84 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



only 5 per cent., the Passaic county portion 9 per cent., and the 

 Essex county portion 20 per cent. In topographical position 

 this timber is largely confined to the slopes, level valley bottoms 

 and plateaus being mainly under cultivation. These cultivated 

 portions, however, have a very liberal allowance of scattering 

 forest trees, orchards and other planted trees, so that in looking 

 over the valley from an elevation it appears to be very generally 

 wooded. The really forested portion ranges through all con- 

 ditions, from a very limited amount of brush and stump land to 

 heavy timber. Very little of it is now cut off entirely, most of 

 the cutting being selected trees, so that the considerable amount 

 of timber taken out each year is scarcely missed. There is no 

 wastefulness apparent, as a rule, in the handling of the forests. 

 It is generally a mixed deciduous growth, with oak predominat- 

 ing in the lower land along the Hackensack, while chestnut 

 prevails on the higher ridges westward, and softer woods, such 

 as gum, white birch, beech and maple in the swamps. Here 

 and there are few scattering hemlocks. From Closter to Engle- 

 wood there is much red cedar. The timber is usually in rather 

 small, isolated areas, not often reaching 100 acres in extent. 

 There is a tract of some 500 acres along the Hackensack near 

 the State line. Proceeding southward from the State line, across 

 the whole width of the valley, there is a gradual decrease in the 

 amount of timber. The growth in the vicinity of Ramseys to 

 Wyckoff is rather mixed, consisting of oak, chestnut, maple, 

 beech, elm, white birch, red cedar, &c., in all stages of growth, 

 from brush to trees 80 feet in height, but there is a notable 

 absence of stump land or new clearing. Near Paterson the coun- 

 try is quite deforested, the 9 per cent, of forest in the Passaic 

 portion of the valley consisting mainly of small patches of oak 

 and chestnut, preserved in connection with farms, and only cut 

 occasionally and sparingly as needed. Most of the groves con- 

 tain much fine timber, and are generally well cared for. Proceed- 

 ing southwest into Essex county the wooded area is increased to 

 20 per cent, and is somewhat similar to that described, although 

 the timber is, as a rule, not so good. There are some quite large 

 timber areas north of Belleville. In this Hackensack valley, as 

 a whole, the timber is probably as well cared for as in any other 

 equally large section of the State. It is thrifty and healthy, and 

 suffers comparatively little from fires. 



