326 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



and Ohio Railroad, including spurs extending along South River and the 

 Severn River, covers approximately 84,000 acres, of which 50,200 acres, or 60 

 per cent, is wooded. The portion south of the Patuxent River is more largely 

 wooded than the rest, amounting to 70 per cent. The portion to the northeast 

 is 50 per cent wooded. The forests differ in character and composition, 

 dependent upon soil conditions, especially as to moisture content, and also 

 dependent upon the extent of previous cutting. On the few high gravel ridges 

 along the edge of the Piedmont Plateau, the characteristic species are rock, 

 post and black oaks. The higher slopes generally throughout the area are 

 covered with scarlet and Spanish oaks, and chestnut; while on the lower 

 slopes are found hickory, white oak and yellow poplar, walnut and black gum 

 as the predominating trees. Along the streams a great variety of species 

 are found, notably the maple, sycamore, beech, ash, birch, elm, etc. The 

 characteristic trees of the swamps are red gum, willow, pin oak and willow oak. 



The forests of the region have been cut over rather closely so that they 

 consist principally of young growth, with scattering trees of larger size. Since 

 it is easier to develop a young forest into good form than it is to improve an 

 old one, the present situation has decided advantages. Furthermore, a forest 

 largely composed of young growth can be purchased at a much more reason- 

 able price than one containing timber of merchantable size. The probable 

 cost of these lands can only be approximated. The average for the woodlands, 

 exclusive of timber, would probably not exceed |20 per acre. The value of 

 merchantable timber based on the average stand for the entire area is 

 approximately |6 per acre, giving an average of |26 per acre for the land and 

 timber. Some of the land can be purchased for much less than this, while 

 some, if included, will cost more, depending upon location and the value of 

 the timber thereon. 



The proposed extension of the national forest along the Potomac River, 

 above Washington, includes a section noted for its natural beauty. The steep 

 hills on the Virginia side of the river are well wooded, almost all the way 

 from the District line above the Great Falls. On the Maryland side of the 

 river the slope is less abrupt and there is more cleared land. The area indi- 

 cated on the map, including a large tract west of Rockville, which is very 

 largely wooded, is approximately 10,000 acres, of which about 6,000 acres, or 

 60 per cent, is now wooded. 



The combined areas available for forest reservation as indicated on the 

 map comprise about 110,000 acres, of which practically 64,500 acres, or 58 

 per cent, is now" wooded. By making the boundaries more irregular, or 

 excluding tracts that are nearly all cleared land, the area might be reduced 

 and the percentage of woodlands correspondingly increased. The presence 

 of cleared lands within the forest boundaries would not be a disadvantage. 

 The best of the farm land could be used as experimental farms in cooperation 

 with the Department of Agriculture, while those less adapted for agriculture 

 could be planted in forests. It is safe to say that 85,000 acres of the tracts 

 mentioned are typical forest lands already in forest or suitable for reforesta- 

 tion. There are many foreign trees that have not been fully tried in this 

 country under forest conditions. The rate of growth of most of our native 

 species under the most favorable conditions as would result in planting have 

 not been determined. The field for forest experimentation is a large and 

 promising one which would find here the ideal conditions for its fulfillment. 



