed examina- tion of the soils on which they are located involving hundreds of soil analyses. Because of the depredations of the white pme weevil and the introduction of the blister rust, white pine is losing some of its popularity tor forest planting in favor of red pine (P JTfl ^^^ ^"'^^^"^^ "^^^^ a special studv of Red Pine and a report on it is now in press. Beside freedom from insect and fungous at- tack, this species has much to commend it in quality of wood, rate of growth, and modest soil requirements. It was once common in the forests in the northern part of the state The chestnut blight swept away one of our most valuable forest species, and destroyed locally as much as 40 per cent of the forest stand. A study through sample plots and niarked cankers on individual chestnut sprouts shows no immediate hope of restoration of the chestnut through the development of immun- ity. However, where isolated sprouts survive to the point of producing nuts (as early as ^ or 4 year sprouts), these nuts are collected and planted. No demonstrated immunity has been found in our native chestnut. Oriental hardy chestnuts are being experi- mented with in co-operation with the U S Bureau of Plant Industry among the exotic trees being tried out at the Institute. Perhaps the most important portion of the chestnut study is the discovery that the domi- nant oaks left after the death of the chestnut on the Mont Alto Forest have increased their diameter growth as much as 100%. The growth of other species on the Mont Alto Forest has already more than replaced in volume of grow- ing timber the blighted chestnut lost. Among the species replacing the chestnut in openings rock oak and red maple are the most frequent! I his raises a question of the utilization of red maple, and an experimental ''cook" for paper pulp has been arranged with the Glad- felter Paper Co. of Spring Grove, York Co. 1 he Mont Alto Forest has about 20,000 cords of marketable red maple 4 inches in diameter 56 FOREST LEAVEvS f if ■o*-v:'^'mli;f-;?' and over and other state forests will have in- creasing quantities as the red maple seedlings and saplings appearing in chestnut openings reach pulp wood diameters. This report on the chestnut is in the files of the Department and is proposed for publication. Forest Protection Studies Forest protection studies have been carried on in the fields of forest entomology, deer damage and forest fire hazard and damage. The Department has published a series of some 36 leaflets on forest insects, their damage, and control, prepared by the Institute Forest Entomologist. These have been listed in a recent Service Letter. A report was prepared on a field ''Study of the White Pine Weevil." A study of deer damage* to forest planting and natural growth was begun in 1927, in co- operation with the State (;ame Commission. Paired fenced and unfenced plots were estab- lished in young forest plantings. Regions were found where the forest planting was doomed to destruction by deer unless fenced at a ])ro- hibitive cost. The deer herd in some localities in the state was estimated at its peak as one to each 15 or 20 acres of forest. This was excessive both for the welfare of the deer because of insufficient food, as well as the damage to the young forest and adjacent farms. A series of open doe seasons was de- clared by the Oame Commission and the herd reduced. The plots are being kei)t up as a measure of the deer damage factor in refor- estation. Forest fire investigation is crystallizing in three directions: (1) the determination of the hardiness and resistance of trees to fire. These data will be useful in selecting species for i)lanting or retention and encouragement on areas where fires are difficult to prevent; (2) the immediate earmarks of fire wounds and their permanent efi'ects on merchantable trees of different species and diameters. In- formation IS desirable in selecting growing fire- damaged trees for removal after a fire, as well as in making accurate reports of fire damage; (3) the relation of weather and other fire factors to the intensity and spread of fires ♦See Bui. 50-Pa. Dept. Forest & Waters. "The Deer Problem in the Forests of Pennsylvania." in order to predict degrees of fire danger or hazard. The U. S. Forest Experiment Sta- tion at Missoula, Montana, has broken the path in this line of research work with a device for integrating the principal fire hazard factors in- to a single figure, which eliminates the vary- ing personal judgment of the fire observer. Other Experimental Work It must not be overlooked that forest re- search studies and experiments were put under way by the Department of Forests and Waters as early as 1902 when the state first began the development of state forest lands. Nursery experinients have been continuous since that time. The Mont Alto Nursery broke ground in developing a clay soil modifying method for coniferous seedlings and in developing the proper soil acidity for reducing the destructive damping-off fungi diseases. The Clearfield Nursery excelled in develoi)ing mechanical aids in cheapening forest seedling costs. The Forest Research Institute performs the required annual forest seed germination tests for all Department nurseries and is continually carrying on tests of exotic forest tree seeds and seedlings in co-operation with other forest research agencies and foreign governments. The development of an extensive arboretum; the maintenance of a continuous meteorological record with readings twice daily at the Insti- tute ; together with much service to the public in identifying tree pests and advising for their control; identifying tree and shrub species; experiment with sterilized and inoculated soils in the i)roduction of root mvcorrhizas on cer- tain species; the variaticm in growth ])roduced by seed strains of certain si)ecies ; the efficiency of i)lanting methods and species mixture ; and other forest problems of immediate and prac- tical importance to the state forest administra- tion, and ])rivate forest owners equally through- out the state,— all these are actively being ad- vanced. Every step of progress in handling the .state forest properties has been accompanied by care- ful experiment, much of which at first was empirical. Much of the early research was directed by the state foresters in connection with their State Forest School work on the Mont Alto Forest, which lead to rei>eated rec- ommendation to the Department by the writer FOREST LEAVES 57 for making the Mont Alto Forest the State Forest Experiment Station to the extent that state forest research could be localized This was accomplished under the administrative title of ''Ihe State Forest Research Institute" in 1930, which combined the Department's ''Office of Research" established in 1920, and the For- est School experimental work localized on the Mont Alto Forest. It is significant that Great Britain, in her reforestation project of 1919 to 1934 sets aside from her annual expenditure of 314 mil- lion dollars, 60 thousand dollars for research 1 his research is almost entirely directed bv the forest administration. The United States Forest Service has estab- lished ten regional forest experiment stations with a large forest products laboratory, all of which are handled in close correlation with the huge National Forest properties, as well as for the interest of private forest owners. Iruly forest research progresses best when associated closely with forest administration Forest research is "the spearhead" of reforest- ation progress. OUR ELM TREES-WE SHALL MISS THEM By H. Gleason Mattoon DEPRESSINC; as it is to visualize, there IS a possibility that by 1955 the elm tree, that most beautiful and most American feature of our landscai)e, will be but a memory. Before cataloguing this as an overstatement, consider. In June. 1933, in Maplewood, xNew Jersey, there was found one elm tree which had been attacked by Graphium ulmi, more commonlv cal ed Dutch elm disease. During the next eighteen months, within fiftv miles of that tree 05UO more elms were dead or dving from the same dread disease. That is, if anything, an understatement of its brief but active history ^" this country. Consider further. In Holland, where this fungus was first dis- covered, its ravages are beyond description. An less than ten years the elm pojuilation of Rotterdam has been reduced from 30,000 to 'ess than 12,000 trees. In Baarn, Holland, not ^n elm remains. Other facts and figures could be given, but It scarcely seems necessary. If you have con- sidered these facts, you may feel that the word probability" should have been used in the first, sentence rather than ' 'possibility." The cor- rect word hinges upon the immediate action taken by Federal and State authorities. If ade- quate funds are provided and quarantines are established, if every possible means is used in the attempt to eradicate Dutch elm disease then there is only a possibility that the elm will become but a memory. If every known measure is not used to its fullest, then the grave probability exists. Public Works Administration has made available $527,000 toward the eflfort, but those who are engaged in Dutch elm disease eradi- cation say this is only half enough. At least $1,000,000 must be provided by Federal author- ities in addition to State support before there is hope for success. In addition, the adjoining states should institute quarantine measures against the importation of elms of any size from localities in the infected area. Experi- ence has^ shown that the disease carried to trees in the Fall remains in an unrecognizable con- dition until the flow of sap in the Spring. If dormant elms are shipped to Pennsvlvania from an infected area, there is always the potent danger that Graphium ulmi will be spread. This is not written as news, but rather to emphasize the seriousness of the situation and to entreat you who love elms to acquaint those in authority with the necessity for immediate action. When the Mediterranean fruit fly threatened the citrus crop, Floridians dwelt so effectively upon the prospective gastronomic loss to the country that millions of dollars were niade available in a. short time to fight the pest. Cannot the lovers of elm trees regiment their protest against the possible aesthetic and utili- tarian loss of the elm so effectively that those in authority will act with equal rapidity? On each owner of an elm tree devolves an additional responsibility, to see that his trees are kept in a healthy, thriving condition. Health is insurance against disease, so by subscribing to such a preventive policy one may at least retard the spread of Dutch elm disease. 58 FOREST LEAVES BIRDS AS PRACTICAL FOREST AIDES THE famous lines of Joyce Kilmer, which state that "a tree that may in Simimer wear a nest of robins in its hair" do not mean hterally that the tree, despite the AtX bon Society, uses whole nests full of birds for personal adornment. UiU'V?''- "^^^^ """^ "^^^ decoration of anv kmd. but It does need the birds. Thev are under the natural conditions which prevailed some centuries ago and still more under he modern conditions which prevail today when nature ■"''^^'•^^"*'>' "P^^' the balance of . T'"' ''^'^"'^^ '^^^ ''^e" t'lrown out of ad justment by unintentional importation of fo S SablM '1 '"T ''"" ^'"^-'^ ^° -" '- " Se ont 1- '"^ ^PP^'-ently are control- na Ll ' ^ °''""'"^ ^"^' encouraging the natural enen.es and destroyers of such hnn.! eas?e"rn'!' "'^'*^'\°*^™'-« ^ everybodv in these thelips^Sh.'^ ''' '^'-'-^ -^'- --'- People living i„ „„ ii,fe«elished an in! structive article entitled "The Value nf ir ^' to Man." In this articlp hi • ^"■'^' of fl,» of ■ ^ "^ S'^'^s some counts Among these are 217 bag-worms for one anlTr -''ism "f "?' '"' "'' "*-P""-« for anotner , J5(X} ants for one flicker r^nri ^^ ^i "ighthawks respectively ^ gra s "op^^^^^^^ mosqmtos and 1000 ants. Mr L H R.n ■nenfons a daily consun^ption for on^'bfrd ol more than 5000 eggs of the fall canker wor^ oh. He a so hsts among the food of variou ant St r''''™'''^^ '""''''^ ^« wood -bo °" ants, bark-hce. cut-worms, leaf-hoppers saw fl.es and brown-tail, tussock and gfixsy mX When M-e stop to think what high rates of reproduction prevail in the insect world how soon L'!"r''r /°"°^'^ ^^--^'-- -d :: soon the md.vKlual multiplies to hundreds and thousands, we realize what a war we a e '„ ?efs b;;'f'^rth"'^' ^^^ ''1 preservation :?:;; rees but for the saving of all ,,lant life, which m turn, includes all animal life ' It can scarcely be doubted that if we had no '>.rds all other land life would be ove wS,ed and destroyed by the insect world \Vith too few birds there results a lower fe e-xpectancy for our trees, and proba y to CO ? vf^f ;f^'"" °^ ^'^-^ species less abll to cope w ith the insect enemies. The thought may arise whether the requisite pro,>ort,on of birds does not automaticallv ke p pace with the number of trees to be protected ad the number of insects to be destroyed. In other words, "leave it to Nature to adjust." Ihe answer is that man has dislocated the VNhich usually thrive abnormallv in a new cn- viromnent. and with which local conditions are madef(uate to cope. Nature does her best to restore the balance, tach tree i,roduces multitudes of seeds, and plant life generally struggles valiantly to over- come the destructive agencies. Anvthing which \\e can do t() help by protecting and increasing t he supply of insect-eating birds will be invalu- able co-operation. Even the grain-eating birds benefit forestry, es,,ecially the young trees, as their diet con- SKsts las-gely of the seeds of noxious weeds winch. If „„t kept down, would choke the seed- Inigs. Ihen, too, their young are reared on msect diet. Studies made by Prof. Beal con- \mce him in Iowa the tree sparrows consume tons of seeds during a winter sea.son, chiefly ot the ragweed ; but during the nesting season FOREST LEAVES in the northern woods the young of these spar- tr;Lri[£'""^^^^^'''''^-^-'^-'>^-i--- Another service performed for certain trees by the bird associates is the dissemination of seeds. Such trees as the cherry, mulberrv and sumac, in fact almost any tree which produces a pulpy fruit and a hard seed, depend upon the birds o sow the new crop. These fruits are eaten by the birds and the soft portio, 1 i! ges ed without injury to the bony seed which IS thus carried and sown on new ground Admitting the value of the feathered folk the fr/ier?" ^ ^^" ^'^ '"^ '^ '^^^^ ^-' I-^-' Protective legislation has heli)ed, not so much by deterring the mischevious bov or the houghtless hunter, as by advertising the fact that the birds are a valuable asset. Birds are industrious, alert and adaptable creatures, always attending to business and ready to thrive and increase, given reasonable conditions an^ to 14 million trees. 1 f one large land owner would adopt this plan of planting trees along his forest boundaries what an object lesson it would be to all land owners in the state in the care of boundary lines. The risk of forest fires killing the planted trees is not so .serious a drawback to the plan. One fore.st land owner rejxjrts 5 miles of forest boundary lines burned in the year 1930 —out of 121 miles of lines— and no other lines so burned for years before or since. The year 1930 was an extreme— and the 5 miles of lines could quickly be replanted using 1,760 seed- lings if all the original planted trees were killed. And in many cases it will be found that some of the former trees were unharmed by the fire. This would be true along bottom lands, north slopes and with fire resistant species. Pitch Pine is commonly considered the most forest fire resistant conifer with the added advantage of sprouting ability from the FOREST LEAVES dead stump but recently the writer noticed hundreds of Norway Spruce almost entirely unharmed by a raging forest fire which swepi over the neighboring forest and around and through this 15 year old plantation at Pine Grove, Cumberland County. Of course a single row of trees would be more subject' to damage from the heat of the burning dry leaves and litter from adjoining treeslthan was the case vv^th this solid plantation of open ex endedT^h?"""-;?^" '""^ ^'•-" ''-»- clear of il? ^T^"^ ''""P'"^ ■* shaded and clear of weeds and ferns and grasses and ni inflammable materials. Forest fires are more common to some lo- calities than to others-and tree planting along boundaries might be avoided where the fi"! 0 riot^ ^:^^"^'.. sprout readily from the stump or roots following a most destructive forest fire-and if not too common in the forest could easily be used to advantage in marking for t boundaries m even the most forest fire haz tl ToLT >°"- ^^^'^^^ ^''"■*>^ *° -St fi^^ P cies S ^..r- ^?i ^^' "'^'^h «°"^- tree species will attain before falling in decav i. tree for planting along boundaries forest bnI''T''"''K *''" ^^^^"tages of n.arking fores boundaries by planted trees are many ev'ervoniT^ '"'^ ''^ ^'"^^''°" ^' settled-and everyone loves to plant a tree. SoMR Seed KEUr, On Stony Cround FOREST REVERY By Stanton A. Coblentz A year has gone, and I again return Out of a changing world of brick and brass 1 o he cloud-gazing on a couch of fern And watch the slow waters pass. $10,000,000 MORE FOR NATIONAL FORESTS Allocation of $10,000,000 of Emergencv Conservation Work funds to be used for pur- chase of additional lands for the national for- ests has been made by executive order of Pres- ton Roosevelt, Secretary of War Dern, pres- cient of the National Forest Reservation Com- " "ss.on, announces. This is the second such allocation of emergency funds, the first hav- ing Deen made by the President Julv 21 1933 vjjen $20,000,000 was provided, making pos-' ^"•le the i)urchase of more than 6,000.000 acres tl . ?"''\ J''""'' ''y ^^^ ^^^'eral government in tie last 18 months. Under the same sky-reaching redwood tree in the same grove where I would muse before, I view the latticed shadows languidly Rule on the forest floor. Unchanged! these woods, this light-flecked stream, A.s though not even a leaf had lost its way While man, amid his spires of smoke and steam, Battles, and waxes gray. ^^\fn "''/ ^ ^'^■"''' '^'""^ ^ ^'^^^ ^«""d again. What knowledge brings the troubled soul release ; So that, returning to the doors of men, I still may share your peace. — New York Sun. 62 FOREST LEAVES w ii I COVER SAVES SOIL Rain Washes Bare and Cultivated Land 4,300 Times Faster Than Forest Areas Rainfall washes the soil from hare and cul- tivated lands in the loessial upland helt of northern Mississippi 4,300 times as fast as from forest covered lands in the same section according to U. S. Forest Service investiga- tions. ** A two-year series of tests conducted at Hol- ly Spnngs, Miss., also show the total run-off of water from grass or forest covered slopes was only a small fraction of that from barren or cultivated fields. It was found that soils liaving a vegetative cover absorb practically all the rainfall, and the soils of the region possess great water storage capacity. A tree or plant cover, therefore, in addition to preventing ab- normal erosion, is shown to be of tremendous value in flood control and streamflow regula- tion. ° Tests were made on a series of plots having several different types of cover, the areas ah having a uniform 10 per cent sloj^e. For a plot in a cultivated cotton field in which the rows paralleled the slo,>e, surface run-off of water averaged 58 per cent of the total pre- cipitation, and in heavy rains amounted to as much as 96 per cent. The rate of soil ero" sion on this plot for two years exceeded 195 tons per acre. For a cultivated cotton field with contour plowing, run-off totaled 47 ,^r cent of the precipitation, and soft erosion anu.unted to h'andJT.r- ^"r'^ f-" "arren plot: rain?all f """"""'"'' '" ^^ l^*- ^^"^ "^ the rainfall, and erosion totaled nearly 160 tons ,K.r In contrast, the run-off from plots in an oak raSir% ''' ''r ^ !'"'■ ^^"^ «f t'^^ total rainfalK Erosion from the.se plots was negli- g'l'Ie, the quantity of soil washed from the forest covered plots being only one forty-three SivSon. '" ''-"' '-' ^-' '"^ "-'-'"^er A black locust and osage orange plantation ami scrub oak woodlands showed ilmost as efTec ive protection as the older forest stands. On comparative plots, it was calculated that It would take 1,785 inches of rainfall to wash a pound of soil from the forest covered land coinpared with only one-half inch of rain to erode a pound of soil from a cultivated field 1 o erode the top six inches of soil from land cultivated on the slope would require only ten years. From contour plowed land and from barren. Id e land it would take 28 and 12 year respectively. The six-inch layer of topsoil prC' tected by oak forest, on the other hand, was figured to be good for at least 40,000 years. ECONOMIC SECURITY WILL BE WIDESPREAD WHEN FORESTS ARE MADE PERPETUAL Charles Lathrop Pack, president of the American 1 ree Association, says, in The Re- oTtb^TT J'To- "'"' •'"^"•■^ '""& one-fourth of the United States is to be under manage- ment of foresters. ^ The gigantic project will demand more and better foresters, and will provide much employ- ment in forests, Mr. Pack says. It will be a land utilization plan of enormous value economically and biologically. It will put one of the major natural resources of the nation upon a basis of permanency, as that of Sweden has been for some time. It will also improve opportunities for profit- able agriculture, by giving farmers part-time work in forests. In the Province of Landes, in France, an area containing virtually no population was nut under maritime ]Mne. It.s population is now half as large as that ol Kentucky. Its area is about one-thirteenth that of Kentucky. When timber production all over the coun- try removes a major factor in lumber cost- the long haul— and when game fish, in clear streams, and game, in peri)etual forests, pro- tected from fire, provide sport and table .supply in every .state, the United States will be a bet- ter country— and a .safer one— in which to live. Industrialists cannot provide economic se- curity surpassing that of the man who lives upon, and from, the .soil in such circum.stances that he can do without the city, although the city cannot do without h\m.—Uuis7'illc (A'v.) I lines. FAILURE OF BLACK LOCUST CONIFEROUS MIXTURE IN CENTRAL STATES RAILROADS PRIME USER OF TREATED TIMBER By L. F. Kellogg, Associate Silviculturist Central States Forest Experiment ' station, Columbus, Ohio Forest ],lanting is certain to occupy a lead- ing place in the rehabilitation of waste lands in the central states. Magnitude of the task acres oT7and°" ", '''f '''''' ''^ ^'^ '-■"'«- of acres of land involved, including marginal and o "t'Ta^d T'\ t"'°r' farms,'denuded . asTure Itl rf '' '"^ ^""'^^' ^^'^'^ and pastures, and idle, acres too severely deteri- orated to justify expenditures to reltore the, to productive use for crops or pasture Manv critical areas demand an immediLte f rest c >v ^ fo erc«,on control and watershed protec on . Black locust is being used very exteiSy m present planting operations, especialirtho e or erosion control. The extensive root ys! em wh,eh develops with the establishment ^of te S." r^''^'^ °^ •^"'^•'■"^ ^"d stabilizing the soil surface, sprouts vigorously and proli fically, and contributes to increased soil fer with fixation of nitrogen tions'of^r"''"^ '■^<^«&"i-^d that mi.xed planta- Uous o two or more species are better in many ^^ays ban pure stands of one species. Planted ack locust has been found to 'be most thrifty tS trr; ts '-'- -^-^-^ ^" '"^- is lonJeTI T"^^"' '^""'^''■■^'' '■ ^ '^^"^'- litter . ormed winch is more protective to the soil • and la.st but not least, the investigation of the moul 7'' '^ ?• ^- "^" '-^ ^'-- tfia 1 e '■np r ance, by growing locust in mixed stands. Stan Is ."r ''•'"°''' nearly approach natural a?, n V ''"'T"*'*'"- ^'f'^ "material safeguards Sf Jf r"?'^!'' -^^' entomological aftacks f are the heritage of pure stands, tie ore large amounts of time. labor, trees an money are spent in following this plan, e ^'^^'••^f''e to establish its likelihood of suc- thanks f^7 -nclicators are now at hand. ei °ai :: ^^•■'■^:.l''-^t'"gs and experiments several organizations. During 1933 a total of 125 927 47^ .• feet of fimK^t. • A^^,y^A4/5 cubic l«r ce„, wen, tor cr„„ fa and ,1 Sh fa" riers. The preservation of railway cross t,V« and switch ties is an established pra^ctice wWch contributes substantially to econliS^;';: The report which was prepared by R K with the Anierican WodSes:;Vr7rssS tion, points out that 54.1 per cent of all cro!s ties treated in 1933 were impregnated with creosote ; 32.9 per cent were given treatnTen with creosote-petroleum mixtures ; 8 7 per cen with zinc chloride; 3.1 per cent wkh creosoS in nnxture with zinc chloride, and 1.2 per cem With miscellaneous preservatives For the first time in the history of the for est conservation movement it is pos lie to give the exact area of woodlands in ptnsvJ vania. According to Secretary Lewis E Sta e!" of the Department of Forests'^and Waters tiey comprise exactly 13,053,682 acres ptures about the forests of Pennsylvania have recent ly been compiled and verified by the Fore t" Research Institute at Mont Alto Z if Dr F A 7;„ i • ./""n*^ ^'to, of which ur ii. A. Ziegler is director. Governmentally owned woodlands total S 'staT: r' r-'"'^ "^'"■^" acres and t forits an/ *'•• ''f! ^"'^^ '^"d^' "ational lorests. and municipal forests ^JeTTlTf^ woodlands 'total 10.740.000 oS) acres '" ^°°^''''' '"'"P""^ •^•^63,- exfe'rin1^14^"'^''"^'""u'"^ '^^'^^ ^-^ P'ace, states \oi ^'"°"&.the lumber producing s«tates. in 1926, ,t produced one-fifth of the entire cut of the United States !■.' I 64 FOREST LEAVES SECTIONS MAKE TRIP Pa. and N. Y. Groups Join in Program But the Rain Stops Them on Last Day The thirteenth annual suiiiiner field meeting of the Allegheny Section of the Society of American Foresters, des])ite the weather, was the most successful ever held. With the Alle- gheny Section acting as hosts to the New York Section, some 144, with their guests, which included 27 women, met at the Rock View- House, m Montague, N. J., on September 6. ' The afternoon was spent at Milford Pa visiting the country estate of Gov. Gifford i^inchot. Thursday evening was devoted to a general social get-together. Friday evening was devoted to a baiKiuet held in the Casino of the Rock View House' which was decorated for the occasion. Chair- man J. M. Sloan, of the Allegheny Section, as toastmaster, called on the following, who re- sponded with short talks: Chairman H P Brown of the New York Section, F. W Bes- Sr ; ,^\"' I ^- ^"'■'^'^' P- S- Herbert, G. H. Wirt, J. A. Ferguson, W. S. Taber, R. I) Forbes, J W. Keller, W. H. Rankin. G. t' at^Rold"' ""■'°''' ^- ^- ^^'^"*^'^- ""^' Arrangements for the meeting were in charge of the joint committee, which included r J' ?r ' ^k \ ^^^"ste'l^'-- H. E. Clepper. WPW f-^^'T.°^ *^' Allegheny Section; and E. W. Littlefield. J. S. Davis. S. Heiberg. LEAVES LAND TO STATE A 4-acre tract of land, leased to the Com nionvvealth of Pennsylvania for the past 10 years as a forest fire observation station has been bequeathed to the Department of Forest and Waters by the will of the late Col. Henrv C. Trexler. This area, in Carl)on County is the site of the 60-foot all-steel Stony Point fire im'r^'''^''^^''^i"f ^"'^ aflfording protection to lUU.UXJ acres of forest land. SAVING PENN'S WOODS Inclusion in the national forest system of 4.000 acreiof virgin forest* in Western Penn- sylvania crowns with success efiPorts which have been in i)r()gress for years to get this 1 lonesta tract permanently secured from obli- teration. Extensive stretches of original for- est are not so many in the United States especially in the Rast. that the country can aflford to have them fall before the axe and the saw. — Bvcmmj Bulletin, MORE BACK SEAT DRIVERS? Since the 100 boys of Company 1278, Jennv Jump State Forest, New Jersey, came out o'f the woods and started special flood-control work on Peuquest River, they have come upoti some new and queer aspects of nature. After -idhn^ the body of an old 'T'^model Ford from the stream an eel, a sunfish, and a bass were found in the back seat. In the Journal of the New England Wafer Works Association for September, 1934, Mr. John P. Miller, Commissioner of Public Works for North Adams, Mass., contributes a pai)er on Reforestation of the North Adams Watersheds. After relating of the planting, during 13 years, of 340,000 evergreens and 7,000 locusts (for future fence i)osts). Mr. Miller concludes with this statement : ''The reforestation work carried on at North Adams serves several useful purposes. It tends to ])revent soil erosion and turbid water. Silting of the reservoirs is reduced. The maturer trees retard the melting of the snow in the spring and prolong the run-ofif from that source. The forested areas check the run-off in flood periods by storing in the soil part of the waters from rain and melting snow. Re- placement of deciduous trees and brush with evergreens tends to reduce the color of the water, due to the smaller quantity of leaf car- pet from evergreens. Furthermore, the fact that the supply, is derived from a well kept, beautifully forested area produces a sense of pride in all citizens, whose good will and co- operation are so important." ( A7 ^ ^^S' ^ .^ A.^1^. 7tr/T( n. ^ ^^*-^_''''-^'-""^ \ /-> \y i~J APRIL, 1935 y-. -XjJ^^^' ■Sih W^^ (^. f 1 1 //J In 1936 The Pennsylvania Forestry Association will cilebrate its fiftieth anniversary. As a fitting tribute to the foresight, courage and energy of those who founded this Associa- tion, the membership should be doubled this year. Will you help? %lH 4C •'i\ w^^^i^ '- PUBLISHED BY THE ii»^w35'wj« reNNSYiyANIA FORESTRY ASSOcTOn i**^ ^ PHILADELPHIA. PA. '^•'"•■•Wll i'^'i i ^ CONTENTS Fifty Years of Conservation The Shade Tree Commission RciJph S. Hcsmer Louis B. Ambler, Jr. Editorials ] ' The Spirit of the Tree /• M. Sherwin Collection of Forest Tree Seed - George H. Wirt Progressive Forestry in Pennsylvania J. Horace McFarland btop Gullies— Save Your Farm - . . Fire! Fire! Fire! Department Changes - FERA Tree Planting Projects Fall Planting of Conifers ^ Arbor Day - . . , Dutch Elm Disease Quarantine No Sahara Forming Reforestation Work C. Clifton Lewis ' * , Waller Leac/i PAGE 65 67 68 68 69 71 72 72 72 73 75 76 77 78 79 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION ^ " founded in June, 1886 :' Labors to disseminate information in regard u. tU . •' and preservation, and to secure the enactment and (' "^^^"^^^/^d "methods of forest culture both State and National. ^"^^^^ent and enforcement of proper forest protective laws. . Annual Membership Fee, Three Dollars Neither the membership nor the woric r.( tU- a State of Pennsylvania. Persons desZJ, K ^""^^^^^«" «« ^n^^nded to be limited Chairman of the Membership ComX 06 c"" "'T'^ ^'^"^' ^^"^ ^^^'^ — ommittee, 306 Commercial Trust Building, Philadelphia. President—SAMLEL L. Smedley President Emeritus~-DR. Henry S. Drinker ' Rnn,:o^ c n ^ice-Presidents kobert S. Conklin w r \Ar.n i-ii> vs^ u McCaLEB EnWAnn P X/f D .^ Francis R Copf Tr p ^dward C. M. Richards c^ , rr r> ■' Edward Woolman .... Secretary— H. Gleason Mattoon • ^ Treasurer-~K. A. Wright, C - , •* to the to the P. A. OREST LEAVES PUBLISHED QUARTERLY Lntered at the Philadelphia Post-Office as second H Application pending for transfer of entry astconT!''' ""^'' ^'' '^ ^^''^ ^' 1879 enrry as second-class matter to Wayne Pa Subscription $1.00 per Year ' ' Vol. XXV— No. 6 Philadelphia, April, 1935 Whole Number 277 Fifty Years of Conservation THE State of New York is celebrating this year a significant anniversary. Fifty years H.ll '^°'r ^^r ''' ''^^' Governor David B Hill signed a bill which created a State forest Tg^of t?" "' ^'^° ""^'^ POss^ble" h?r as fhe M? I FT ^'^^ °^ ^°^^^' la"^. Morton Map of the Horse-Shoe Trail The Horse-Shoe Trail Philip Atlee Livingston •v.. Editorials Conservation Bill Challenged ^ " ^ < Effect of Fire on Seedlings ^ - . ^ ^ ^ George S. Perry Letter From Ex-Governor Pinchot ^ . . . The American Mahoganies - ^ . ^ ^ ^ Russell M. Ziegler Forest Service Crews Fight Twenty-Eight Fires a Day National Forests Spread Over East and South Summer Meeting of Association Floods Forecast on Slow Streams - - ^ ^ ^ Pennsylvania Imports 70 Per Cent of its Timber PAGE Cover ^ 1 - 2 ^ 3 ^ 4 ' 5 ' 7 ' 8 ' 9 ' 10 ' 10 ' 11 ' 11 ' 12 THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION founded, in ]une, 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 One Dollar of which is for subscription to Forest Leaves 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 Ckjmmittee, 306 Commercial Trust Building, Philadelphia. President — Samuel L. Smedley President Emeritus— Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents Robert S. Conklin W. B. McCaleb Edward C. M. Richards Francis R. Cope, Jr. Edward Woolman Secretary— H. Gleason Mattoon Treasurer— K. A. Wright, C. P. A. FO AVES PUBLISHED QUARTERLY Entered at the Philadelphia Post-Oflfice as second-class matter, under Act of March 3, 1879 Application pending for transfer of entry as second-class matter to Wayne, Pa. Subscription fl.OO per Year Vol. XXV— No. 3 Wayne, Pa., July, 1935 Whole Number 278 Wildlife: A Forest Product By JAMES N. MORTON Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners THE most essential contribution of the Com- monwealth of Pennsylvania to the recrea' tional needs of its citi2;ens has been its comprehensive and successful program of wild- life conservation. During the thirty-nine years of its existence, the Pennsylvania Game Commis- sion, through the gradual development and im- provement of its game code, has turned the eyes of the Nation's sportsmen in its direction. The State's program of wildlife protection, acquisi- tion of public lands, establishment of game ref- uges, propagation and distribution of game birds and animals, and the control of predators has resulted in establishing our wildlife as one "of the biggest assets of the State. This has been a gigan- tic task when it is considered that the State was virtually destitute of game forty years ago, a task which could have been accomplished only with enthusiasm born of the highest sort of altruism and the most intense devotion to a cause. The first refuges established in Pennsylvania were intended primarily to protect deer since that species of game had become practically ex- tinct. The number of refuges was increased as the need arose and as areas became available. The intensive development by reason, of Civilian Conservation Corps work on the State's forests during the past few months has made necessary the establishment of a number of additional refuges, particularly for the protection of small game. More than fifty were established during the past summer, principally for the protection of wild turkeys. Thousands of acres of forest ^hich for years were natural game refuges, due to their comparative inaccessibility, are now easy to reach. It is to protect game in some of these areas that the new refuges were established. There is now maintained a total of 184 game refuges in Pennsylvania, having a total area of 127,587 acres; seventy-five are located on State Game Lands, sixty- four on State Forest land, one on National Forest land and forty-four on privately owned land. In conjunction with the establishment and maintenance of refuges, the Game Commission has conducted, since 1920, a program of land acquisition. The total area acquired to date is 458,228 acres, the largest proportion of which is forest land, with perhaps five per cent abandoned farms. Since 1927, seventy-five cents from each resident license is, by law, set aside in a special fund for the purchase of lands and the creation o( game refuges, and the maintenance of the game refuges and lands. It is becoming increasingly difilcult to main- tain a sufiicient game crop for the great army of outdoor enthusiasts. Ways and means of accom- plishing this have been developing in Pennsyl- vania over a period of many years. At first there were simple regulations concerning Sunday hunting and bounties on predatory animals and birds. From there we have seen a great many important enactments, among which are the fol' lowing: the creation of a Game Commission; the provision for seasons and bag limits for all game; the passing of laws prohibiting the use of dogs in hunting deer and prohibiting market hunting; the passing of a game refuge law; the passing of laws protecting black bear and protecting doe Continued on Page Fourteen i pi 1' 1 p w 1 i " ■''11 ' § '1, . :i Is The Horse-Shoe Trail By PHILIP ATLEE LIVINGSTON With Photographs by the Author Two Forest Leaves THE Horse-Shoe Trail, traversing some' of the most beautiful country of eastern Penn- sylvania, is nearing completion as the result of more than a year's work on the part of horse- men, hikers and nature lovers. The Trail, a v,ilderness route more than eighty miles in length, extends from Valley Forge to Manada Cap, northeast of Harrisburg, where it meets the Appalachian Trail. It is the concept of Henry N. Woolman, of Ardmore, who with a group of friends, visualized a bridle trail accessi- ble to the populated sections of eastern Pennsyl- vania, yet traversing woods and back roads. . Preliminary surveys were made nearly two years ago, after which various groups visited the region by auto, securing the co-operation of groups along the way. During the past year the entire Trail has been made passable and much of it has been marked. Carefully avoiding concrete and macadam roads, fenced land and towns, the Trail traverses a region of rare beauty. From Valley Forge the route follows the ridge on the north side of the Chester Valley and turns north just before reach- ing the Conestoga Road, paralleling it to the edge of Nantmeal Village. Here the Trail turns left and then north, crossing the west branch of French Creek, where is located the remains of the iron foundry which cast the first Franklin stove. Soon after crossing Route 23 the Trail leads through the new French Creek National Park at Hopewell Furnace, now being developed by a large group of CCC workers. It follows an old road to Scarlet's Mill, where it again traverses an old log road along the ridge to Plowville. Here old roads are again used temporarily until the Trail can be located along the ridges to Alle^ ghenyville and Adamstown, where it crosses into Lebanon County, following the old Chestnut Ridges with wonderful views into Lebanon and Lancaster Counties. Passing through State Game Refuge No. 46, the Trail then crosses Hammer Creek, skirts the July, 1935 edge of Cornwall Forests and climbs to the fire tower. At Mt. Gretna it climbs to the top of Governor Dick, continues along Beary Ridge to Mt. Wilson and Hartranf t " Hill, passing through Hunter's Bottom, and continues westward along Sproul Hill. Just before reaching the Dauphin County line the Trail turns north, crossing high- way No. 5 through 8000 acres of the Hershey Estates, passing Hershey Hotel. Crossing Swatara Creek over the old covered bridge, the Trail fol- lows back country roads to Manada Gap, where it joins the Appalachian Trail. . The rapid development of the Trail has been due in large measure to the enthusiastic co-opera-- tion of a group of hiking and riding clubs, aided by other local groups along the way. Most active clubs have been the Bridlewild Trails Club, the QUentin Riding Club, the Beauford Hunt, Beaver Valley Hunt, Back-to-Nature Club and Nature Ramblers. The entire distance of the Trail has been ridden twice, with an increasing use of sections of the route for day trips. The Nature Ramblers, under the leadership of D. K. Betz, have scheduled a trip covering the entire Trail during the latter part of this month. The Trail is being marked with bright yellow horse shoes, whose position indicates the course. They will be placed with the toe pointing up when the Trail continues straight ahead; the toe will point to the right or to the left to indicate a change of route in either direction. Two shoes tell of a coining change of direction. When completed the Trail will have available a chain of riding stables and rest houses for the use of those who wish to use part of the route, or who prefer to break a long trip with comfortable overnight facilities. A number of property own' ers have offered to donate land to the Trail for the construction of shelters. Two types are planned: a simple lean-to with a lean'to for the horses, and a cabin with bunks. Small inns along the way are being located and will be listed and ► Continued on Page Thirteen Three 1 FOREST LEAVES Published quarterly by * The PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Disseminates information and news on forestry and related subjects. H. Gleason Mattoon, Editor PUBLICATION COMMITTEE ]. Ernest Bartlett, Chairman ^ Edward C. M. Richards George S. Perry Louis B. Ambler, Jr. W. B. McCaleb Dr. E. E. Wildman Philip A. Livingston The publication of an article in Forest Leaves does not necessarily imply that the views expressed therein are those of The Pennsylvania Forestry Association. Address all correspondence to the Editor, 306 Commer' cial Trust Building, Philadelphia, Pa. Kindly notify us of any change in address. JULY, 1935 The U. S. Forest Service There is before the United States' Senate a proposal sponsored by Secretary Ickes to change the name of the Department of the Interior to the Department of Conservation and Works. This proposal bodied in Senate Bill 2665 appears to be a harmless measure, yet careful study shows that it is fraught with danger to the Forest Serv- ice and all conservation activities. This is but the latest in a long series of moves by various Interior Secretaries to take over many of the activities of the Department of Agricul- ture, particularly those having to do with con- servation measures and practices. The Pennsylvania Forestry Association is wholly opposed to any such move. This oppos- ition is based on the past record of the Depart- ment of Interior and upon the satisfactory strides made by the Department of Agriculture. This Association has gone on record in a resolution passed at the June meeting of the Council, which is as follows: Whereas, The conservation of our na- tural organic resources has been effectively guarded and fostered by the Department of Agriculture, and Whereas, The past record of the De- partment of Interior is detrimental to the interests of conservation, J ways remain visible regardless of tree growth. The Oak is called the King of Trees, and acorns from oak trees were food before anyone in Europe knew the grain we called corn. Rubber, Rosin, Gum Arabic, Myrrh, Gutta Percha, Copal, Dyes and Tans, Turpentine, Ace tic Acid, Camphor, Cellophane, Explosives, Cel- luloid and Rayon — all come from various trees. Stvtn t W Ex-Govcrnor Pinchot Warns Against Conservation Bill July 9, 1935. Mr. H. Gleason Mattoon, Editor, Forest Leaves, Philadelphia, Pa. Dear Mr. Mattoon: I appeal to you because the National Forests are again in serious danger. Another attempt is under way to get the National Forests and the forest work of the Gov- ernment transferred from the Agricultural De- partment, where the forests are safe and the work well done, back to the Department of the Inter- ior, from which they were taken because of wretched management. The present attempt is made under cover of an effort (Senate Bill 2665) to change the name of the Interior Department to the Department of Conservation and Public Works. The transfer of the National Forests and the Forest Service is not mentioned in the bill, but is planned for later on. Conservation is too broad a subject to be con- fined to any one Department. Nearly all of them deal with it in one form or another. A Department of Conservation would be almost as illogical as a Department of Typewriting or a Department of Wastebaskets, which everybody has to use. The conservation policy itself, and about every important conservation movement for the last thirty years, originated in the Department of Agriculture. It has shown practical horse sense in dealing with natural resources intelligently, uprightly, and without fraud or loss. In contrast, the record of the Interior Depart- ment is far and away the worst in Washington. Every natural resource, without exception, that has been held for disposal by the Interior Depart- ment— public lands, Indian lands, coal, oil, water power, and timber — has been wasted and squan- dered at one time or another. It is one long story of fraud in public lands, theft in Indian lands, and throwing the people's property away. Most of the fights for conservation have been made to save natural resources belonging to the people which the Interior Department was throw- ing away. The National Forests must not go the same road. Eight Secretary of the Interior Ickes is sincere and honest, but he cannot live forever. Secretary Garfield was honest, but Secretary Ballinger, his successor, tried to give away the people's water powers and the coal lands in Alaska. The result- ing scandal cost Taft his re-election. And every- body remembers Tea Pot Dome, when Secretary Fall handed the Navy's oil lands over to the despoilers. Fall tried hard to get his hands on the National Forests. Ickes is my friend. Wallace is my friend. But the National Forests could not be better handled in the Interior Department than in the Depart- ment of Agriculture, where they have been safe for thirty years. What is the use of rocking the boat? The Forest Service is completely free from politics where it is. Ickes himself is straight, but the whole history of the Interior Department is reeking with politics. The tradition of the In- terior Department is to put private interests first. The tradition of the Agriculture Department is to put public interests first. Wood is a crop. Forestry is tree farming. It belongs in the Department of Agriculture with all other farming and production from the soil. Undoubtedly if Secretary Ickes got the National Forests he would do his level best. But he has more work now than any other Cabinet officer in Washington. The National Forests are bigger than all the Atlantic States from Maine to Virginia, inclusive. Why put this additional load on a man who has too much to do already? Let the National Forests stay where they are. Sincerely, (Signed) Gifford Pinchot. Monkey Puzzle Everyone knows the Chile pine, for its hori- zontal branches bearing long cyHndrical, horizon- tal or pendant branchlets coveted by thick, leath- ery, spine-tipped, spirally arranged leaves, separate it from all other hardy trees. It is often called Monkey Puzzle, a name that IS said to have originated in a Cornish garden. The owner of an early introduced tree was ex- hibiting it to his friends, when one exclaimed, "It would puzzle a monkey to climb that tree. "Good idea," said the host, "we might call it monkey puzzle." And the name remains. Forest Leaves The American Mahoganies By RUSSELL M. 2IEGLER Pennsylvania Department oj Forests and Waters MAHOGANY is universally accepted as the finest cabinet and interior finish wood in the world. Wood technolo' gists and botanists recognize three types of ma^ hogany, all members of the Meliaceae family and of the mahognay tribe (Swietenioideae). These tree species have rather limited ranges. West Indian Mahogany (Swietenia) comes from Cuba, Santo Domingo, and Haiti. It is also native to other West Indian Islands, but not in commercial quantities. American Mahogany (Swietenia) is commerci' ally important in Southern Mexico, Central America, Northern Venezuela, Eastern Peru, and Western Brazil, Panama and Northeastern Columbia. African Mahogany (Khaya) is produced in Ivory Coast, Gold Coast, Western Nigeria, and Northwestern French Equatorial Africa. The type of work to be produced with mahog' any is the determining factor in the handling of the logs as to whether it is to be fabricated for quality, figure, or texture. West Indian Mahogany, the scarcest of the mahoganies, is the leading species for certain parts of the finest furniture. It is the heaviest of the species, having close grown, silky texture and an exceptional color. It wears as well, if not better, than any other species. It is easily stained and takes a high polish. The American Mahoganies show a close fam^ ily resemblance, varying but slightly in color, texture, weight, and figure. Because of their larger size and straighter logs wider cuttings can be obtained from them. The wood is most adaptable for use in sizeable work such as office furniture and bank fixtures. African Mahogany is also obtainable in large size. The logs are from fourteen to thirty-six feet in length and from three to five feet in diam^ cter. They are hewn square for shipment and yield wider and longer boards than any other species. The wood is lighter in weight, has a July. 1935 milder texture, and larger pores than other mahoganies. The figure, amazing in its variety, ranges from straight stripe to rich mottle figures. Mahogany is not red, but a rich golden brown. The wood of some trees has a more reddish cast than others. The deep red color on mahogany is due to stain applied in finishing. In all types of mahogany the pores contain a scattered quantity of dark glistening deposits, and the pores are smaller than in the types of wood substituted for mahogany. Substitutes for mahogany are the genus Shorea from the Phillip' pines, and black birch and gum in the United States. There are no mahogany forests. The trees are scattered throughout the jungles, and two trees per acre are considered a very good stand. Since the trees on the stream banks have long since been cut, the logging of mahogany is a battle with the tropical jungles. After an area has been cruised and sufficient material can be logged to make the venture profitable, trails must be cut to each tree. The trees are felled, bucked and dragged to the stream banks of dry creeks, and each log stamped. This work is done with cattle in America and man power in Africa. During the flood season the logs are floated to deep water before the flood subsides. If the logs do not get to deep water it will delay their get' ting to market six months. The logs are then formed into rafts, similar to those that once floated down our Pennsylvania streams, and allowed to drift to the ocean. It is a dangerous job, aS the rafts must be floated out to sea so they can be loaded on streamers. To get the rafts over the sand bars is an extremely dangerous job, especially when the sea is so rough that the wave action is strong enough to break up the rafts and scatter the logs along the coast. The fact that these waters are shark infested increases the danger. Even aboard the steamer, the danger is not gone, as there is always the chance of tropical hurricanes. WW Forest Service Crewi Fight Twenty-Eight Fires a Day Increasing fire harards are reported in many of the 150 National bor^sts of the United States at the mid-year point this season in the annual battle with the flames, according to Roy Headley, assistant forester of the Forest Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, who has charge of protection of the forests against fire. In the last ten days of June, Forest Service protective crews had to fight an average of twenty-eight fires a day. An average of twenty of these fires were man-caused, — from matches and tobacco dropped in the forests, from un- guarded camp fires, brush burning, and other sources. The Forest Service "box score" of telegraphic fire information, gathered every ten days, shows that national forests in the first half of 1935, had 3,238 fires against 3,459 for the same period last year. However, 2,902 of the 1935 fires were man-caused, against 2,279 for the first half of last year. Area burned so far this year jumped con- siderably—105,146 acres, against 72,035 acres in the first six months of 1934. The increase in losses this year for the national forest system as a whole is largely accounted for by the several million acres of land newly pur- chased for national forest purposes in the South- eastern and North Central regions. In these new areas the Forest Service protective system has not yet been fully developed, and local edu- cational work against prevalent woods burning practices has not yet become effective. Three out of four of the man-caused fires in National For- ests this year and more than 90 per cent of the acreage burned were in these two regions. All the western regions except California have cut down the number of forest fires so far this year, and in CaHfornia the acreage burned . is only about one-tenth that of the first half of 1934. Despite the West having about eight times the area of national forest lands, and its being usu- ally subject to worse droughts, it has far fewer man-caused fires than the Eastern and Southern regions. To meet the problem of protecting life and property from forest fires, the Forest Service is rapidly developing its system of lookouts, communications, trails, firebreaks, and roads in Ten the new areas. Good equipment, trained men and local co-operation, it is expected, will gradu- ally check the fire menace to the newly acquired forests. National Forests Spread Over the East and South National Forest areas in States east of the Rockies have doubled in the last two years. Lands purchased or approved for purchase since June, 1933, amount to 8,698,541 acres, according to the Forest Service, U. S. Department of Agri' culture. The aggregate area of National Forests in the United States, including Alaska and Puerto Rico, is now more than 170 million acres. While most of the National Forest area is in the West, the system in the eastern half of the country is grow ing to a point where it will more adequately serve these densely populated States. With the approval of the National Forest Res- ervation Commission, the Forest Service has des- ignated ninety -two purchase units in twenty-seven States, including timber-producing and critical watershed areas in the Ohio Valley, the Owrks, the Appalachians, the Lake States, and the Gulf States. Purchases of land have already been approved with seventy-three of these units, al- though in some of the newer units very little acreage has as yet been asquired. Additional purchases are planned as funds become available. On the newly acquired areas, the Forest Service is undertaking improvement work as rapidly as possible, to facilitate protection and to develop the timber, wildlife, and recreational resources. Rehabilitation on many of these new units is a big job, since much of the land has been wasted and depleted in the past. The National Forest purchase program is expected to make a marked contribution to local community stabiHty and ecc nomic welfare through the building up of de- pleted resources and management for ^'sustained yield'' of products and services. The Bo-Tree is a sacred tree of Ceylon. When P. T. Barnum bought a sacred white elephant from India, he was required to swear by the sacred and holy Bo-Tree that the animal would receive much kindness. Forest Leaves Summer Meeting of Association THE Summer Field Meeting of The Penn- sylvania Forestry Association will be held on August 27th and 28th in the Poconos in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The Pocono Forestry Association, one of the most active sectional association of the State, has asked this Association to join with them at their Annual Meeting which starts at 3 P. M. on August 27th. At 5.30 P. M., we will be their guests at a supper at the Buck Hill Falls Hotel. The evening meeting on that day, which will start at eight o'clock, will be held in the outdoor amphitheatre at the hotel. The speakers and moving pictures will be provided by this Associa- tion. On the following day. The Pennsylvania For- estry Association has invited The Pocono For- estry Association on a field trip. The first stop will be on the summit of Big Pocono, where the course of the proposed Rim Parkway will be pointed out to us and an explanation given of the value of this proposed Parkway in fighting forest fires, adding to the scenic beauty of the region, and as an asset in other forestry projects. From there, the cavalcade will travel to a nearby gypsy moth infested area where the con- trol measures and destruction may be seen. A short talk will also be given by one of the men in charge of Gypsy Moth eradication. At 1.30 P. M., the members of The Pennsylvania For- estry Association will be the guests of The Poco- no Forestry Association at a luncheon at Pocono Lake Preserve. Following the luncheon, a guide will conduct those who wish to tour the forest of the Preserve, pointing out the forest manage- ment plans and improved cuttings. The Summer Meeting Committee composed of E. F. Brouse, Chairman, Edward E. Wildman, Edward Woolman, John K. Harper and H. Glea- son Mattoon in co-operation with the Committee of The Pocono Forestry Association of which Charles N. Thompson is Chairman with J. A. Seguine, John H. Kunkle, and Egbert Carey have arranged a very interesting meeting. It is hoped that many members of The Pennsylvania For- ^try Association will avail themselves of this July, 1935 opportunity to see many points of interest in the Poconos and the projects relating to forestry that are being carried on there. A notice will go out to all members later, giving necessary information on hotel accommodations and rates. In the meantime, save these dates for the Summer Meeting. Floods Forecast on Slow Streams; But Rivers of Northeast Too Fast The flood season of 1935 is over in the Central valleys, according to M. W. Hayes, of the Weather Bureau. Small streams here and there may get out of bounds, but the important flood makers — the Mississippi and its large tributaries — are through for this year, if past performance is a guide. The Weather Bureau has no record of an extensive flood in the Mississippi system between July 15th and winter. The outstanding feature of the floods in the Central valleys this year — the worst since 1927 — was the extremely rapid rise from the unusually low river levels left by the drought of 1934. As a rule, Mr. Hayes says, the stage for any great flood is set in the fall. In 1926, for example, heavy rains saturated the ground, so that streams, big and little, went into the winter well fed with water. More rain in late winter and spring fell on saturated ground, making the 1927 floods inevitable. Conditions this year were quite different. At the close of winter, streams were very low, the ground was extremely dry, and dust, rather than rain, swept across the land. However, the spring rains which finally broke the drought, were so hard and incessant as to pack the surface soil against rapid absorption. Rains ran off into creeks and rivers, bringing many of them to flood stage. An unusual feature this year was the unprecc dented flood in Southern New York. Although the shallow Finger Lakes in their low-lying basin have always given this section a perfect setting for a bad flood, Mr. Hayes says rainfall there had Eleven til km iif 11 never before been so heavy for so many days on end. , The Weather Bureau issues flood warnings for very few of the rivers east and north of the Susquehanna. These northeastern rivers are too short and move too fast to make long forecasts possible. By the time the forecast could be pre- pared, the flood would be upon the community. In the Middle and South Atlantic States and in the Central valleys, however, where the rivers are much longer and move more slowly, the Bureau — by means of river gauges at strategic points — closely watches the rise and fall of streams, as well as the rainfall throughout the system and any other conditions that aflPect floods. Fore- casters can predict these river stages from two days to a month in advance.. Pennsylvania Imports 70% of its Timber Pennsylvania, with all of its potential forest and timber resources, imports about 70 per cent of its timber suppHes. This condition was disclosed following a study of the pulpwood and mining timber industries in Pennsylvania, just completed by Dr. E. A. Zieg- ler, of the Division of Research, Department of Forests and Waters. The survey showed that the market for timber supplies in Pennsylvania far exceeds the cut, de' spite the fact that the State now owns 1,648,896 acres of State Forests. Neglect of and apathy to forest fires thirty and more years ago, and the complete lack of a reforestation program during that period, are responsible for the economic cir' cumstances of today. In normal years the State uses 858,000,000 cubic feet of wood and grows only 375,000,000 cubic feet. The imports for lumber and large sized timber jump as high as 84 per cent of our total consumption and only about 16 per cent is produced within the State. There are ten wood-using pulp mills in opera- tion in Pennsylvania, with an annual consumption of approximately 237,000 cords of wood, of which more than 60 per cent is imported. Almost all of the common trees of Pennsylva- nia are now used for pulp, with the exception of the oak, which the pulp mills have thus far been unable to handle economically. Twelve This famine of timber in a center of potential plenty is felt chiefly in the anthracite and bitu- minous coal regions where large quantities of timber are needed for the construction and main- tenance of mine shafts. Here the imports soar to almost 84 per cent in comparison with the pulp imports of 60 per cent. This paradoxical condition wherein a State with 1,648,896 acres of forests must import 70 per cent of its timber, is due to the indifference of several generations removed. Had the forests been properly managed and protected thirty years ago and more, a series of thinnings over a rota- tion period could have been conducted and as much as 40 per cent of the total growth could have been removed from time to time without injuring the remaining stand. In conjunction with the research surveys that have been made of the marketing conditions in Pennsylvania, it has also been pointed out that during the past thirty years, under the manage- ment of the Department of Forests and Waters, the State Forests have produced such a rapidly increasing growth of young timber trees that the forests are ready at this point to yield timber products of small dimension size. . Trees — An Irreverent Parody (Apologies to Joyce Kilmer) I must confess that I cant see Why poets rave about the tree. They call its roots "its hungry moutW (I wish theyd try to dig 'em out). f > Those ''leafy arms that lift to pray, (I've cut 'em day by weary day) . Of course, there's '* nests of robins there,' {But who wants robins in th^ir hair?) They ''live with rain,^' but who has not, (Who sleeps upon an Army cot?) »» Tes, "poems are made by fools li\e me, (But any nut can plant a tree) . The foregoing verse was written by a member of a Pennsylvania CCC Camp. Forest Leaves Mr Woohnan explains route to Lebanon and Lan:dst€r County group. Hammer Cree\, April, 1934 The Horse-Shoe Trail Continued from Page Three a number ci farmers have expressed a willingness to take care of mounts. An increased appreciation of Pennsylvania's forests will hz a natural result of the use of the new Trail. Although close to towns and cities, the route traverses excellent timb:r country and passes through regions still replete with deer, grouse and other forms of wild life. The finest stand of timber is found in the Cornwall Forests, where oaks, maples and beech dominate the woods. The wildest part of the route lies be tween Adamstown and Hammer Creek. Mr. Woolman visualizes the project as eventu' ^lly a part of a State, or national park system, preserving its wilderness aspect in the face of the encroachment of civilization. 'There seems to be no good reason," he states, "why our State forests and public reservations should not be made more generally available for horseback riding and hik- ing. A trail of this kind will bring business into the back country towns and retain much of the nione> in Pennsylvania that is now being spent July, 1935 by our citizens for recreation in other States.'' A permanent organization has been formed un' der the name of the Horse- Shoe Trail Club, of which Mr. Woolman is temporary president. The incorporators are as follows: Major Lynn G. Adams, Superintendent State Police. Myron H. Avery, Appalachian Trail Conference. Major Nicholas Biddle, Chairman State Game Com- mission. Edward E. Croll, Evening Ledger. C. M. Erdman, Quentin Riding Club. James Fentress, Scout Executive. Capt. Clyde E. Fisher, Governor's Troup. Percival E. Foerderer, Bridlewild Trails. Frank B. Foster, Boy Scouts of Chester County. Miss Lillian Gest, Philadelphia Trail Club. Wesley A. Gilman, N. W. Ayer & Son, Inc. Frank M. Hardt, Fidelity-Philadelphia Building. H. H, Harkins, Quentin Riding Club. Charles Hazlehurst, President Philadelphia Trail Club. P. N. Hershey, Hershey Estates. Mrs. Caroline Miller Huber, Director Pennsylvania League of Women Voters. Dr. 'Martin Kilpatrick, Philadelphia Trail Club. J. A. La fore, Bridlewild Trails. J. Carlos Lopes, Scoutmaster. Thirteen III; Hon. Harry S. McDevitt, President Saddle Horse Association. Otto T. Mallery, Playground and Recreation Associa- tion of Philadelphia. ' Ehrman B. Mitchell, Beauford Hunt Qub. j Dr. Wm. H. Moore, Camp and Trail Club. I Charles H. Muhlenberg, Jr., Reading, Pa. ! Edgar W. Nicholson, President Pennsylvania State Fish and Game Protective Association. ; J. N. Pew, Jr., Warwick, Pa. ; Hon. H. J. Pierson, Senator, Lancaster County. ' Dr. Horace C. Porter, Philadelphia Trail Club. ; Col. Fred Taylor Pusey, National Guard Pennsyl' vania. Claude E. Runkel, Quentin Riding Club. Dr. Benjamin Schneyer, President Back to Nature Hiking Club. Samuel L. Smedley, President Pennsylvania Forestry Association. Jonathan M. Steere, Girard Trust Company. Hon. Lewis H. VanDusen, Judge Orphans' Court. Hon. Thomas Weidemann, Member House of Rep' resentatives of Pennsylvania. Col. Samuel P. Wctherill, Jr., President Philadelphia Art Alliance. W. Nelson L. West, Smoky Mountain Hiking Club. W. Nelson West, 3rd., Secretary. Edward Woolman, Vice-President Pennsylvania For» estry Association. Henry N. Woolman, Temporary President. Clarence E. Wunder, Bridlewild Trails. Wildlife: A Forest Product CoTntinusd from Page One deer by permitting only bucks with antlers visible above the head to be shot; the passing of a bounty law and the hunters' license law; and the passing of acts granting wide discretionary' powers to the Board of Game Commissioners. It would be possible to go on and enumerate many more major steps taken for the purpose of safeguarding this ancient sport and the end is not yet in sight. It seems to me that we are approaching the time when another major step will have to be taken. This one has to do with the manipulation of the environment for game in order to provide better conditions as to food and cover. I believe that the time is past when foresters can simply ignore game and assume a hostile attitude. They are failing in their duty to the people and to the profession, when they do not consider game an integral part of the forest and give proper recog' nition to it in the plans of management. Wildlife is very rapidly increasing in import- ance in the minds of our people. It is one of the popular subjects of the present time. This interest is found in sportsmen's clubs, Boy Scout organizations, nature study clubs, and individ- Fourteen uals. Within the past year the President has designated a committee on wildlife restoration, having as its object the formulation of plans for the protection and restoration of game animals, game, song, and insectivorous birds. The recreational use of forests, especially those publicly owned, has grown tremendously during the past few years and it will continue to grow. Wildlife is naturally a very important feature of this form of use because it furnished the inducement to hunters, nature lovers and others to go to the woods. The great public interest in wildlife and recreation cannot help but have a decided effect upon the future atti' tude of foresters toward the practice of forestry. They will of necessity give more thought to the creatures of the woods. They will be required to take a broader view of the forest than, gen' erally speaking, has been taken in the past. The problem which confronts them is how best to manage the forest to permit the production of a maximum game crop without affecting seriously maximum timber production. The greatest con' tribution of the foresters will be in so planning their silvicultural system that the interests of game will be served. The backbone of any state'wide scheme of wildlife management is the forest. Wildlife is definitely a product of the forest. Woodlands provide homes and hiding places which will en' able our furred and feathered friends to exist. Many of our most sought for game animals and game birds, and a majority of the song and insec tivorous birds, spend practically their whole lives within the woodland shadows. Many field dwelling mammals and birds when beset by hunter, dog or other enemy seek safety in flight to the nearest woodland, be it woodlot or moun' tain border. Important as the forest is to wildlife in pre viding homes and protective cover the food problem is the most vital consideration where all lif^ M concerned. All wildlife is found in profu' sionfj^only where vegetation is found in greatest abundance. Forested areas, with their over' stories of trees of diversified species, their under stories of nuts, fruits, and berrybearing shrubs and bushes furnish food in profusion for beast and bird. We may have good game laws, an excellent refuge system, an efficient corps of highly trained protection officers, a good yearly output from our Forest Leaves Courtesy Penna. Dept. of Forests and Waters The Blac\ Bear is now protected by law game farms, but if there is not satisfactory cover or plenty of food for game our efforts are in vain. Game will increase up to the amount of available food and no further, other conditions, of course, being favorable. It is in the develop- ment of these prime requisites that we need the co-operation and assistance of foresters. By their knowledge of the trees and of results from cuttings they are better fitted than anyone else to render valuable services. There are two principal ways by which for- esters can assist in improving the food and cover conditions for game, thereby making possible the maintenance of a larger supply. The first is the treatment of the area to influence the kinds and density of vegetation to favor different varieties of wildlife. The other is the planting of trees, shrubs, and vines which provide an assortment of food. Many forest areas in Pennsylvania are now past the stage where they furnish browse for deer and good cover for small game. The crowns of the trees on many areas have closed, shading July, 1935 out the understory of valuable tree species as well as the ''forest weeds'' those species of shrubs considered worthless by the forester, yet so important as game food producers. It seems advisable now, and it will be more so as the for' ests mature, to put a guiding hand in the struggle between the different tree species in order to maintain the proper understory at least on part of each area. The treatment given probably will be altogether contrary to good forestry princi- ples; that is, the recognized practice of growing the greatest amount of the best producing, most valuable trees in the shortest possible time. Some valuable timber no doubt will have to be sacri' ficed on many areas in order to provide coppice or sprout growth for deer browse and thick cover for other species. Some valuable timber no doubt will have to be sacrificed to permit the growth of the so-called '"'forest weeds." These forest weeds require sunlight for growth, other^ wise they are quickly shaded out by large growth. Wherever possible a forest of varying age classes and mixed species should be encouraged. A Fifteen li f ' 1"^ »/^,r^ mature, even aged forest often is open j\s to its floor, carpeted only with pine .needles or fallen leaves and offering little cover in which game may hide. The low shrubs and plant life on the forest floor are particularly necessary for provid- ing insect Hfe for the young of game birds and cover and food for most game birds and animals. In the planting of so-called waste lands with conifers, game should be given consideration. Coniferous species, while small, make good cover, but provide very little food. Game is going to suffer irretrievable losses if the planting of all openings and old abandoned fields is permitted. In all such plantings the areas should not be covered entirely with trees, but wide strips or patches should be left to grow up to the miscel- waste lands in conformance with the principle of highest land use, recognizing the distinction be tween tree development for wood volume alone and tree development to favor all uses of the forest. Participation in the development of the forest for the greatest good to all is not only a forester's privilege, it is his duty. That partici- pation will have to consist of more than merely setting aside and helping to develop an axea for a public camp ground or selecting a site for a picnic. It must include an active interest in the welfare of game birds and animals. laneous assortment of plants which furnish game food. If not already present such plants should . be provided. Even depressions do not lessen the desire of people for sport, if the sale of hunting licenses is a criterion. A steady increase in the sale of licenses has manifested itself during the depres- sion years, with an all-time high mark for nor- mal years set during 1934 with more than 565,000 resident and approximately 6,000 non- resident licenses. There was a slightly higher number of licenses sold in 1931, but that was the year when antlerless deer were declared legal game resulting in an abnormal sale of licenses. There probably always will be a demand for as much game as the forests can produce. There is an opportunity for public service open to the State that develops its forest and Sixteen Editorials Continued from Page Four The Philadelphia Club of ^Advertising Women, Phil- adelphia, Pa. Twin Valleys Garden Club, Valley Forge, Pa. The Westmoreland Garden Club, Greensburg, Pa. The Woman^s Club of Pittsburgh, Pa. A. G. Adman, Slate Run, Pa. Robert C. Auker, PhiUipsburg, Pa. C. Kenneth Bates, Monument, Pa. R. Dale Benson, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa. Dr. James F. Bogardus, Harrisburg, Pa. Richard T. Brown, Wharton, Pa. Charles M. B. Cadwalader, Philadelphia, Pa. Otto Haas, Haverford, Pa. Frank M. Hardt, Philadelphia, Pa. M. W. Hinn, Sewickley, Pa. Roy B. Hippie, Ridgway, Pa. C. Fenno Hoffman, Radnor, Pa. H. Arthur Hull, Mt. Union, Pa. Arthur E. Hutchinson, Philadelphia, Pa. Reverend Archibald C. Knowles, Philadelphia, Pa. G. C. Kuemmerle, Fort Washington, Pa. C. Clifton Lewis, Ardmore, Pa. Philip A. Livingston, Narberth, Pa. Paul M. Long, Slate Run, Pa. A. S. Mack, Renovo, Pa. Mrs. Samuel N. Magill, Elkins Park, Pa. Arthur H. Meckley, Rauchtown, Pa. Albert B. Mickalitis, Waterville, Pa. Marshall S. Morgan, Philadelphia, Pa. Bruce W. Sharer, Milroy, Pa. Joseph W. Sharp, Jr., Berwyn, Pa. H. B. Spackman, Coatesville, Pa. Mrs. W. Plunket Stewart, Unionvillc, Pa. Dr. L P. Strittmatter, Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs. C. M. Taylor, Huntingdon, Pa. Bernhard Wilmsen, Philadelphia, Pa. Grahame Wood, Philadelphia, Pa. Miss Josephine T. Woolman, Ardmore, Pa. Mrs. Charles Morris Young, Drifton, Pa. A Redwood tree of recent felling gave 3000 fence posts, 650,000 shingles (enough for sev- enty-five houses) and 100 cords of firewood. Forest Leaves I STATU I PUBLISHED BY THE PENNSYIVANIA FORESTRY ASS0C1>1^5n '«4 I CONTENTS Falls in Childs State Park Photo Courtesy Penna. Dept. of Forests and Waters Outdoor Recreation in Pennsylvania ^ - " v Dr. ]. F. Bogardus > Appalachian Scenic Parkway Charles 'H. Thompson Editorials Hawk Mountain Sanctuary - - - - - Philip Alice Livingston Aircraft and Radio Aid in War on Forest Fires The Summer Meeting . , . . ^ ^ Parks in Delaware County . . ^ ^ ^ • Samuel L. Smedley This is the Year of Heavy Southern Pine Crop The New Forest Reserve Law ^ " " Sanctuary . ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Indians May Have Had the First Game Law Rare Hybrid Ash Discovered ^ ^ " " ^ Dogwoods for Montgomery County ^ ' / PAGE Cover - 1 ^ 3 - 4 ^ 5 ^ 6 '<. ^ ^ 9 - 10 ^ 11 - 11 ^ 11 ^ 16 ^ 16 f 'i THE PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Founded in ]une, 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 « One Dollar of which is for subscription to Forest Leaves 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, 306 Commercial Trust Building, Philadelphia. President — Samuel L. Smedley President Emeritus — Dr. Henry S. Drinker Vice-Presidents Robert S. Conklin W. B. McCaleb Edward C. M. Richards Francis R. Cope, Jr. Edward Woolman Secretary — H. Gleason Mattoon Treasurer — R. A. Wright, C. P. A. 4 FOREST LEAVES PUBLISHED QUARTERLY ^"'''AnnH!^!-^'''''^'i''^'. Post-Office as second-class matter, under Act of March 3. 1879 Application pending for transfer of entry as second-class matter to Wayne. Pa. Subscription $1.00 per Year Vol. XXV— No. 4 Wayne, Pa., October, 1935 Whole Number 279 Outdoor Recreation in Penna. By DR. J. F. BOGARDUS Deputy Secretary, Department of Forests and Waters FOREST economists tell us that the function of forestry practice is putting land, adapted to forestry purposes, to its highest possible use. This includes the perpetuation of timber supplies, conservation of water, economic use of waste land, and the development of recreational areas for the public need. Transplanted into terms of human welfare, forest use is not always limited to timber produc' tion. The recreational features in many instances are of vital importance, and most desirable. It has been proved that forest recreation has a definite value, and so long as it is indulged in freely' by all classes of people, it may be assumed that we will have a sound, healthy, economic and social condition. The productive use of leisure time and the continued participation in wholesome outdoor recreation have always contributed, to a large degree, in maintaining the accepted standards of American life. Forestry and recreation in Pennsylvania are inseparable. Both must go forward together. If one is held back, the other will suffer, and since both can be practiced on the same land area, there should be no conflict between the two. To carry out this program of forestry and recreation in our State Forests calls for intelligent direction. If adequate appropriations for the development of recreational areas on our State Forests are to be assured, accurate data and statistics must be secured and surveys made so as to determine what facilities are needed to meet the demands of the public and the return value for the money expended. This is what we are trying to do at the present time under the direction of the Divi- sion of Parks, which has been set up as a separate unit under the Department's reorgani^^ation plan. It is said that more than half of the motor cars in operation are used for other than business purposes. An official of the Canadian Govern- ment recently stated that the income to Canada as a result of tourists and recreationists last year exceeded one hundred and seventeen million dollars. It is estimated that the money spent last year by recreationists to our State Forest and State Park areas was not less than ten millions of dollars. Less than 10 per cent of our population in Pennsylvania is now actually living on farms, and more than half of our people live in towns and cities with a population of 10,000 and over. It is quite evident that with the increased leisure of our present day civilization our people are taking more and more to the great outdoors to breath the pure air, drink from the cool mountain springs, and enjoy the freedom from their daily tasks. The purpose of some who seek recreation in our State Forests is simply to have a good time in the out-of-doors, but a great majority go to our forest areas for the healthful benefits derived. It is estimated that more than two million people annually enjoy the recreational and scenic areas in our State Parks, State Forest Parks, and public camping grounds, which now comprise 1,648,968 acres. An additional number use the State Forests for hunting and fishing and others i'iiiill I \ Courtesy Penna. Dept. Bathing in Fuller La\e Public Camp. Cumberland County of Forests and Waters visit our fire observation towers. The number of people that use the State Forests for recrea- tional purposes is increasing at a rapid rate. To meet this demand the Department of For- ests and Waters is making a special effort to pro- vide additional recreational areas and improve those now in existence. At the present time, 50 additional recreational projects are planned, and topographic surveys of the areas will be made. Not all of these areas will be developed immediately, but the founda- tion work is being laid so that they may be developed when funds are available. In addition to these surveys. Works Progress Administration projects have been approved for improvement work on recreational areaS that are already under the jurisdiction of the Department of Forests and Waters. The Federal contribu- tion for labor for such projects thus far approved amounts to $143,804. More projects are con- templated and our present plans call for Federal expenditures of from five hundred thousand to one million dollars, most of which will be used in developing recreational areas. Two As an example of the type of recreational pro- jects under the Works Progress Administration, I might cite the one which has been approved for the development of the Ralph Stover Tract in Bucks County. This project calls for the con- struction of a stone masonry dam across Tohickon Creek, 6 tourist cabins, the installation of elec- tric lines and fixtures, water system, gutter and down spouts on all buildings, construction of foot paths, grading of roads and repair to mill ruins and old mill race. This project will give employ- ment to 50 men for a three months' period. These projects are independent of the work that is being done on our recreational areas by the Civilian Conservation Corps camps. Recreational projects completed to date by the CCC on our State Forest areas include 1,281 acres of land cleared for camp purposes, 254 buildings erected on recreational areas, 28 recreational dams, and 1,664 fish dams con- structed, 271 miles of stream improvement, and 1,390 other work projects such as the building ot fireplaces, tables, incinerators and 50 overnight Continued on Page Thirteen Forest Leaves Appalachian Scenic Parkway By CHARLES N. THOMPSON President of the Pocono Forestry Association T' HIS is an appeal for consideration of the Appalachian Scenic Parkway as a Federal ,^ Park m the eastern part of the • United Sutes, where it will be available to the many n^lhons of the citizens of the United States, and a vast number of foreign visitors to our shores who will otherwise never benefit from our National Parks. Ninety-five per cent of our Federal Parks are west of the Mississippi River and the remaining five per cent so far from the greatly populated sections of our country as to be of comparatively little use. The Parkway as it is at present conceived is one of 1,000 miles in length, from 300 to 800 feet wide— 67,500 acres in itself, probably 300,- 000 acres including the State and Federal land's en route that would be included, with a roadway threading its whole length. It would extend from Virginia to Vermont, along the rim of the Appalachian chain of Mountains, utilizing land that is good for little else, making accessible lands that are now yearly the prey of forest fires, and thus being a boom to forestry and conservation, —worth all it will cost for this without even considering civic values. Such a Parkway as far as (hat part in Pennsyl- vania is concerned, and the same probably follows along the entire route, could be obtained at this time at a very small fraction of the cost of Fed- eral Parks generally. Consider the part in our State. It passes through Franklin, Adams, Cum- ^rland. Perry, Dauphin, Lebanon, Schuylkill, Berks, Carbon, Northampton, Monroe, Pike and Wayne Counties— about 300 miles. In these Counties alone about $35,000,000 was paid in direct rehef last year; one-half of this amount would build the Park, and give to the eastern part of the United States a Park, by including land now owned by State and Nation of worth- while magnitude. To do so would create some- thing of inestimable value to the country and would give employment rather than a dole to those in need and who would much rather be gainfully employed. October, 1935 Let us recognize the fact that the automobile has changed a great many things, and that it has changed the world's appetite for Parks. In the horse and buggy days" the Park plan was to drive to Fairmount Park or Central Park, or any other nearby Park and just sit. or get out and walk around, but in this day of the automobile, ^e urge is to go somewhere, to drive through. To reach the greatest number of people, and to reach the changed mood of the people, from the quiescent to the active, this proposed 1.000 miles of ribbon Parkway, within 150 miles of more than 40,000,000 people, with an average width of about four hundred feet— about one hundred square miles of land in all, without considering the probably two hundred square miles of present State and Federal Park lands it will connect— IS much better than one of ten miles square As a matter of fact, the one 1,000 miles long is possible of accomphshment. and feasible; but the one 10 miles long and 10 miles wide, within the reach of any considerable proportion of the same number of people, is impossible. While the general scheme of the proposed Park would be in conformity with the advanced ideas of what Parks will be. it will not cut loose entirely from the traditional Parks of "horse and buggy days." There will be sections of it that will be other than the ribbon Park described where those wishing to picnic may be accommo- dated. There will be other sections where camp- ing may be done and in still other sections, the ^veral States will rent land for hunters and fishermen; always under the proper restrictions and regulations. One real hazard to be avoided, is confusing this Parkway with a Highway. Very distinctly this IS to be a Park, under the supervision of our Park System— with restrictions against ugly obscuring sign^all signs, and disfiguring hot dog stands and gasohne stations. The control of a sufficient width on each side of the drive will encompass this. Continued on Page Twelve Three n FOREST LEAVES Published quarterly by The PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION Disseminates information and news on forestry and related subjects. H. Gleason Mattoon, Editor PUBLICATIOH COMMITTEE Ernest Bartlett, Chairman Edward C. M. Richards George S. Perry Louis B. Ambler, Jr. W. B. McCaleb Dr. E. E. Wildman Philip A. Livingston The publication of an article in Forest Leaves does not necessarily imply that the views expressed therein are those of The Pennsylvania Forestry Association. Address all correspondence to Wayne, Penna., or to the Editor, 306 Commercial Trust Building, Philadel- phia, Pa. Kindly notify us of any change in address. OCTOBER, 1935 The Offspring of Forestry In 1886 when The Pennsylvania Forestry Association was organi2;ed, the hillsides of Penn^ sylvania were all but denuded of the natural growth of conifers and hardwoods. The saw mill had cut wide and destructive swathes through what fifty years before had seemed an illimitable supply of timber. The red demon had followed the axe men, poking sooty fingers of ruin into the remaining stands. In that decade, a few courageous voices were 'raised against this wanton destruction. The cry gathered momentum and was augmented until laws were passed which became the nucleus of the present forestry program in Pennsylvania. If one reads the articles and editorials of those days, which bear on the subject, he soon gathers that timber conservation and production was the central thought. To increase and improve the tree crop acreage was the aim so that Pennsyl^ vania would not have to import timber for her homes and factories. From that beginning, there has been developed a vast acreage of State owned forest lands, areas unfit for agriculture and generally remote from large centers of population. Through natural and artificial regeneration and by protection from fire, vast acres are now clothed with a rich and sturdy second growth. The forests are returning. But during the intervening half century, much Four has happened. No longer are these vast areas inaccessible to the people of the congested areas. In 1880, Pennsylvania numbered about 4,000,000 persons, most of whom spent much of their lives within a few miles of their homes. Today, about 10,000,000 persons are found within her borders. But they are no longer content to remain within a restricted area. Highspeed transportation and improved roads have brought the most remote forests to within a few hours of their door. In 1880, one could count on his fingers the persons who had traversed the moun' tain recesses, while to number the ones who go to the state forests today would require an adding machine. Hunters, fishermen, picnickers and campers, all tax payers, feel a proprietary interest in the State forest lands. With their money were they purchased. Each has a right to the rest, relaxation, recreation which they afford. The original forestry program was conceived to fulfill a need of the people of the State. That need still exists, yet there are other needs which these forests may meet. Who shall say that the need for healthful sport, for spiritual peace or physical relaxation is not as important as the need for timber? The original forestry idea has begot many offsprings through the years It should care for them all. The State Department of Forests and Waters is recognizing the requirements of these offspring and is providing for them. Everyone interested in the development of State owned forest lands must appreciate that they possess a multiple value to the people of the State which will increase with the years. Forestry and recreation are becoming synony mous in the minds of many. To establish recrea' tional areas is not only necessary, but wise. When the entire population of Pennsylvania experi' ences the joy of forestry then will the value of State forests be generally recognized and the wisdom of increasing them will be a common wisdom of the public. H. G. M. Scenic Parkways There is rapidly arising a clash of interest between enthusiasts for parkway development through wooded wilderness areas and the game and forest lovers. The former look upon the Continued on Page Fifteen Forest Leaves 'I I' V'/ Hawk Mountain Sanctuary By PHILIP ATLEE LIVINGSTON THE slow march of conservation, in the establishment of parks, game preserves, btate and national forests and sanctuaries is sometimes aided when an emergency focuses pub^ he attention on some spot. It was in this manner that eastern Pennsylvania acquired a wildlife sanctuary of unique and fascinating character. And here is the story of Hawk Mountain : The ceaseless battle between those who hunt with binoculars and those who hunt with guns has, in recent years, come to a head in the matter of the protection of hawks and owls. The well- proven fact, known for years, that most of these birds are harmless or valuable, has had little effect in saving them from slaughter at the hands of those who find an excuse for calling any wild moving target ^ game" or ^Vermin"— either class, of course, to be shot. The Kittatinny Ridge is an ancient flyway of the hawks and eagles in their fall migrations. Bird lovers have but recently awakened to a fact long known to the hunters, who have taken a Observatory Point Photo by Broun October, 1935 s aggering toll of these birds as they have soared along the ridges. Hawk Mountain, lying north- east of Hamburg (between Drehersville and Eck^ SV'^^" ^ favorite spot, where from 3000 to >000 hawks were shot down each year. The prevailing north and northwest winds of autumn create an upcurrent of air on which the birds of prey soar with rarely a beat of the wings. As the birds approach Hawk Mountain a break in the ridge swings them close to a 1500- foot peak, on which Nature has piled a great mound of giant rocks. Here, at close range, more than a hundred guns lay in wait for them on favorable days. The bird which survived the barrage was lucky indeed; one by one they col- lapsed in flight, hurtling down into the scrub growth or cliffs where, dead or wounded, they were never retrieved. Ornithologists who watched the slaughter were enraged and horrified. State laws give virtually no protection, and local opinion was behind the hunters, including, of course, the stores which sold the shells. Two Philadelphia naturalists, Richard H. Pough and Henry Hill Collins, Jr., made it their business to do something. That something was an appeal to Mrs Charles Noel Edge, of New York, whose Emerg- ency Conservation Committee stepped in and leased the whole mountain, with an option to buy. Thus, in the summer of 1934 two square miles of fascinating wild country passed into the hands of lovers of wild life. Last fall Hawk Mountain had its first season as a spot for the study of birds of prey. Maurice Broun, a well-known naturalist of Massachusetts became ornithologist-in-charge and R. H. Kramer, as deputy sheriff, was retained to convince the shooters that their days of slaughter were over. Bird lovers from all parts of the eastern United States came to the mountain, to stand fascinated on Observatory Point while a constant procession of hawks, vultures and eagles passed by so close that often glasses were not needed. If no birds were seen the day was well spent, for the rocks overlook a panorama of mountains. Five JmtV m :M-[| ;;li i «. ^,< 2 14. Falco rusticolus ohsoletus. Black Gyrfalcon 2 15. Falco peregrinus anatum. DuCK Hawk 25 16. Falco c. columharius. Pigeon Hawk 19 17. Falco s. sparverius. Eastern Sparrow Hawk 13 Unidentified 208 Total 10,776 Further information on this outstanding con' servation move may be obtained from the Auk, official organ of the American Ornithologists Union, for July, and from the Emergency Con' servation Committee, 734 Lexington Avenue, Six New York. Visitors are welcome and desired. Drive to Drehersville and take the mountain road to Eckville. Near the top of the rise a well' marked path leads off from the left, marked by a sign, and usually with an attendant on duty. The walk to the top of the ridge is not difficult. Every member of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association will enjoy, not only the bird-saving aspects of the movement, but the forest conser- vation possibilities in this 165 5 'acre area. Per- haps, after seeing the success of the work, the visitor will want to contribute to the fund to purchase and maintain the sanctuary — hundreds have! Aircraft and Radio Aid in War on Forest Fires Increasing use is being made of radio and air- craft in protecting State and national forests from fire, says the Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. Both air' plane and radio aided in apprehending a firebug from the air, in a case recently reported by the New York Conservation Department. A man was seen starting a forest fire by Albert Leo- Wolf, forest'patrol plane pilot. He reported by radio and later located the man at a nearby cabin. This information also was radioed, re suiting in the arrest, conviction, and sentence of the firebug. Approximately 1,000 radio sets for emergency communication in national forests are in use this year. They include several types^eveloped for forest use by Forest Service "tecnnicians. Many of them are of a ''featherweight'' type that can, be carried and quickly set up by .''smoke' chasers'' at the scene of a^^ fire. Airplanes are being used in fiJbVeral of the national'forest regions for fire scouting, reconnaiss|hpe of "going"' fires, and' for emergency transpSiltion of men and supplies. i/ V ^^ The idea of managing a forest as a farmer manages a farm is of relatively modern origin. Yet the actual care of woodlands dates back into history's misty beginnings. Nearly 2,000 years ago; China had what amounted essentially to a department of mountain forests, and the ancient Greeks wrote long treatises on the care of wood- lands. Forest Leaves The Summer Meeting A WELL attended and interesting summer meeting of The Pennsylvania Forestry Association was held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Pocono Forestry Asso- ciation on August 27th and 28th in the Poconos, Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The members of this association were invited to be present at the annual business meeting of the Pocono Forestry Association which was held at 3 P. M. on Tues- day, August 27th, at Buck Hill Inn, Buck Hill Falls. Mr. Charles N. Thompson, the genial and efficient President of the Pocono Association, presided. It was indeed enlightening to realize the amount and scope of work which the Pocono Forestry Association has successfully undertaken during the past years. Reports and papers were read on controHing the tent caterpillar, general roadside beautification, gypsy moth control and eradication, the proposed Rim Parkway and the forest fire situation. Mr. E. C. Pyle, State Forester of Delaware District, said that with the exception of 1922, 1930 and 1932 this season was the worst in the history of the department, in Monroe County. There were 75 fires which burned over 12,273 acres with damage estimated at $11,980. In addition, it cost $2,557 to extinguish these fires. In Pike County, there were 49 fires burning over 4,251 acres with damage of $12,894. It cost an additional $4,140 to extinguish them. Of the areas burned, over 8,500 acres were in the huckleberry areas. Of the fires in Monroe County, very nearly one-half were incendiary in origin. To the members of The Pennsylvania Forestry Associa' tion, the situation in Monroe County was both shocking and illuminating. The problem of pre- venting incendiarism seems to be as far from solution as ever. The officers of the Pocono Forestry Associa' tion were all reelected, being Charles N. Thomp- ^n. President; Roy M. Houser, Stroudsburg, Treasurer; Miss Olive L. Poole, Secretary, and the following as members of the Board; J. A. Seguine, Cresco; J. H. Kunkle, East Stroudsburg; Egbert Cary, Pocono Lake Preserve; Frank B. October, 1935 Micheals, East Stroudsburg; John Fariseen, Mount Pocono; Edwin Cooper, Pocono Manor; Elwood Dunning, South Sterling; John Snyder, Jonas, and Rev. G. A. Hulbert, Henryville. Mr. Willard Quick of the Monroe-Pike Sportsmen Association entered a very fervent plea to stop the threatened slaughter of doe in Pike County and outlined the work that had to be done to preserve the deer in their natural habitat. The Pocono Forestry Association went on record as opposed to Senate Bill 2665 which pro- vides for the enlarging of the Department of Interior to a proposed Department of Conserva- tion and Works. It was felt that the possible transfer of conservation activities from the Department of Agriculture to the proposed new department would be inimical to forestry. Following this meeting, the members of The Pennsylvania Forestry Association were the guests of the Pocono Forestry Association at a picnic supper which was served, due to the inclement weather, on the lower porch of Buck JHill Inn. , . ^ The evening meeting was devoted to^motion pictures, provided by the Department of Forests and Waters and to two interesting and instruc- tive talks. Dr. J. F. Bogardus, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Forests and Waters gave a highly informative talk on "Recreational Development in Forestry." This will be found on another page of this issue of Forest Leaves. It is well worth reading by all who have any interest in forestry or recreation. Mr. W. E. Montgomery, Chief of the Division of Maintenance of the Department of Forests and Waters, followed with a talk on "Modernis- tic Trends in Forestry." Mr. Montgomery is a forceful and interesting speaker and presented this subject in a pleasing and instructive way. It is hoped that a later issue of Forest Leaves will contain this speech. On Wednesday, August 28th, the members of the two associations journeyed to the summit of Big Pocono, where a magnificent view of Monroe County can be obtained. Here, Mr. Earl F. Seven u flf I , i 1. 1 ]|,i!;i| t li I i ill Photo by Livingston The Joint Committee of the summer meeting in the Poconos Tygert sketched the details of the proposed park- way. Following this, Mr. Thompson outUned briefly the advantages both economic and scenic of the project. From there, the caravan drove to Tunnel Knob to get another perspective of the route of the proposed parkway. Then we journeyed to Pocono Lake Preserve, where a delightful luncheon was served in the pavilion. This also was provided by the Pocono Forestry Association. After luncheon, Mr. Egbert S. Gary read two of his delightful poems after welcoming the members of the association to the Preserve. He was followed by Mr. George H. Wirt, Ghief Forest Fire War- den of Pennsylvania, who gave one of his inter- esting talks "Gommunity Values in Relation to Forestry." Mr. Egbert S. Gary, Jr., Forester of the Pocono Lake Preserve, outlined briefly the forestry pro- Eight gram carried out at the Preserve, following which actual development work was observed. From the Preserve, the caravan journeyed a distance of some three miles to visit an area which had been infested by the gypsy moth. Here the control measures were seen. So thoroughly were they carried out, that no evidence of damage this year could be seen. The members of The Pennsylvania Forestry Association are indeed grateful to the Pocono Forestry Association for its hospitality. The meeting was generally considered a decided suc- cess and the 135 members present gained con- siderable in interest and information on matters pertaining to forestry and its problems. Pennsylvania has been allotted $792,288 to combat the gypsy moth infestation in the Scran- ton-Wilkes-Barre area. Forest Leaves i Parks in Delaware County By SAMUEL L. SMEDLEY President of the Delaware County Par\ Board ENGOURAGED by the studies and publica- tions of the Regional Planning Federation of Philadelphia a number of its members who reside in Delaware Gounty undertook the task of improving conditions there. They realized if something was not done promptly that the careful work of the Federa- tion would go for nothing as far as Delaware Gounty was concerned. In 1931 they made an appeal to the Gounty Gommissions to appoint a Park Board. They knew that the citi2;ens of the county had made substantial contributions towards the support of the Regional Planning Federation ^nd they believed the local government was in duty bound to carry out their suggestions, so the Delaware Gounty Park Board of nine citizens, who were particularly interested in park and recreational activities, was appointed. Funds available for park development at that time were quite limited. The Park Board soon found that if a comprehensive study of the Gounty was to be made it would be necessary first to prepare a detailed map of the Gounty. Fortunately the Givil Works Administration of the Federal Government could be applied to for funds with which to carry out such a project. With money from this source, a civil engineer and a number of assistants were employed and a careful study of the topographical and other geographical features of the county was made and a map was drawn showing nearly all the streams, roads and political sub-divisions together with details of nearly 1,000 farms which were located in the creek valleys, estimating their possible value for park purposes. Detailed large scale topographical maps of the main creek valleys are now being prepared. At the time that the park survey was being made, the Park Board in conjunction with the Delaware Gounty Welfare Gouncil conducted a survey of the recreational opportunities of Delaware Gounty. This, also, was made possible through Federal funds. The report of this sur- October, 1935 vey was published by Professor Stewart G. Gole, of Ghester, Pa., under the title ^Xeisure in Our Time." The report points out many serious defects in our recreational system. One feature noted therein is that the aggregate area of park and playgrounds scarcely amounts to 300 acres, while for the poor, the insane and criminals, we have set aside nearly 2000 acres. According to stand- ards established by the Regional Planning Feder- ation, there should be available for recreational use of our population of 300,000 people, at least 3000 acres. It is most gratifying to note the number of local governments who are providing park areas. Upper Darby Township has established a very attractive park along Naylors Run. This is greatly appreciated by the citizens for it has stimulated real estate activities there beyond any other section of Delaware Gounty during these depressed times. Glenolden has launched a similar project and through Federal funds has a most creditable Gommunity Park. The same appreciation of land values and activity in building are noted there as at Naylors Run Park. In both instances, provision has been made for tennis, baseball, wad- ing and picnics. From the studies made by the Park Board, many hundreds of acres should readily be avail- able along our creek and small stream valleys, and should be acquired at comparatively small cost as such lands are of very little value for building purposes and are hkely to remain so for generations. In order to arouse public interest in park development for Delaware Gounty, Mr. Liberty H. Weir, who is affiliated with the National Recreational Association with headquarters in New York Gity, was invited to inspect our Gounty and advise us concerning recreational developments. He is a nationally known author- ity on such matters. He visited our Gounty on two occasions and ?s[me ilji; iiir: was most enthusiastic over the many natural advantages which we have that are so essential for park development. He cautioned us not to destroy the natural beauty of our stream valleys as others have done before realizing their full value. In Westchester County, N. Y., the stream valleys had become open sewers and dumps for all kind of refuse. They had become a menace to public health. It cost them $70,000,000 to re- deem and restore what is now one of the most outstanding Park areas of our country. Since they can show an increased real estate valuation of $12 for every dollar spent, it proves beyond a doubt that park development pays financially. This is entirely apart from the great opportunity which will be afforded the present and future generations to get acquainttd with the great out- of 'doors. The Delaware County Park Board has been offered many desirable tracts, one in particular situated along Crum Creek of fourteen acres. It contains one of the largest areas of original hem' lock forest left in our country and it is most important that it be preserved. The Park Board is most happy to announce the acquisition by gift by Mr. and Mrs. George T. Butler of twenty-five acres partly within the borough limits of Media, half of which is in heavy timber. Shrubs and wildflowers abound there while a great variety of birds is in evidence. A rapidly flowing stream runs through its entire length with a water fall of 12 or 15 feet. Mr. Weir was very enthusiastic about this tract stating it was a ''natural arboretum to start with and that the County would be most fortu' nate if it could be acquired.'' It is the thought of the Board to add to the number of trees, plants, and wild flowers and make of it a park for educational purposes rather than for sports and games as there is very little space suitable for such activities. Never in our history has there ever been a greater demand for access to the great out-of' doors than at this time. The hundreds of thous' ands of our young men who have been in the CCC Camps, as they return to their homes, will have a new vision of life and will want to get back to nature every so often. Boy and girl scouts are constantly alert for new scenes for Ten their activities. Hiking clubs are looking for opportunities to broaden their hori2;on. Trips by nature lovers under the leadership of a competent guide are a commendable source of recreation. Suitable bridle trails will in many ways care for the demands for other activities. Delaware County has within its boundaries unlimited opportunities to which her citizens should have access. The Park Board's mission is to make them available. The New Forest Reserve Law This is the Year of Heavy Southern Pine Seed Crop A bumper pine seed crop, which occurs about every seven years, is maturing in the South. What causes this heavy seed crop at regular intervals, generation after generation, is still a mystery. Pine cones are ripening. As their scales bend back the winged seeds flutter to the ground or are carried by the wind far from the parent tree. Late this coming winter the seeds start germinat- ing. Billions of pine seedlings will result. For this reason, the Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture is warning of the greater losses to pine-tree seed- lings if there is the customary burning of forest pastures in the southern pine regions this year. Next year and for several years after the pine seed crop will be light. Many of the great, even-aged stands of long- leaf, slash, loblolly, and shortleaf, the four prin- cipal species of southern pine, can be traced back to a year of extraordinary seed production. They seemingly store up a supply of food beforehand for producing heavy seed crops. Some trees when injured or dying will pro- duce a heavy seed crop — apparently in a final effort to continue their kind — although the sea- son may not be the one for heavy seed production. When longer fences are built, the CCC in Hawaii probably will be called upon to build them. The latest assignment for this group of Federal employes in the territory of Hawaii is to construct a 40-mile fence, 8,000 feet up the side of the Nauna Kea, highest mountain peak in the Pacific. This long fence will enclose 68,000 acres of the forest reserve, protecting the young trees from wild goats. FcwECEST Leaves GOVERNOR Earle afforded relief to the overburdened landowners of Pennsylvania when he signed the Auxiliary Forest Reserve Law. The measure provides that surface land suitable for growing merchantable forest products shall constitute a distinct class of land to be known as Forest Reserves, and shall be rated in value for the purpose of taxation not in excess of $L00 per acre. This gives the timberland owner, already overburdened by taxation, exemption from annual township assessments and excessive taxes under the general tax law, on land that yields a mature crop but once in a Hfetime. To secure this relief, the landowner transfers whatever land he has containing young growth into the Auxiliary Forest Reserve class, and upon the approval of the Department of Forests and Waters, the tax exemption begins immediately. Commissioners of the county yvherein the land is located will be notified of the change, and upon receipt of the assessment rating from the local township assessors, the commissioners will Sanctuary By EGBERT S. GARY When irked by man, Im wont, alone, to stroll O'er deep-worn paths that thread an ancient par\ Where columned corridors, all still and dark. From nowhere rise and nowhere find a goal: Where, high aloft, the leafy billows roll Shot through by javelins of flame whose mar\. Outlined against the gloom, shows, hare and star\^ Some forest monarch's dead and crumbling bole. tiere dwelleth Peace amid these mighty shafts Whose hearts entomb their ring^writ story old; Their Atlas arms uphold a world untrod. While thirsting roots bore deep for living draughts. October, 1935 reduce the amount to a sum not exceeding $L00 per acre. When the land is ready to yield its crop, the landowner will then repay the county for the tax-exemption he has enjoyed in the ensuing years. The tract will be examined by an experi- enced forester of the Department of Forests and Waters, and before any cutting is done the owner will be required to give a bond to the county treasurer of 20 per cent of the amount of the estimated stumpage, which shall be approved by the Court of Common Pleas of the county. When the timber is cut, 10 per cent of the stumpage value must be paid by the owner to the county treasurer in lieu of the annual taxes. In most cases, depending upon a fair market value, the 10 per cent of the stumpage value paid to the counties will exceed the amount that would have been paid in annual taxes on the land, and at the same time relieve the landowner of the tremendous burden of paying annual taxes on tracts that yield only one lifetime crop. Landowners can apply to the Secretary of Forests and Waters for land transfers. Here, then, I rest while visions new unfold ' And strength returns, fresh drawn from springs of God. Indians May Have Had the First Game Law Two hundred years ago the Indians in Ken- tucky set aside game refugees for bears and created what may have been the first game law in America, says Vernon Bailey, retired naturalist of the Biological Survey. Bear fat, bear meat, and bear skins were the most priced returns of the hunt. Large areas were set aside as "be- loved bear grounds" where only a limited number of animals could be killed each year, so that a permanent supply of these animals would be maintained. Mr. Bailey believes it might be well today to follow the example of the Kentucky Indians, and establish "beloved bear grounds." Eleven Appalachian Scenic Parkway Continued from Page Three While this is, in its widest phase, a movement for civic betterment, and it is generally impossi- ble to measure such in dollars and cents, a dollars and cents measure can be used here. Prosperity is dependent upon the use of commodities. Auto- mobiles, tires, gas and oil are some of the com- modities that will be directly used in this Park- way. Based upon a count of the traffic on a recently completed section of the Skyline Drive in Virginia, and taking into account the direct accessibility of population, each hundred miles of this Parkway (somewhat dependent upon the approach of that particular section to the heavily populated regions) will return to the State and United States in gasoHne taxes on the gasoline used in traversing the roadway, to say nothing of that used in getting to and from the roadway, three-quarters of a million dollars each year, based on the present rate of tax charges. The civic appreciation can only be measured by its use. In advance it can be somewhat gauged by the use of the SkyHne Trail, the Whiteface Drive, the Pike's Peak Drive, etc., etc. As a project this Appalachian Scenic Parkway will probably take years to complete. It will be a ''reservoir'' into which to put the unemployed for other depression periods beyond this one, but that part in Pennsylvania, because of its having the greatest value to the greatest number, should be started at once and rushed to completion. That sector in the northeastern part of the State is within one hundred miles of both Philadelphia and New York and the thickly populated sections suburban to both these cities. It is not conceiv- able that any other sort of a Federal Park could be established so near to that great population of the largest cities of our country. That sector in the central and southeastern part of the State is easily accessible to Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. The Federal Government owes the thickly populated sections of the country. Parks; the increase in civic consciousness demands it, and it can now be done both economically and well. It will use lands of value for nothing else and labor that otherwise would likely be paid for doing nothing, which we all know is most undesirable from every viewpoint. Pennsylvania has so much of scenic wealth it Twelve wmasM^^ '"'' ■ '- %m^ . i i ^I^K^^^Hil^^H ^^1^ ^^^I^B ' ^-: tStk ^BEVh B 1 ^^^^HK ^m ^BhI. *<«i! ^Hhl. « *V & >. . l^^M ^^^^^Hj^^ ' ^^B I^HMIBk V < .'' ^ II ^ ^8R V- >r*'' ; mk \ 1 B|^Hk^i| *' ^1^- / -^'^i- 9 t % -^^ ^■b ^^ '^^';;«r 1 W^^^^^^m HL^L . ''^■^3^ , 9 Jk ^ f^^^sij^ ^^B^^ ^l^_ grafc^ ,^'r./C' * 9 W%Mm Wi'%,^. m4^^^^ 1 ■vjigy; ii jsld. F- ^'^ v^-:i ^. \aM^ iWi.'| V'H ^^KSI^ ^^T B^MMi*"-*'''**"*'"" " ■•*' yi|j^K»>. M Y f Hn K J* Si ■»- ■ -^iSlSS^ >^ -m -v ■ 1 ^M^ ^ i^^^^^^B 1 mi^piBr ■^> .^ ^MoiiiSiii niHliP^^ ^■1 iZZ^rJ iH \W >■ -IT J ^isf^*-— 1 . ■ " .. . -r— . ..■^^^^ ^^^^^E^B^^^^BISI ^M> » ♦ ■ \ .^^ ^^^■■Sl^^^^^sl .- .. •'i^«ti^. H-^^--?^v.--'«-^- ^^^^^^HV^^^w^^'^isSEr '^'^ H Hn ' ^^^^K ' ' ^^^^^^^mE, '#^ /^te ,>^3RlCS'- ^I ^Kl -' ■^^B-. ^^^^^HB^^^yfci^^^y *»■-.-. 9^^^ ^1 ^■.\ ^^^Hi ^B^^^-**^ ■ '-Ar^' *'**''*^'^ ^1 wL ^^K ^^B^ '*> * -^•' >> \j*^ fl ^^Bl' .^^^^^b ^^^^^ '^^^^^^ • ^**^ ^^""^^VH^mCu B%j^^C '^ ' ^^^^ml^ BkWn^ ; ^ v.^ak^ tM^^MBMb*^"**^^^**-^— "^ "■ ■*- — ■■- ir^- "" ^' ^' -• ^ ^ - . ..^J^ ^^Vv' •■ jkl ' ^^ ^■-- ■ ^K'^' '%.'•. ^Km V • . • > Wt ^^ . '*" • ■ . , ^ ■' I Photo by Livingston Mr. Thompson explains the Kim Par^uoa^j seems invidious to select any particular part of it for a Federal Park. That part of the State through which the Appalachian Scenic Parkway is now tentatively planned is only equalled in scenic values, and does not exceed, that of many other sections of the State, but it forms a direct connection between the south and the northeast and, because of its ACCESSIBILITY TO THE GREATEST CENTERS OF POPULATION, has greater claim as a Federal project. The easy approach to that part of this Park within the State of Pennsylvania from Washington, Balti' more, Wilmington, Trenton, northern New Jersey, Binghamton, Elmira, New York and its thickly populated environs, all outside Pennsyl' vania, as well as such cities within the State as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Altoona, Johnstown, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, make it a Federal Forest Leaves rather than a State proposition, but one in which our State should take a most active interest. This IS not a project of mushroom growth, as far as that part of the Parkway within the State of Pennsylvania is concerned. It has stood the test of time and analyses. Under the auspices of the Department of Forests and Waters nearly 100 miles of it have been tentatively surveyed and charted. Grants of land have been solicited and freely offered without cost. No actual transfers have been made, but not only has a most friendly feeling to the idea been evinced, an eagerness to co-operate and to work for it has been evidenced Nearly a dozen miles of that part already charted are on State owned lands, for which reason it is a project that could be started almost immediately -something that should appeal to those inter- ested in the employment problem. In the western part of our country there are many National Parks; Arizona has one, Arkansas one, California three, Colorado two each of the Dakotas has one, Oklahoma one,' Oregon two, Washington one and Wyoming one. And within 150 miles of this whole group there is not one-third the population that would be so accessible to the one we propose, and those residents are not nearly so much in need of Parks for breathing spaces as are those of the more congested States. Outdoor Recreation in Pennsylvania Continued from Page Two log cabins. The last General Assembly acted favorably on 17 out of 20 departmental measures, and did more to aid the Department of Forests and Waters in developing its recreational program than any other Legislature in history. I am sure you will be interested in some of the legislation that was passed. This includecj: The transfer of the Conrad Weiser Park in Berks County from the Historical Commission to the Department of Forests and Waters. The transfer of the Drake Well Memorial Park in Venango County from the Commission to the Department, with an appropriation of $4,000 for its maintenance. Also a bill, which permits the Department to develop recreational areas at the Pymatuning Keservoir in Crawford County. October, 1935 Two of the outstanding laws which will have a decided effect on recreation in Pennsylvania provide for the condemnation of land for State Park purposes, and for the acquisition of land for State Forest and Park purposes by lease. They will have a direct bearing on our land acquisition and recreational program. The purpose of the amendment to the Act approved May 9, 1929, is to enable the Depart- ment of Forests and Waters to accept by long term lease for State Park and recreational pur- poses, areas within the Commonwealth that have been or may be purchased and developed by the Federal Government. In accordance with a general Federal policy which IS oeing carried on in many other States, the United States Government has acquired three areas in Pennsylvania, each of which contains approximately 5,000 acres. These areas are located in French Creek, Berks and Chester Counties, Raccoon Creek, southwestern Beaver County, and Laurel Hill, western Somerset County. Civilian Conservation Corps camps have been established on these areas and they are being developed at Federal Government expense. Preliminary surveys have been completed and Federal approval given for the acquisition of nine additional areas of approximately 5,000 acres each, located in ten counties of our Common- wealth. Civilian Conservation Corps camps will be estabhshed in each of them. It is the plan of the Federal Government to purchase and develop these areas with Federal funds and then turn them over to Pennsylvania for State Park pur- poses. They are contiguous to large centers of population and have been selected after a very careful study. As a result of this legislation Pennsylvania will have at least twelve large addi- tional areas at practically no cost to the State. Another Federal purchase program includes the acquisition of sub-marginal agricultural lands which may be purchased and developed with Federal funds and turned over to the Common- wealth for forestry purposes. Areas approved and on which options are being secured, are located in five counties of the State and comprise 40,000 acres. They will be developed by Civil- ian Conservation Corps, Works Progress Admin- istration and other agencies with Federal funds. Many of these areas are now a burden to their owners and some of them tax delinquent. The Thirteen I : jlii ilUH I Courtesy Pennsylvania Dept. of Forests and Waters Pennsylvania is rich in scenic beauty ?(•.' Department of Forests and Waters, on behalf of the Commonwealth has agreed to accept these park and forest lands from the Federal Govern^ ment and the legislation which has been enacted will meet the requirements for the acceptance of the areas. As a result of Act Number 429, the Commis- sioners of Valley Forge Park are authori2;ed to increase the area of the park on both sides of the Schuylkill River from 1,600 acres to 5,000 acres. The Act carries no appropriation, but paves the way for a more extended development when funds become available. Probably the most important bill passed by the Legislature, and one which will have a direct influence upon our park development, was the Forests and Waters Fund Bill. This bill pro- vides that all moneys from the receipts and pro- ceeds derived from the State Forests, State Parks, recreational areas and other lands and waters under the jurisdiction of the Department of For- ests and Waters, together with all water power and water rights belonging to the Common- wealth and all receipts and proceeds derived from the collection of costs of forest fire extinc- tion and all activities of the Department of Fourteen Forests and Waters shall be credited to the State Forests and Waters Fund. Heretofore, all revenues received from our State Forests were deposited in the State School Fund and could not be used for forestry purposes. This bill had the approval of the Department of Public Instruc- tion and educational associations throughout the State. The creation of the Forests and Waters Fund does not abolish the State School Fund. The creation of this fund is an initial step in making the Department self-supporting. Pennsylvania is rich in historic shrines and scenic beauty. With all the recreational, histori- cal and scenic features available to the citizens of our State, it is essential that the people know where they are located and become familiar with them. To meet this need a bill was passed and signed which provides for a commission, consisting of the Chairman of the Pennsylvania Historical Commission, the Secretary of Forests and Waters, Secretary of Highways, and four other persons appointed by the Governor, whose duty it shall be to compile, edit, publish and distribute pamph- lets and literature on the scenic, recreational and Forest Leaves historical places of our State. The sum of $20 - 000 was appropriated for this purpose. The aim of the Department of Forests and Waters is to be of use to the citizens of Pennsyl- vania, and it stands ready and willing at all times to dedicate its resources toward this end 1 assure you that it is the purpose of the present Administration to maintain the quality of service rendered on a high plane of efficiency ;. ' Editorials Continued from Page Four forest lands as potential scenic areas which should he made accessible to all. The latter see no benefit to trees and game from the opening up of these areas to public encroachment and question the value to the public. Too often wildings, whether animal or vege- Uble, react adversely to the influences of civiliza- tion. Were it possible to develop such parkways without the resulting high speed traffic, without the enervating effect of humanity and without tne wiUtul and unconscious destruction of game and bird life, a common meeting of ideas might well be imagined. The fauna and flora are at the mercy of man. It IS well that there are persons who strive to protect and maintain them. The citizens of the country are entitled to the opportunity to absorb the beauties and benefits of the wooded hill and mountain stream, but in their enthusiasm over the prospect they must be careful that they do not destroy that which they seek. H. G. M. Our Mailing Addresses Forest Leaves now has two mailing addresses Since the first of the year the magazine has been mailed from the office of a large printing concern in Wayne, thus expediting delivery. In order to fulfill the postal requirements for entry as second class matter, the Association maintains an office at Wayne for Forest Leaves, but, of course continues with the regular office at 306 Commer' cial Trust Building, Philadelphia. To avoid confusion and delay, address all mail relative to Association business to the Philadel- phia office. Matter relating to the magazine may be sent to the printing office at Wayne or to the editorial office in Philadelphia. Mr. Livingston and Mr. Mattoon, respectively, will see that it gets attention at either office. Dr. Wildman's Booklet Elsewhere in this issue of Forest Leaves is printed an advertisement for ^This Week Out of Doors.'' In this booklet Dr. Edward E. Wild- man, a member of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, makes available in permanent formi the contents of a series of radio talks which at- tracted wide attention. The booklet is designed to be of especial interest to schools, boy scouts and other organized groups where it can serve as a stimulus to nature study, and in many cases, as a textbook. Back Numbers Wanted A request has been made by the Librarian of the University of Pennsylvania for the following issue of Forest Leaves to complete their file of the publication: January 1935, whole number 276. We have also had a request from the New Vork Public Library for the issues, beginning with Volume 1, number 1 to and including Vol- ume 5, number IL The Editor will be grateful for receipt of any of these issues so that the files of these two libraries may be completed. October, 1935 In Great Britian, ninety-five per cent of the original forests are gone. In France, Italy, and Greece between eighty per cent and ninety per cent of the forests have been destroyed. Sweden and Finland are the only countries of the Old World that still have half of their original forests left. More than 25 diflFerent common names have been applied to Douglas fir. Its scientific name Pseudotsuga taxifolia, derived from the Greek "pseudo,'' the Japanese "tsuga" and the Latin ^'taxifolia,'' may be translated "false hemlock with yew'like foliage." The ancient Romans, instead of receiving Car- negie Medals for civilian bravery, were award crowns of oak leaves. Fifteen liNii 'btti I* ' i Dogwoods for Montgomery County By ADOLF MULLER, President Montgomery County Dogwood Association Reali2;ing that the native dogwood is unex- celled in beauty and length of bloom and in the charm and variety of its fall coloring and per- ceiving the possibility of making Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, known throughout the country because of its dogwoods, the Montgom- ery County Dogwood Association was formed last spring. Its purpose is to promote the plant- ing of dogwoods along the highways of the county, both on the public rights of way and on private property. Already the fame of the dogwoods at Valley Forge Park has spread far and wide. No less than 250,000 persons visited the park last spring during the five weeks in which the dogwoods were in bloom. With this great planting as a start, sufficient impetus should be given to the movement. Though the Association is but a few months' old, the members have already obtained promises from land owners to plant twenty miles of dog- woods before next spring. By arousing the inter- est of various ci\ic organizations, it is felt that planting on a large scale can be carried on in the thirty-eight townships and twenty-four bor- oughs of the county. ADVERTISEMENT Rare Hybrid Ash Discovered A specimen of an extremely rare tree, dis- covered growing wild in the Allegheny Plateau by George R. Seville, forester at ECW Camp S-124, Cammal, Pennsylvania, was recently sub- mitted to the Mont Alto office of the Division of Research for identification. A tentative identification made by Research Forester John Kase, later verified by the curator of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, indicated that it is a hybrid mountain ash whose scientific name is Sorbus hybrida. The tree from which the specimen was taken is 12 inches in diameter and 35 feet in height. It is a natural hybrid of a type occasionally found with the parents (S. Aucuparia X intermedia) in Europe, particularly in Scandinavia. Horti- culturists have cultivated it to some extent, but it is an extremely rare member of the natural flora of Pennsylvania. S>ixteen ^THIS WEEK OUT OF DOORS" In the Penn Country and Beyond By EDWARD E. WILDMAN Author of Penn's Woods, 1682-1932 These records of weck'byweck developments in na' ture are the reproduction in print of the broadcasts in nature study given by Dr. Wildman in the Evening Public Ledgers "School of the Air" for the Philadel- phia Branch of the Shut-In Society. It is a readable and intensely interesting record of the doings of nature week by week. The coming of the birds, the opening of buds, the awakening of wild flowers, the appearing of insects, all are set down in their proper time. This is a valuable record which each lover of nature should have. "During the school year just closing we have been inter- ested in a series of radio talks that have been given once a week by Dr. Edward E. Wildman, our Director of Science Education, on the subject, 'This Week Out of Doors.' These radio talks have been very interesting and stimulating, and have opened our eyes to a good many natural wonders that we never knew existed (Signed) EDWIN C. BROOME, Superintendent of Schools." "It is good to know that Dr. Edward E. Wildman's ^adio talks, 'This Week Out of Doors,' are to have permanency in print. Teachers and pupils, I am sure, will appreciate and treasure them. , , , ^^^,^^^,^ (Signed) JOHN J. BONNER, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Philadelphia." "I am glad that Dr. Edward E. Wildman is going to put in convenient form for readers the wealth of Nature Study material which he has been broadcasting weekly. It seems to me that there must be groups in all our schools which wil benefit as much by study of the current events in 'This Week Out of Doors' as other groups profit by the usual line of current events served up in connection with our courses in social studies. (Signed) WALTER W. HAVILAND, Headmaster, Friends' Select School, Philadelphia." "The booklet, 'This Week Out of Doors,' will be appreci- ated by all of our troops when they receive it . . . May I congratulate you as the author upon the production o! this splendid material? (Signed) HORACE P. KERN, Scout Executive, ^ Philadelphia Council, Boy Scouts of America." "Your nature study talks are most delightful. I am quite sure that every teacher would like to have a copy . . • (Signed) Ji^LORENCE A. DOYLE, Director of Teacher Training, Philadelphia Board of Public Education." Single copy $ -25 Ten copies $ 2.00 One hundred copies $15.00 '*• Postpaid Orders should be sent to DR. EDWARD E. WILDMAN 4331 Osage Avenue Philadelphia, Pa- Forest Leaves \ («! PUBLISHED BY THE PENNSYIVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCI WAYNE, PA. ^^^ I Hi !' a 11^ m