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NECESSITY FOR ADVANCING IMPROVEMENT WORK. 



ROBERT G. CONKLIN, Forester. 



The lands which the State owns are commonly called forest lands, 

 but this is a comprehensive term. These lands may be divided, accord- 

 ing to the character of growth, into six types, as follows : 



Type A. Mature Growth Areas. Lands on which there is a growth 

 to maturity, which will only depreciate in value by being allowed 

 to stand. 



Type B. Normally Stocked Areas. These are the lands which con- 

 tain an average stock of young growth, being neither greatly over- 

 stocked nor greatly under-stocked. This does not mean that they 

 contain a normal growing stock. 



Type C. Over-stocked Areas. These are the lands on which there is 

 a good young growth of various species, but which stands too 

 thick for proper growth. There may be a few cases "of lands which 

 are over-stocked with old growth, but they are few. 



Type D. Under-stocked Areas. These are the lands on which there 

 are not sufficient trees to form a forest canopy to protect the soil. 

 On these areas there is very often considerable young growth of 

 little value. 



Type E. Barrens. These are not lands entirely without growth, as 

 the name might indicate, but are lands which contain nothing 

 more valuable than scrub-oak or fire-cherry. Hundreds of acres of 

 this type of land are to be found in all parts of the State, and Pike 

 county has a large area. 



Type F. Open Fields. This, perhaps, needs no explanation, as 

 they are just what their name implies. They are found on almost 

 all of the reserves, but not in large areas. 



This classification is not intended to be taken as a standard, but 

 is intended merely as a rough classification for the purpose of this 

 paper. 



To give here a lengthy picture of the conditions existing in many 

 parts of the State where fire has followed the lumber man, and only 

 the stumps are left, is not necessary. We have all seen them and 

 know what they are. Likewise we are familiar with the other types 

 of land as given above, so a picture of them is not necessary. 



We are given the work of making something of these lands. What 

 we make out of them depends on the success we have in keeping out 

 fires, and the improvement work put upon them. 



