io REPORT OF THE FOREST COMMISSION. 



WOOD t'TILIZ. \TIOX. 



Along with the production of wood goes its proper utilization. 

 As a means of knowing what the State uses and what it needs a 

 special study of its wood-using industries is being made in co- 

 operation with the United States Forest Service. A report on this 

 will be published next year. 



FOREST RESERVES. 



The State reserves aggregate 13,720 acres and the effort to 

 increase them has been suspended in order that all the money 

 available may be devoted to protecting the whole body of wood- 

 land without reference to ownership. The properties all are in- 

 creasing in value as the forests develop in response to immunity 

 from fire. See Fig. 6. They prove beyond question that fire is 

 the chief bane of New Jersey's forests and that reasonably good 

 timber lands can be obtained solely through protection. See 

 Figs. 7,8. 



None of the larger reserves is yet in condition to yield any con- 

 siderable revenue. That they can and will do so is clearly indi- 

 cated by the growth of the trees and by what was done on Mount 

 Laurel last winter. In briei, the twenty acres there produced 

 timber which when sold netted nearly $300, yet left a better forest 

 than was found. (See Figs. 16, 17, 18). A special bulletin describ- 

 ing what was done has been published as "A Practical Example of 

 Woodlot Foresty." The Commission hopes to acquire other wood- 

 lots upon which to make similar demonstrations. 



The total income from all the reserves was $508.57 an insig- 

 nificant sum except that it indicates the Commission's purpose to 

 make the State lands yield all they can. 



The recent action of the State Water Supply Commission in 

 contracting to purchase the Wharton tract in Burlington and At- 

 lantic counties for the water found on it will bring under State 

 Control an area of forest aggregating close to 100,000 acres. 

 Though no active work can be done on this property until title 

 shall have passed, the Forest Commission stands ready to co-oper- 

 ate with the Water Supply Commission for its fullest development. 



