254 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



On the latter areas, such as have been clear cut or burned over and are 

 either not reproducing at all or with undesirable species or old pasture land 

 that is producing only a small annual return per acre, reforesting operations 

 appeal strongly to the people of almost all communities. It creates a more 

 direct response and interest in forestry than any other phase of the work. 



The first purchase of land as authorized by the Act of 1908 was made in 

 the autumn of 1909, when the L. R. Jones State Forest at Plainfield was 

 acquired. At the same time the state came into the possession of the Downer 

 State Forest at Sharon by gift. Early in the present year two more areas 

 were added, one given by the Hon. M. J. Hapgood at Peru, the other by Col. 

 Joseph Battell near Huntington. 



The development of this policy will be continued in various parts of the 

 state as money and the disposition of those interested in granting similar 

 areas will allow. 



THE DOWNER STATE FOREST 



This area of 310 acres, the gift of Mr. Charles Downer, comprises the 

 following types : 



Woodland 90 acres 



Tillable 50 acres 



Pasture 150 acres 



Apple Orchard 5 acres 



Swamp 15 acres 



For a considerable period this tract will serve as a demonstration and 

 experimental area, where improvement and reproduction cuttings will be 

 made; plantations of various species, spacing and combinations set out; and 

 silvical studies of several species, more especially sugar maple, will be carried 

 on from year to year. It is the wish of the donor that a part of the area be 

 utilized as a game preserve. The area is rough but not rugged, varying in 

 elevation from 1400 to 1800 feet. The variation in soil conditions from swamp 

 to the dry, thin soil at the highest elevation, gives a wide range for planting 

 experiments and choice of species. 



The woodland consists for the most part in sugar maple, varying in age 

 from seedlings to over maturity. Other species are basswood, yellow birch, 

 beech, ash, white birch, poplar, ironwood and hemlock. The minimum stand 

 per acre is two cords, the maximum 6,000 board feet and 45 cords. 



The treatment of the various blocks will include reproduction and 

 improvement thinnings ; the selection system ; and the final cuttings of the stand 

 system. All are advised with the idea of favoring either maple alone or maple, 

 basswood and ash collectively. 



A forest nursery was established in the spring of 1910. It will serve as 

 a distributing point for that part of the state and, at the same time, provide 

 stock for state planting. Only half an acre is now in nursery but this will be 

 increased each year. There were planted in the nursery in the spring of 1910 : 

 13,500 two year old white pine seedlings; 20,000 two year old red pine seed- 

 lings; 15,000 one year old white pine seedlings. Twenty-five pounds of white 

 pine seed was sown. In 1911 fifty pounds of white pine and twenty pounds 

 of Norway spruce seed will be sown. In addition 50,000 two year old white 

 pine and 3,000 Austrian pines will be transplanted from the state nursery 

 at Burlington. In 1910 plantations set out on final sites totaled 34 acres, 

 consisting of : 12,000 four year old white pines ; 7,000 four year old red pines ; 

 10,000 three year old Scotch pines ; 5,000 four year old Norway spruce. 



