REPORT ON FORESTS. 267 
The great function of the forest on the sandy soils of Southern 
‘New Jersey is the beneficial influence which it exerts on the 
quality of the soil, both physically and chemically. The forest 
fixes the soil, preventing it from shifting. The winds would 
‘blow it from place to place were it absolutely bare. ‘The forest 
‘brings from the subsoils inorganic materials which it deposits 
-on the surface in the leaves and wood. ‘The soil is enriched and 
protected from the beating and leaching force of the rain and the 
‘drying effects of both sun and wind. The granules of silica are 
gradually comminuted by the chemical action of decomposing 
organic matter so that the influence of the forest on a coarse, 
‘sandy soil tends to render it more and more of the nature of 
loam, and finally, in the course of ages, fertile and able to sup- 
port not only a dense forest growth, such as Fontainbleau, but 
even in time fit it for agricultural purposes. In fact, this is the 
-only rational form of treatment for such soils, and although they 
may become fit for agricultural purposes in the course of time, 
the forest should be one of a series of crops. In this system of 
‘rotation the interval from the time the forest is cut until the 
‘land is allowed to come again’in forest should be short. 
In rocky regions the soil is constantly fed by disintegrating 
‘stones on the surface and in time recuperates, but with sandy 
soil the only natural fertilization is by means of the forest, 
which returns, in part at least, the materials which have 
leached into the deeper layers of the soil while the land was 
under cultivation. 
Since, then, considering all things, the State is not justified 
‘in purchasing and managing these pine lands, and sinee it is 
extremely doubtful whether their condition would be materially 
changed by State ownership, it is important to consider the 
circumstances which fetter private ownership. It is safe to 
assume, without further discussion, that the woods of South 
Jersey, for a long time to come at least, are destined to remain 
in the hands of private parties. They must be regarded, there- 
fore, as duszness and not protective forests, although they may 
-of course perform both functions at the same time. The possi- 
bilities of successful forest management from a business stand- 
point are dependent upon certain fundamental conditions. 
‘These forests must be regarded in the light of supply forests for 
