SHINGLES : STAVES : FORESTS OF CAYUGA CO. 453 



III. SniXGLES. 



IV. STATES.— IMPORTS. 



1 By lake and railroads. 



Cayuga County. — The region eastward from Cayuga Lake, and 

 extending back several miles, taking in the western portion of the 

 south half of this county, rises from the lake (387 feet above tide) by 

 a gradual slope to a height of more than 600 feet at Poplar Ridge, four 

 miles distant from its waters. The soil is a rich strong loam, and has 

 been widely noted for its products of wheat and other crops. The pre- 

 vailing winds are west-northwest, west, south, and southwest, there 

 being but little from other points. The rainfall is about 36 inches, but 

 is greater on the high ridges than near the lake. 



The sugar-maple was the most abundant tree of the native forest 

 Next, and along the border of the lake, white oak. Basswood was com- 

 mon. Beech was frequently found in abundance on rather flat and 

 heavy, damp soils. White elm grew on lands more moist. Hickory 

 {Carya alba) was widely distributed. Red oak {Q. rubra) and scarlet 

 oak {Q. coccinea) were frequent; also slippery elm, tulip tree, wild 

 cherry (Primus serotina and P. virginiajia), red and black maple, and 

 hemlock, the latter growing abundantly along deep ravines. The white 

 pine was found occasionally, but little or no chestnut. Of these timber 

 trees the white hickory and sugar-maple were regarded best for fuel. 

 White oak stood highest on the list for durable timber for various manu- 

 facturing purposes, and the wood of the tulip tree was highly valued 

 for cabinet-work, and was often used for house-siding. Some of the 

 trees were very large, and all were remarkable for their straight stems- 

 I measured one that was 6 feet in diameter and 124 feet high. By 

 counting the rings of growth, it appeared that it was ninety years old 

 when Columbus discovered America. 



In second growths, where permitted, the original sorts are repeated. 

 No forest planting has been done here, and land-owners have slashed 

 away at the original woods without apparently thinking that a race was 

 to come after them. Where trees have been planted in lines they have 

 grown finely, and show how successful shelter-belts would prove. The 

 European larch, on my own grounds, without cultivation, has grown 

 48 feet high and 16 inches in diameter in twenty years. Other trees 

 grow finely. The tent-caterpillar occasionally denudes trees early in 

 summer, checking the growth ; but they nearly all recover their vigor 



