REPORT ON FORESTS. 65 



Near Taylorville, some wood 12 years old was recently cut, 

 and the larger trees were decayed at the heart. It is also stated 

 that timber growing rather thin on the ground is better in quality 

 than where it stands too close together, and that it should be 

 trimmed out when about three years old, leaving the healthier 

 sprouts to grow. The general trend of opinion seems to be that 

 the rotting at the heart indicates the necessity of re-seeding. 



On this northeastern portion of the Highlands all of the steeper 

 slopes are well forested, excepting a few which are rocky and 

 will not support any growth. The cleared land is almost entirely 

 confined to the bottoms of the valleys, which are usually rather 

 flat. The cleared portions are not highly cultivated, consisting 

 largely of grass land. The water-sheds of the Ramapo, Wanaque, 

 Pequannock and Rockaway lie almost entirely upon this gla- 

 ciated Highland district, and to this fact is due their peculiar 

 excellence as sources of water-supply for our cities. The fore- 

 going description gives as good an idea of the forest conditions 

 of these water-sheds as could be given by a separate description 

 for each stream. 



In Wanaque valley, although the timber is more interspersed 

 with clearings, it does not differ from that already described, 

 excepting that there is more red cedar, which is probably due to 

 the fact that the land has at some time been cleared. 



Ramapo mountain is practically an unbroken forest, mainly , 

 oak and chestnut. The main ridge, from Negro pond south to 

 the highway crossing from Midvale, is covered with a good 

 growth of perhaps 30 to 40 years old, and most of the flatter por- 

 tions of the mountain are likewise well timbered. Perhaps one- 

 third to one-half of the slopes are not so well timbered, owing to 

 thinness of soil. The southern end of the mountain is mostly 

 covered with quite young timber and brush, and the timber on 

 most of the more accessible parts has been cut within 20 years. 



Generally, the Passaic range of the Highlands and Ramapo 

 mountain are more lightly wooded, and the timber has been 

 more severely cut during the last 20 years than on the Central 

 Highland plateau westward. The proportion of forested area to 

 the whole is about the same. In this part of the Highlands it is 

 thought, generally, that the timber grows as vigorously as in 

 former years, and it is asserted that a 3<>years' growth will yield 



5 FOR 



