REPORT ON FORESTS. 87 



Groves of planted white pine may be seen on the estate 

 of the late William Walter Phelps, and also one mile east of 

 Saddle River, south of the road from Ridgewood to New Mil- 

 ford. 



PALISADES MOUNTAIN. 



It will be a surprise to many to learn that this ridge, so 

 near to the large cities, and in the most populous section of 

 the State, is so well wooded. From the State line, south to 

 Edgewater, a distance of 13 miles, and for a width oi i}4 

 miles back from the bank of the Hudson, practically 90 per 

 cent, of the whole area is well timbered. The forest covers 

 an unbroken tract of 11,000 acres. Beginning at the State 

 line and extending to i mile below Huyler's landing, we 

 have, on the talus slope along the river, a mixed deciduous 

 growth, mainly chestnut and oak, from 30 to 60 feet high, varied 

 with pine and hemlock near Huyler's landing. We give here, 

 as elsewhere, only the prevailing timber, but in reality this 

 whole Palisades forest includes a large number of varieties. 

 Further down, to Ivinwood, the growth on the talus is more 

 irregular, containing a fair proportion of oak and chestnut of 

 good size, with scattering hemlock. From L,inwood to Fort L,ee 

 the talus is well wooded, some good white pine being found, but 

 oak and chestnut prevail. From Fort Lee to Edgewater the 

 river slope of the ridge is well timbered, but a strip of land along 

 the river, at the foot, has been cleared and occupied by residences. 

 On the flat top and upper portion of the western slope of the 

 mountain, from the State line to Edgewater, if we except some 

 red cedar near the State line, the growth is practically of mixed 

 deciduous varieties, mostly oak and chestnut. This timber 

 ranges from undergrowth to trees 40, 60 and 80 feet in height. 

 Diameters of from 30 to 30 inches, and heights of from 60 to 80 

 feet, are not at all uncommon, especially from Huyler's landing 

 to Edgewater. Taken as a whole, there are not many finer belts 

 of timber in the State. The land is largely held in such a way 

 that there is comparatively little danger of wholesale deforesting, 

 but this beautifiil forest has almost as good a claim to future 

 preservation as the escarpment of the Palisades. South of Edge- 

 water the ridge is practically a city to Bergen Point, and entirely 

 deforested. 



