A Private Forestry Undertaking 



Bv A. F. Hawes, State Forester of Vermont 



IN the summer of 1909 the newly created Vermont 

 Forestry Department made a working plan of a tract 

 belonging to Dr. Wm. Stanford Stevens in Enosburg, 

 Vermont. Since that time the owner of this nine hundred 

 acre tract has consistently followed out the recommen- 



NATURAL MAPLE REPRODUCTION 



A sugar orchard from which the poorer trees have been cut in order to 

 permit naturil maple reproduction. 



dations of this plan. As Dr. Stevens lives on the place 

 only a portion of the year he was unable to give it the 

 attention necessary to make it successful as a dairy 

 proposition. The plan, therefore, contemplated the dis- 

 continuance of active farming by the owner. He has 

 continued to sel' >iis hay from the mowings, and by the 

 application of commercial fertilizers has aimed to keep 

 up their fertility. The pastures were all in bad condition 

 owing to the fact that fully half their area was taken up 

 with ferns, which could not be eradicated without the 

 expenditure of considerable money. 



The chief expense called for in the working plan was 

 for the reforesting of these run-out pastures. About one- 

 third of the area was typical northern hardwood forest, 

 and part of it had been used as a sugar orchard as a large 

 part of the trees were maple. These were badly in- 

 fested with the borer. There were also a great many 

 dead and down trees, and a good many large mature 

 hemlock, that were ready to cut. The plan outlined sys- 

 tematic reproduction cutting throughout the wooded por- 

 tions, with a view towards securing natural reproduction 

 of sugar maple, white ash, basswood and yellow birch. 



During the six seasons which have followed the mak- 

 ing of this plan, Dr. Stevens has planted 262,000 trees, 

 including 25,000 used for filling in vacant places, cover- 

 ing about two hundred acres. There still remain 144 

 acres of pasture to plant, and this will be completed at 

 the rate of 50,000 trees a year. The total cost of the 

 planting thus far completed is $2,282.42, or an average 

 of $9.22 per thousand for those now living. Practically 

 all of these trees have been purchased from the State 

 Nursery. 



The species used are: White pine, 237,000; Norway 

 pine, 12,000; Norway spruce, 13,000; making a total of 

 202,000 trees. 



With the exception of the trees planted in 1911, a 

 very dry season, most of them have lived and are now- 

 making a rapid growth. In fact the planting is such a 



SCOTCH PINE PLANTATION 



Four years ago Scotch pine seedlings were planted here and the vigorous 

 growth they have attained is evident. 



success that the owner is now contemplating the refor- 

 esting of the poorer meadows. 



The material removed in the reproduction cuttings 

 has sold for more than enough to cover the cost of 

 cutting. The total sales of wood and lumber have 

 amounted to $3,239.54, while the cost of getting out this 

 material was $1,357.75, leaving a profit on the operation 

 of $1,881.79. The appearance of the woods has been 

 much improved thereby and reproduction, especially of 

 maple, has followed in a very satisfactory degree. 



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