INSPECTION OF PLANTATIONS AND NURSERIES 



you show a lumberman Now as to what has been accom- 



that the scientific replanting of plished toward helping private owners 



denuded forest lands can be of forest lands. During the past four 



done at the rate of one cent a tree, years the state has made over 1,500 



planted from four to five feet apart ; shipments of trees to private land own- 



that the cost of proper fire protection ers who have purchased the stock to 



is very small ; that the trees planted reforest their own lands. This spring 



can be thinned in twenty years at a the sales approximated four million 



profit, and that in from forty to fifty trees. The state is also giving trees 



years the replanted section will be a to the various state institutions for re- 



valuable forest, he is likely to be im- foresting their lands. 

 pressed. Lumbermen, figuratively, As to the nurseries and their devel- 



are from Missouri. They are also in- opments, the first Adirondack nursery 



tensely practical. They must be shown was established at Saranac Lake in 



actual conditions, see the actual results. 1903. That nursery has been greatly 



This is what they did see when a increased in size, and in 1906 a forest 



number of them, all representative men, experiment station was established in 



accompanied the directors and mem- co-operation with the Forest Service, 



bers of the American Forestry Asso- and various experiments were con- 



cation on a tour of inspection of the ducted and nursery practice studied. 



New York State nurseries and planta- Since that time two nurseries have been 



tions at Lake Clear, Paul Smiths, and established near Lake Clear Junction, 



Saranac Lake on May 3. There, under one at Salamanca, one at Saratoga, and 



the direction of Clifford R. Pettis, su- one is now being built at Comstock, at 



perintendent of state forests, they trav- which place convict labor is being used. 

 elled over miles of replanted forest The American Forestry Association 



lands, and traversed acres of thriving party gathered at Paul Smiths on the 



nurseries, and what they saw and what morning of May 3, and after a de- 



they heard of the progress the State has lightful breakfast, for which the keen 



made in the last ten years astonished mountain air gave a decided appetite, 



them. the party drove to a series of extensive 



The first plantation made by the State plantations. These plantations were of 



in the Adirondacks was in the vicinity particular interest because they repre- 



of Lake Clear Junction in the spring sent a complete series of experimental 



of 1902. About 600,000 trees were plantings by seed spot methods, direct 



planted at that time, covering, approxi- seeding, and the use of nursery trans- 



mately, 500 acres. No plantation was plants, and also include a large va- 



made in the spring of 1903, but the riety of species. The broadcast sow- 



Ray Brook plantation was commenced ing of white pine, for example, seems 



that fall. The plantations are located to promise ultimate success, although 



at Lake Clear, near Saranac Lake, at at present the stand is not as uniform 



Ray Brock, at Chubb Hill, near Lake as from planted trees. The seed spot 



Placid, and at Paul Smiths. Planta- method showed a great variation in 



tions are being made this year at Ben- results, due partly to damage by mice 



sons Mines in St. Lawrence County; and squirrels. Even where good ger- 



Paul Smiths and Ray Brook plan- mination had been secured in the seed 



itions are being increased, another spots, one drawback appeared in that 



plantation is being made between Ray a little group of seedlings had to be 



Bro Saranac Lake, and one at thinned out and the extras used for 



s in Essex County. About filling in blank spaces, which adds ma- 



6,000 acres of State land have already terially to the expense. 

 been reforested. Of the various species tried, Scotch 



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