REPORT ON FORESTS. 121 



rioration from the condition described above to the desolate 

 stretches of sand-barrens in some sections of Ocean county. 



The first stages of deterioration of the forest may be illus- 

 trated by the valuation survey which was taken near West Creek, 

 Ocean county, New Jersey. The soil is a fine white sand,. with 

 a moderate layer of humus. The land has been burned a num- 

 ber of times, but the fire has been chiefly confined to the surface. 

 The trees are very coarse and scrubby, and that while there 

 is a fairly large number per acre, the diameters are small and 

 the trees stand too far apart for good natural pruning to take 

 place. The ground is covered with huckleberries and Scrub 

 Oaks between the Pines. These trees are probably about thirty 

 to forty years old. In a normal stand of this age there should 

 be not less than nine hundred to one thousand stems per acre. 



Table \2. 



One Acre Measured in Second-Growth Pine Near West 

 Creek, Ocean County, N. J. 



Diameter. No. of trees. 



2 Inches, 22 



3 " 56 



4 " , 88 



5 " 72 



6 " 60 



7 " ' 33 



8 " 8 



339 

 Number of Pine under two inches, 73. 



Number of Oak under two inches, 389. 

 Average diameter of the Pine, 4.7 inches. 

 Yield of Pine estimated to be about seven cords. 



The next stage in the decline of the forest is well illustrated 

 by the vahiation survey below, and by Plate VII. This survey 

 was taken near Ongs Hat, Burlington county. The area has 

 been burned many times, and the trees are scrubby and scattered. 

 There is but little undergrowth, and almost no humus, and even 

 Scrub Oaks find difficulty in growing. The number of trees is 

 even less than before. The photograph is taken near Tuckerton, 

 but shows the same stage in the deterioration of the forest as the 

 valuation survey. 



