18 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 



soil in this territory is sandy by reason of which it 

 seems that the white pine seed has a much better 

 opportunity to germinate, and, therefore, the very 

 best results were obtained from natural seeding. 

 Many stands of pine were here seen which would be 

 coveted by the lumbermen of Northern Wisconsin. 

 In fact, the growth is such now that some of it is 

 being cut. 



Considerable of the lands upon which were found 

 this second growth of white pine were old abandoned 

 farms which had been cultivated for many years and 

 given up because of their light sandy nature making 

 them unprofitable for farming. 



No better opportunity could possibly be had for 

 studying the attempts of nature to reforest cut-over 

 and abandoned farm lands. Everywhere that any 

 seed trees had been left, excellent growths were 

 found; and where the fire had been kept out the 

 second growth stand was fully as good as the virgin 

 timber. There is no reason why, with the proper 

 fire protection, much of Northern Wisconsin will not 

 v in time become rehabilitated with a growth of white 

 and norway pine of great commercial value. 



Mr. Charles Faxon of the Faxon Estate at Ches- 

 tertown imparted much valuable information to the 

 Committee, showed them over his holdings and ac- 

 companied them on a visit to his private plantings, 

 one of which was white pine planted in 1884. This 

 planting adjoined a natural second growth forest so 

 that a very good opportunity was afforded for a com- 

 parison of natural and artificial forest growths. 



At Warrensburg the Committee visited a planta- 

 tation of white pine thirty years old. This planting 

 was made by an Episcopal Congregation, was two 

 acres in extent, and showed a fine growth. 



On the 31st day of July the Committee was met 

 by Hon. Walter 0. Filley, Chief Forester for the 

 State of Connecticut, at Hartford, Conn. Under 

 his direction the Rainbow plantations conducted by 

 the Forestry Department and consisting of many dif- 

 ferent varieties in all ages of growth up to fourteen 



