No. 4.] REPOrxT OF STATE FORESTER. 359 



Greenfield Lot. 

 The Greenfield Women's Club purchased a tract of land 

 known as Temple Woods on a steep, rocky ledge east of the 

 town for the purpose of preserving the timber thereon, as it is 

 in a region used by the people of Greenfield as a park. The 

 growth is of considerable size and age, and is made up of pine, 

 oak, chestnut, hemlock and hickory. Owing to the thin and 

 rocky soil, and also, in part, to a fire that had been through a 

 portion of the tract some years ago, many of the trees were 

 dead or in poor condition. It was thought best to cut this 

 over-mature growth and thus thin the woods. The chopping 

 was done by our own men, the hauling was let out to a 

 farmer, and the lumber was sold in the log to a mill man in 

 Greenfield. About four acres of open land were planted with 

 young pines, and all slash and brush left after logging were 

 piled and burned. About 50,000 feet of lumber and 35 cords 

 of wood were cut. Owing to the rough and precipitous nature 

 of the land, and the lack of snow during the logging season, the 

 expense of the work was heavy, but the returns about bal- 

 anced the outlay. 



Thinnings on Mountain Tracts. 



It is hoped that this year permission can be obtained from 

 the owners of the woodland property, upon which some of the 

 State observation stations are located, to allow a forester from 

 this office to make certain markings of the trees thereon, 

 with the object in view of having the observation men make 

 cuttings during such time as they may have when weather is 

 not suitable for observation work. Such operations would of 

 course be carried on slowly, but much good could be accom- 

 plished in time at practically no expense. 



There should be many owners desiring to have their wood- 

 lands thinned this coming year. The good accomplished by 

 proper thinnings is very apparent. Fire danger is very ma- 

 terially reduced, while the woods are much more accessible. 

 If infested with moths this danger is lessened, the trees left are 

 in better growing condition, a better stand is assured, and, 

 generally, thinned woods lose little of their value from an 

 aesthetic point of view. 



