THE SPROUT HARDWOODS REGION 367 



lumbermen. Some of the lime, brick, and brass companies own 

 large tracts, while a good many lumbermen own from one to 

 several thousand acres apiece. There may be a few holdings 

 within the region of over 10,000 acres apiece, but such areas 

 are unusual. Large holdings of woodland are apt to be made 

 up of many scattered lots rather than a single extensive tract. 



The states do not figure prominently as forest land owners, 

 although Connecticut has at least one forest reserve within the 

 region. Several private water companies and municipalities 

 own large tracts located on the watersheds of their reservoirs 

 supplying drinking water. This class of owners is usually inter- 

 ested in forestry and in many instances are already handhng 

 their lands under forestry principles. 



Standing timber is usually sold without the land, the owner 

 retaining this. If the land is sold with the timber the whole 

 farm usually changes hands. 



Forest Protection. 



Forest Fires. — The forest fires in the sprout hardwoods region 

 are surface fires, feeding on the litter of the deciduous leaves. 

 Sometimes in dried-out swamps ground fires occur. The sur- 

 face fires are common in uncut timber of all ages as well as on 

 cut-over land, but the severest fires are on areas covered with 

 slash or brush. In thick cedar stands of the old-field type the 

 fires are often severe and take the form of crown fires. 



Damage from forest fires is felt here principally in wounds at 

 the bases of trees, admitting insects and fungi, which later may 

 cause death. On account of the abundant reproduction by 

 sprouts there are comparatively few absolutely barren areas 

 due to forest fires, as occur in the other three New England 

 forest regions. The stocking of the stand may be greatly re- 

 duced but rarely is entirely destroyed. 



Sprouts in almost all cases start after the fire. But fires and 

 especially repeated fires on the same area result in changing the 

 composition of the stand. The species which sprout vigorously, 

 of which chestnut is an example, increase in proportion. Fire- 



