LEHIGH UNIVERSITY TREE PLANTING 



97 



fered severely from invasion of locusts in 1919 and fire in 

 1918, which facts must be carried in mind when deciding 

 on the degree of success of each particular species. 



10. Hemlock (Tsuga Canadenis). The seedlings sent were 

 in bad condition when delivered. They were planted and a 

 few came up, but were all destroyed later by fire. 



11. Yellow birch (Betula lutea) has made an average growth 

 of four or five feet, in spite of the fact that it was badly cut 

 by the locusts. The black or sweet birch grows naturally into 

 tree size on the ground. 



12. Bur-oak (Quercus macrocarpa). Badly burned and badly 

 scarred by locusts, but has made a growth of three feet. Under 

 normal conditions it promises to be a fair success. 



13. Black oak (Quercus velutina). Grows naturally on the 

 ground and its condition is about the same as the bur-oak. 

 Badly scarred by locusts. 



14. Pin oak (Quercus palustris) . Seems to have been some- 

 what less successful than the above named oaks in the contest 

 with fire and locusts. 



15. White oak (Quercus alba). Has made a poor showing. 

 So far as I could see, it has been blotted out by fire and locusts. 



16. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum). Made an average 

 growth of two to three feet in spite of the fact that it was 

 badly cut by the locusts. 



17. Tulip poplar (Liriodendron Tulipifera). Practically sup- 

 pressed by fire and locusts, though a few straggling specimens 

 remain. 



18. Basswood (Tilia Americana). Some small specimens sur- 

 viving. The best mixed in with wild black cherry. Success 

 doubtful, though fire and locusts responsible, in part at least, 

 for failure. 



19. White ash (Fraximus Americana). Generally growing. 

 Three or four feet high, in spite of fire. At present, its worst 

 foe is the sweet Kirch, with which it is competing. 



20. Wild black cherry (Prunus scrotina). Grows naturally 

 to tree size on the ground. 



21. Elm (Ulmus Americana). No note of it. Apparently 

 wiped out by fire. 



22. Honey locust (Gleditschia triacanthos). Destroyed by fire. 

 Xo seedling of short-leaved pine, cucumber, or bald cypress, 



originally contemplated for the plantation, could be obtained and 

 no scarlet oak was planted. 



"Of the twenty-two species planted, there are six 

 species of cone-bearing trees which may be considered as 

 having made good, and four species which remain in 

 doubt. 



"Among the broad-leaved, or hardwood, trees, we 

 know definitely that there are four that can be depended 

 upon as suitable for planting on sites similar to the one 

 we are considering ; namely, black and rock oak, sweet 

 birch and wild black cherry. 



"There remain among the hardwood species listed, 

 eight absolutely in doubt, because in two successive 

 years, visitations (fire and locusts), either one of which 

 frequently kills or seriously hinders the trees in question, 

 came upon them. The chances are that some, at least, 

 of these doubtful forms would have risen above and 

 overtopped the brush with which they were contending. 



"In view of the facts, it may be safely said that all of 

 the species planted could have made successful growth if 

 treated with special care, but that would hardly have been 

 a forestry test, because it is not applicable over extensive 

 areas. The object of this experiment is to determine 

 just what species can grow in such soil in competition 

 with other less desirable species, and overtop them." 

 "The interest of Lehigh University in the pressing 



problem of a future supply of timber for the needs of 

 Pennsylvania is earnest and practical, as shown by the 

 fact that in addition to the demonstration area, the Uni- 

 versity, under the judicious suggestion of the President, 

 Dr. H. S. Drinker, purchased an adjoining tract of six 

 acres for an Arboretum for the growth and exhibition of 

 desirable timber trees. There are now growing in that 

 tract thousands of seedlings of pines, larch, spruce, firs, 

 aiborvitae, oaks, tulip-poplar, ash, birches, beech, mag- 

 nolias, dogwood, elm and others. Also a large number of 

 trees of various ages. 



"In the clearing up of the forest tract, known as Sayre 

 Park, the University has planted on its ground upwards 

 of .sixty-five thousand forest trees. 



"The University Campus and Park, Arboretum, and 

 Demonstration Plot, cover about 175 acres. The clean, 

 healthful condition of the trees is evidence of judicious 

 treatment by their caretaker, Mr. J. C. Cranmer. 



"The Demonstration Plot was purchased, then laid out 

 and planted under the direction of the Hon. Simon B. 

 Elliott and myself in 191 5; since which time five years 

 have elapsed. The average observer may think the 

 growth shown is insufficient, but it is to be remembered 

 that the largest seedlings planted were six inches high ; 

 the majority were less. In addition, the locusts and the 

 fire have done their destructive work. As a forestry 

 proposition of especially important character, it 

 should be continued as a testing ground to discover what 

 species of trees may most surely be depended upon to grow 

 on the vast, abandoned areas of like soils in this State. 

 It is an open question for those in charge to decide, 

 whether it should be continued in the strictest sense as a 

 testing ground, upon which seedlings from three to five 

 years old should be set out and take their chance of 

 growth in competition with other established native trees ; 

 or whether the seedlings should be more tenderly cared 

 for and favored in their life struggle. The latter method, 

 no doubt, can be made to render more striking, immediate 

 results. The former method, if rigorously conducted, 

 will win no applause as an illustration of neat, or clean 

 forestry ; but in the long run, it may save much labor and 

 much money if the individual foresters over the State 

 know just what species of trees can best be depended 

 upon to force their way up above the underbrush and 

 become marketable timber. No institution in Pennsyl- 

 vania can more appropriately than Lehigh University 

 conduct and continue this practical work which it has 

 commenced." 



It is the intention of the Lehigh University authorities 

 to continue this demonstration plot as a testing ground 

 of timber growth under purely natural conditions, and to 

 plant new seedlings to replace those destroyed by locusts 

 or fire, or by causes other than those properly and ordi- 

 narily pertaining to the plant struggle for life among 

 competing natural growths. Those planted to supply the 

 places of those eliminated since the original planting in 

 1915 are of course being carefully catalogued, and their 

 history chronicled to the end that this Demonstration 

 Plot may serve as a continuing study of survival of our 

 trees under natural conditions. 



