REPORT ON FORESTS. 95 



high. A bit of original forest contained 200 trees per acre from 

 4 to 30 inches in diameter and 40 to 60 feet high. 



A hickory stump near here was 38 inches in diameter and 

 had 300 annual rings, as near as they could be counted. It was 

 reported that 40 acres of timber had been sold for $1,000, and 

 the same parties said $80 per acre had been paid near White- 

 house. 



Between Oak Grove and Baptistown the trees ran from 4 to 

 14 inches in diameter and 30 to 40 feet high, standing close, or 

 with thick undergrowth. Between Kingwood and L,ocktown a 

 piece of original forest had 184 trees per acre 6 to 30 inches 

 diameter and 50 feet high. 



On the slope east of Cherryville some forest, said to be origi- 

 nal, has trees 6 to 20 inches in diameter and 40 to 55 feet high. 

 Between Cherryville and Oak Grove there is some still better 

 timber. From Quakertown to Croton some timber is good and 

 some has been cut off within 15 years. The timber is chestnut, 

 oak, hickory, maple, and considerable pin oak. The level top 

 of this plateau is known as "The Swamp." Chestnut is not as 

 prevalent up here as it is on the surrounding slopes. 



In general, the forest of this Hunterdon plateau is perhaps the 

 best of the State. 



PINES BELT NORTHWEST BORDER. 



The line which divides the deciduous timber from the conifer- 

 ous, forming the northwesterly border of the pine belt, was 

 carefully examined and surveyed. There is generally quite a 

 broad belt of mixed timber along the border, so that we have 

 traced upon the accompanying map both the northwesterly 

 limit of the timber which may be said to be practically all pine, 

 and the southeasterly limit of that which is all deciduous. 

 Between these lines is the belt of mixed deciduous and coniferous 

 timber to which we have referred, varying in width from a few 

 yards to eight miles. There are, however, isolated areas in- 

 cluded within the pine district which are much mixed with oak. 

 Some of the older residents of the district are of the opinion 

 that, generally speaking, there is much more oak than there 

 was forty years ago. Oak usually comes up to replace pine 

 which is cut off, excepting where the land has been cultivated 



