Effect of Fire on the Forest Production* 



All who are familiar with the conditions of South Jersey know, 

 from their own observation or from what has been written, that 

 forest fires are very common and enormously harmful. But the 

 extent of the damage is not often fully comprehended, for the 

 devastated lands are compared with the forests which are now in 

 existence, and not with those which grew originally, and which 

 might still be flourishing if the land had been protected. It was 

 the purpose in this investigation to determine by actual meas- 

 urements the condition of the forest on burned areas, and to 

 compare it with forest which had been protected from fire. A 

 large number of sample plots, mostly of one acre each, were sur- 

 veyed in different sections, the trees carefully measured, and notes 

 were made of the height, age, density, condition, etc. From 

 these valuation surveys, the results of which are summarized 

 below, an accurate picture of the forest under different conditions 

 can be obtained, and the deterioration of the forest can be traced 

 step by step from the heavy timber 200 years old to the barren 

 wastes, with scattered fire-scarred Pine sprouts and scrub Oaks, 

 which are so abundant in South Jersey. 



THE ORIGINAL TIMBER. 



The greater part of southeastern New Jersey was originally 

 covered with a heavy growth of Pine. The poorer soils were 

 probably occupied by Pitch Pine, the medium and better soils 

 by Shortleaf Pine and hardwoods and the deep swamps by Cedar. 



From a study of scattered old timber, it is estimated that the 

 original mature Pine forest yielded on an average from five to ten 

 thousand board feet per acre. The timber was about 150 to 200 

 years old and 15 to 20 inches in diameter, with occasional trees 

 as large as 24, or even 30 inches. The average height of the old 

 timber was 65 to 70, and the maximum 80 to 90 feet. The 



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