FORESTRY IN CONNECTICUT 



By Theodore 



TT is interesting to contrast the lack of progress in 

 ^ actual forest management in an Eastern state like Con- 

 necticut with the practical forestry actually accomplished 

 in the western states. The reason is obvious. In the 

 East the land is in private hands and has to be bought 

 by the public before the public can practice forestry. In 

 the West the great nucleus of National Forests, intelli- 

 gently and skillfully managed, gives all the western 

 states a tremendous advantage in that the land could 

 be secured by mere proclamation rather than by purchase. 

 But states like Connecticut are fast awakening to the 

 necessity for economic forest production. Yet it must 

 be admitted that thus far, even after two decades of 

 state forest administration, the soil has hardly been 

 scratched. When Austin F. Hawes, the new State 

 Forester, took office last July, the State forests amounted 

 to 4,452 acres. During the past seven months this has 

 been increased to 7,132 acres, 1,200 acres of which (Mo- 

 hawk Tract) were received as a gift from the White Me- 

 morial Foundation. Practically all the appropriation for 

 the purchase of new forests has been expended and the 

 small area of forests only serves to show how much larger 

 amounts are necessary in order to secure an adequate 

 area under public management. It would certainly be 

 reasonable to have at least 100,000 acres in Connecti- 

 cut state forests and probably more. It is obviously 

 ridiculous to employ a State Forester with an assistant 

 to manage 7,000 acres ! But of course he has other duties 

 the most important of which is fire prevention. On Jan- 

 uary 1, 1922 a new fire warden law went into effect and 

 has enabled a thorough reorganization of the fire serv- 

 ice. Fire wardens, instead of being appointed by the 

 selectmen, are now appointed by the State Forester, 

 and the State has been divided into about 160 districts, 

 each under a town or district warden. During the coming 

 season, plans have been made for five look-out stations 

 and eight fire fighting equipment stations. All wardens 

 w'ili'bie supplied with fire fighting equipment. The State 

 'Forester has also completed a compilation entitled, "Con- 

 necticijt Laws Relating to Forests and Forestry, 1922," 

 which may be secured by applying to the State Forester, 

 Hartford, Connecticut. The State Forester has also 

 commenced in collaboration with the extension service of 

 the Connecticut .Agricultural College a special Census 

 on the use of lumber and wood on the farm along the fol- 

 lowing lines: 



1. Wood for fuel. 



a. How many cords do you burn annually ? 



b. How much of this comes from your own land? 



2. Fence Posts. 



a. How many ])osts do you use annually? 



b. How many of these come from your own land? 



3. Lumber for repairs. 



What did you use last year for repairs or for 

 ^instructing minor buildings like .sheds, oui- 

 linu>o, etc., in the way of 



S. Woolsey, Jr. 



a. Lumber, 



b. Shingles, 



c. Clapboards, 



d. How much of the above came from your farm? 



e. Of the supplies purchased give variety, and 

 average price for each. 



4. a. Do you use lumber or wood for other special 

 purposes, as for props for tobacco shades, etc.? 

 b. If so, what dimensions and varieties, and prices 

 paid ? 



Mr. W. O. Filley, Former State Forester, is now For- 

 ester of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. 

 As yet it appears that sufficient time has not elapsed since 

 the reorganization last July for the completion of any 

 particular projects. As a matter of fact, Mr. Filley is the 

 handy man in Connecticut, who is continually assisting 

 and cooperating with others. He is a member of the 

 State Board, which employs the State Forester and assists 

 in handling the forestry minutes of the Board. 



The Connecticut Forestry Association under Presi- 

 dent Wells has made some progress during the past six 

 months. The membership has increased more than 100 

 per cent and the Association is in a much stronger posi- 

 tion financially and has definitely adopted the policy of 

 holding as permanent investments all money contributed 

 by patrons and life members. The success in the mem- 

 bership drive was largely due to splendid addresses by 

 Gifford Pinchot in September and by Colonel Greeley 

 in December on "The Use of Idle Land." In order to 

 encourage forestation and thinnings in Litchfield County, 

 the following prizes have been oiTered, the first of the 

 kind In^ the United States: 



^CASH PRIZE FOR THINNING COMPETITION 



A. prize of $25.00 will be given for the best executed thinning 

 in aj)ine stand. 



Contestants must be taxpayers (corporations excluded) in 

 Litchfield County, Connecticut. 

 The thinning must be made between Sept. 1, 1921 and March 1, 



All stands entered for the competition will be examined by 

 the Thinnings Committee of the Connecticut Forestry Associa- 

 tion between March i and May 15, 1923. 



Contestants may be required to show the Committee the thinned 

 stand. 



.\ward of the prize will be made at a meeting of the .As- 

 sociation in 1923. 



The number of stands which can be entered by one contestant 

 is unlimited. 



To enter the competition send your name and address with 

 the location of the thinned stand to : 



THINNINGS COMMITTEE, 



Connecticut Forestry .Association, 242 Prospect Street. New 

 Haven, Conn. 



(Continued on page 243.) 



