84 



Forestry Conditions in Montgomery County, Indiana. 

 Samuel J. Record. 



The recent interest in forests and forestry problems in Indiana makes 

 it very important that every one collecting accurate information regard- 

 ing tlie forestry conditions in any part of our commonwealth, present in 

 as conii)lete a manner as possible everything that may be of general 

 importance in arousing public interest and at the same time serve as a 

 basis for intelligent Avork in that particular part of the State. 



The ■writer has studied with some degree of thoroughness the condi- 

 tions in Montgomery County, which conditions, as revealed by the follow- 

 ing facts, demonstrate the very serious nature of the problems we are 

 confronting and the lines for future work. 



Montgomery County is located in the middle western part of the State 

 and contains 504 square miles, or 322,500 acres. Owing to its large size, 

 its prominent location and the diversity of its surface and soil it may 

 well be considered as a typical section of the central part of Indiana. 

 Hence, what may be said of the forestry conditions and the plans and 

 possibilities of its reforestation may in a general way be considered true 

 of the whole central portion of the State. 



The surface of the county is pleasantlj' diversified. The western and 

 central part near the principal streams is hilly and broken, in the north 

 central it is gently undulating and at the east and southeast flat and level. 

 The northern part of the county is notably a prairie region, level or gently 

 rolling. 



The drainage takes direction from the dip of the underlying rocks 

 generally a little west of southwest. The main stream is Rock River or 

 Sugar Creek, which enters south of the northeast corner and traversing 

 the central area, passes out six miles north of the west corner of the 

 county. Its tributaries from the north are Black and Lye creeks; from 

 the south, Offield, AValnut and Indian creeks. The southern and south- 

 eastern parts are drained by Big and Little Raccoon creeks and at the 

 southwest by Coal Creek, which flows directly into the Wabash. 



The early settlers found the county one vast forest, broken only by 

 the wind swept streak of the cyclones or the marshy land of the prairies. 

 So dense was the wilderness that their way had to be cut with the axe. 

 Trees and saplings were cut and their trunks made into corduroy roads. 



