FORESTRY AT NEHASANE PARK 

 By Ralph C. Hawley 



Nehasane Park comprises about 36,000 acres (of which over 3,000 

 are in lakes and ponds), located astride the Adirondack branch of the 

 New York Central R. R., approximately 75 miles north of Utica, N. Y., 

 and within the region known as the Adirondack Mountains. Since 

 1912 the writer has made annual trips of two weeks' duration with 

 classes of students to this region, camping either on the property 

 (through the courtesy of the owners and of F. A. Gaylord, Superin- 

 tendent and Forester), or a few miles distant. 



The forestry work is of especial interest to the profession, because 

 of the fact that H. S. Graves was responsible for the first cuttings 

 made about 20 years ago and because these cuttings were the first to 

 be made on a large scale embodying the forestry idea. The writer has 

 often been questioned with reference to the results of these old cut- 

 tings, and as to the character of the work now in progress. This has 

 led to the belief that it may be of interest to set forth the impressions 

 gained from a series of annual visits. 



The property is owned by the Webb family and was acquired and is 

 held primarily for use as a hunting and fishing preserve and as a 

 summer home. 



When Graves started the cutting of the timber the forest (which is 

 typical of the region), was a virgin growth of beech, yellow birch, 

 hard and soft maple, hemlock, red spruce, balsam and a few less im- 

 portant species. 



Judging from the stumps of the trees cut, the present stand and the 

 character of the timber on uncut lands adjoining, the trees reached the 

 following maximum ages : Hemlock 500 years, red spruce 400 years, 

 hardwood 250 to 300 years, balsam 150 years. While trees of many 

 ages were present, those of the older age-classes predominated and 

 occupied an unduly large proportion of the area. 



The cutting advised by Graves^ was confined virtually to red spruce 

 and the scattered white pine. The beech, birch, maple, hemlock, and 

 balsam were scarcely considered merchantable at that time. Graves 

 advised a selection cutting of spruce down to an approximate diameter 



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