REFORESTATION IN THE MIDDLE STATES 



377 



Indiana and Ohio are ready to co-operate with the 

 national authorities on this question. 



The progress of reforestation in Ohio and Indiana 

 has been somewhat in advance of that of Illinois because 

 Illinois was late in getting started. Much tribute, how- 

 ever, is owing Illinois for what she has accomplished 

 under a severe handicap. 



The situation in Indiana, while still serious, is now 

 getting to the point where much is being planned in future 



THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING 



This is the headquarters of the Administration force on the grounds of 

 the Indiana State Forest. It is made of logs and most attractively finished. 



policy. It is true that the Hoosier State has been lax 

 for several years after her vast forests of the world's 

 most famous hardwood were practically wiped out. The 

 tremendous influx of big business is partly responsible for 

 this, but most of all the excellent agricultural advantages 

 which were to be had by the fertile soil brought about, 

 not a wise, but a wanton destruction of timberlands some 

 years ago. 



Recent estimates by the Indiana State Department of 

 Conservation give out that Indiana acreage now totals 

 some twenty-two million, and of this there are not more 

 than two million acres of good timber land remaining. 

 This woodland area of the State is widely scattered, and 

 is usually found in very small tracts. 



The first State forest in Indiana was acquired in 1903 

 when the State legislature provided funds for the buying 

 of two thousand acres of land in Clark County for ex- 

 perimental purposes. The cost was less than one thou- 

 sandth of one cent per capita. 



This land was then divided into eighty-four tracts, 

 consisting of from one to ten acres each, and in 1904 

 the first work of planting was begun. Specimens of 

 white ash, black and red oak, yellow poplar, black walnut, 

 black locust, chestnut, catalpa, hickory, elm, sycamore! 

 wild cherry, Scotch pine, cottonwood, European larch[ 

 Norway spruce and sugar maple were put in. 



After most careful management through the years 

 this two thousand acre tract is today the largest and the 

 most successful State owned hardwood experimental 

 station in the United States. 



With some of the plantings winter killings were ex- 

 perienced, but expert care in pruning and coppicing has 

 proven beyond doubt that the reforestation problem in 

 Indiana is but a matter of securing enough acreage to 

 get at it on a reasonably large scale. 



The State conservation department is at work now 

 sending out data weekly to the State legislators inform- 

 ing them of the seriousness of the situation and also 

 keeping them closely in touch with the success of the 

 present State forest. 



It has been intimated in political circles that the matter 

 of State forest acreage will be given especial attention 

 at the next session of the general assembly, and it is 



FINE SPECIMEN OF THE COW OAK 



This tree (Quercus Michauxii), is very rare as far north as Indiana, 

 but it is growing splendidly in the Klein woods, four miles narth of 

 North Vernon. 



expected that Indiana will then be able to carry out to a 

 great measure the extensive plans which have been 

 formulated. 



The press, one time somewhat opposed to the idea 

 of taking good soil and turning it back into forest, has 



