REPORT ON FORESTS. 71 



good, and about the same size as above, but from Changewater 

 to Junction it is light, and ranges mostly from 6 to 18 inches in 

 diameter and 30 to 45 feet in height, with a few larger trees. 

 This slope of the mountain has washed considerably in places, 

 and especially where there are peach orchards, the wash being 

 much less when kept in grass. Taking this southern part of 

 the mountain, from Schooley's Mountain postoffice to the New 

 Jersey Central railroad, the cutting within 5 years has been very 

 severe, and all the heavier timber is being rapidly taken out. 

 This is more the case than on any other part of the High- 

 lands. Along the south branch of the Raritan all the old timber 

 is cut, and when the lots now being cut are taken off there 

 will be nothing left but timber too young to be of any use. The 

 farms in this section appear to be well kept up. Near Pleasant 

 Grove an oak stump was noted, showing 104 rings, which was 

 30 inches in diameter. The timber being cut on these south- 

 western Highlands at present is mostly worked up by steam- 

 mills into merchantable lumber of all kinds, including almost 

 everything for which a ready sale can be found. Practically 

 none of the area being now cut off is intended to be cultivated, 

 but it will be allowed to grow up again in forest. 



Musconetcong mountain is next, southwest. Along its west- 

 ern face, from Junction to West End, the average timber ranges 

 from 4 to 8 inches in diameter, and 25 to 45 feet high, of which 

 a good deal has been cut within 10 years, and some quite 

 recently. Some of this recent cutting seems to be followed by 

 a poor and stunted growth, possibly due to the browsing of 

 cattle. Around Pattenburg the chestnut and oak range from 6 

 to 10 inches in diameter, and 30 to 50 feet high, and on the 

 eastern slope, thence to the Central railroad, the timber is small. 

 The best of this region is on the hills, near Glen Gardner. It is 

 generally oak and chestnut and other deciduous trees inter- 

 mingled. The result of interviews in this region indicate that, 

 in the first place, the timber was largely cut and coaled for the 

 use of forges and furnaces, and then, after the Central railroad 

 was built, there was a good demand for timber, and the forests 

 were cut off, since which time there has been a lessened demand. 

 The lots now being cut are those which escaped in the period 

 following the completion of the Central railroad. It is said that 



