870 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



age of which are mature, over-mature and defective. The 

 clearing of the stands of matured timber naturally de- 

 velops the other standing timber. 



The expenses of the Forestry Department are derived 

 from the sale of over-mature and mature timber to the 

 mining operations of the coal company. Revenue is also 

 derived from the sale of timber from mine crop falls and 

 from timber cleared from sites used for dumping refuse 

 or for dumping of clay at the stripping operations. 



It is the duty of the department to see that no useful 

 timber is wasted. Timber cut from the company's land 

 can be delivered to the mining operations at about one- 

 half the cost of timber purchased in the open market ; 

 notwithstanding the fact that some of this timber has to 

 be transported from the mountain sides, a considerabk 

 distance from the colliery operations. The freight haul 

 on mine timber, purchased in the South, where most of 

 the company's supply is obtained, is about one-half the 

 total cost of the timber. 



The lands of the Panther X'alley Water Co. were ac 

 quired principally for their sources of water, necessary 

 in the operation of the mining plants, as well as for do- 

 mestic use. Due to the remoteness of this land from 

 towns it has been neglected from a timber standpoint. 



Recently an 80,000,000 gallon reservoir, domestic sup- 

 ply, was completed by the water company on one of its 

 water sheds, and it has been decided to have this land 

 reforested. 



The location is in the Rroad Mountain, a plateau rang; 

 ing from 900 to 1,800 feet above sea level; the soil is 

 light, deep and sandy, with a porous sub-soil varying to 

 moist clay flats, which are not continuously wet. 



The present sprout growth of chestnut, oak and pitch 

 pine have been ravished from time to time by fire. With 

 proper protection, this growth can be developed into good 

 mine timber. 



WHITE PINE AND WHITE ASH HEELED IN 



Greater success followed the planting of these two species than any other and most of the replanting 

 on this land in the future will be done with them. Over 95 per cent of the white ash and over 

 87 per cent of the white pine planted proved successful. 



THE FINAL OPERATION IN PLANTING 



After the earth is carefully tramped down the seedling is left to take 

 care of itself and then it will not be many years before it is growing 

 at a rate of 10 to 15 inches yearly. 



A survey of the territory shows many small patches 

 called "holes" occurring all over the water shed. These 



holes vary in number from 200 

 to 600 per acre and are lacking 

 of any growth, except sweet 

 fern and moss. 



These holes are being planted 

 with nursery stock of ever- 

 greens, and the sprout growth 

 of hardwoods are being devel- 

 oped. To determine the best 

 species, a trial tract of trans- 

 plants was planted with the fol- 

 lowing results : 



Per Cent Success 



White Ash 95 1/2 



White Pine 87 2/3 



Norway Spruce 82 



Pitch Pine 76 1/3 



Scotch Pine 66 1/2 



Red Pine 57 3/5 



In all cases except white ash 

 the transplants were in mixture. 



