A PRACTICAL REFORESTATION POLICY 337 



Plot II. — Rock oak and chestnut slope, coppice hardwoods uneven-aged because 



of fires, quality III. Overwood composed of 312 trees to the acre, 



of which chestnut forms 77 per cent and rock oak 12 per cent. The 



chestnut is rapidly dying and a regeneration is present as follows : 



Rock oak, 14 per cent ; black oaks, 40 per cent ; weeds, 46 per cent ; 



total, 3,400 seedlings per acre. 



Plot III. — (Average of several.) Lower hardwood bench. Overwood cut this 



summer. Composition : 



Chestnut, 79 per cent; rock oak, 4 per cent; black oak, 17 per cent. 

 The reproduction consisted of over 2,000 seedlings and sprouts. Com- 

 position : 



Rock oak, 30 to 40 per cent; black oak, 20 per cent; white pine, 

 5 per cent; weeds, 35 to 45 per cent. 

 Plot IV. — Rock oak slope, quality II. Hypermature rock oak and chestnut. 

 Average of over 40,000 rock oak seedlings from i to 5 years old 

 present. 



While these sample plots do not pretend to be exhaustive, they are 

 nevertheless typical of minimum rather than maximum conditions. 

 The whole area, except the scrub-oak flats, is at present producing a 

 composite forest of nearly normal density, with oak forming at least 

 50 per cent of the stand."* 



The northern plateau region, stretching across the northern tier of 

 counties and extending southward along the divide between the Ohio 

 and Susquehanna watersheds, presents a less favorable appearance. 

 This area was the home of the original white pine and hemlock. Lum- 

 bered first for pine, then for the hemlock, and finally for the hard- 

 woods, and then repeatedly burned, this section has seemed to require 

 artificial reforestation on a large scale. The writer has shared this 

 view. But the last few years have greatly changed conditions. Ade- 

 quate fire protection, by giving nature a chance, has accomplished a 

 wonderful work of restoration. The greater portion is being covered 

 with a sprout and seedling growth varying somewhat in density and 

 composition, but forming everywhere a valuable soil cover and a great 

 obstacle to successful planting. Sample plots show the following con- 

 ditions : 



Plot I. — 25,000 seedlings, almost entirely aspen, i to 15 feet high. 



Plot II. — 2,900 fire cherry and 1,600 aspen, with scattered hardwoods.' 



Plot III. — Overwood of pitch pine with natural seed regeneration of 2,000 to 



3,000 per acre. 

 Plot IV. — (.A.verage of four.) Typical of largest acreage: 



Oak, 720 per acre, 23 per cent; chestnut. 1,894 per acre. 62 per 

 cent ; weeds. 464 per acre. 15 per cent ; pine. 4 per acre. 



* Retan, G. A.: "Silvicultural Consideration of Forest Conditions in Pennsyl- 

 vania." Forest Leaves, June, 1916. 



"Illick, J. S. : "Forest Tree Planting Camps." Journal ok Forestry, April, 

 I0I7- 



