iS 



THE FORESTER. 



January 



Studying the American Forests. 



Forest Development. 



The offer made by the Division of For- 

 estry, as outlined in Circular 21, to assist 

 owners of timberland in handling their 

 property to the best advantage by making 

 working plans for them, has met with a 

 most hearty response from all sections of the 

 country, showing how strong was the feel- 

 ing that the present methods of lumber- 

 ing were not the best, either for the land 

 or the owner. 



More timberland (excluding the Gov- 

 ernment Reserves and State holdings) is 

 under some form of forest management in 

 New Hampshire than in any other State 

 of the Union. Maine comes next, and 

 the chief credit, in the writer's opinion, in 

 both States, is due to E. S. Coe, of Ban- 

 gor, who has had the foresight for years 

 to limit the cutting of timber on the im- 

 mense tracts owned by him to 10, 12, or 14 

 inches on the stump, as the conditions and 

 rate of growth determined. The result is 

 that Spruce, bv far the most valuable 

 species, is still dominant and the land is 

 rapidly increasing in value. 



Mr. Coe is a very practical and success- 

 ful business man and his example is ex- 

 tremely convincing to others, especially 

 when he can get from $3.00 to $4.00 per 

 M., stumpage, for his Spruce and Fir, 

 limiting the diameter on the stump as he 

 does. 



The International Paper Company and 

 the Berlin Mills Co., together controlling 

 more than half a million acres of wood- 

 land in New Hampshire and Maine, limit 

 their cut in the same way in some sections, 

 (unfortunately, not in all), save the young 

 growth wherever possible, guard against 

 fire and waste in high stumps and long 

 tops left in the woods, and also market as 

 much of the hardwood as possible. These 

 methods are a big step in advance but they 

 cannot rightfully be classed under the 

 name of working plans. 



In a tract which is managed under a 

 working plan, there is known very nearly 

 the exact stand in broad feet, the rate of 



growth of the various species, and tl 

 amount which may be cut annually witl 

 out diminishing the working capital. 1 

 most cases the timber which is to be ci 

 should be marked, and if the work is dor 

 by a jobber, which is usually the case, 

 contract should be drawn up which sha 

 protect the owner against unnecessai 

 waste and damage. 



Large tracts of land in northern Ne 

 York State are being managed umi 

 working plans made by the Division 

 Forestry, but applications have also bee 

 made for small holdings. Major W. 1 

 Wadsworth, of Genesee, N. Y., has se 

 eral small tracts, belonging to separa 

 farms, which aggregate 3000 acres. 



Here the question is one which eve 

 farmer with a wood-lot should ask himsel 

 viz : How can I handle this lot so as 

 get a constant supply of lumber and woo 

 reproduce the most valuable species, ai 

 secure the largest possible money retur 

 The principal timber on these farms 

 Genesee is Oak, for which there is a fair 

 good local demand for lumber and fir 

 wood. 



First must be determined what t 

 capital is in saw logs, cordwood, railro; 

 ties, fence rails, posts, sills, etc. Ne? 

 the rate of growth and capacity of repi 

 duction of the different species, also t 

 market, capital invested, taxes, etc. 



When the annual yield has been det( 



j 



mined, the timber must be cut to the ve 

 best advantage, looking both to the futu 

 of the lot and the dividend. Sometim 

 it is found that the proceeds of the annu 

 cut will not pay a fair interest on t 

 money invested ; then if the lot is go 

 farm land it should certainly be cleare 

 and on the other hand, in all parts of t 

 country a great deal of very poor fai 

 land should be under timber. 



The writer has just been in Westmoi 

 Vermont, to make a working plan for 

 exceedingly interesting lot there. It 

 called the " minister lot," as it was set ( 

 by the State for the support of the minist< 

 as was also the case in many other towt 



