evenly distributed among the subdivisions. In the 

 eastern Poconos they constitute less than 20 percent 

 of the area, and in the western Poconos less than a 

 quarter. In the North Mountain subdivision, on the 

 other hand, 43 percent of the area is publicly owned 

 and in the Peters Mountain subdivision nearly 50 

 percent. The water companies also own an appre- 

 ciable proportion of the forest land in the western 

 Poconos and the Peters Mountain subdivision, and 

 farmers hold about 6 percent of the total area in the 

 eastern Poconos. 



Forest Description 



The original forests of the Anthracite Forest Region 

 contained much timber of unusually high quality. 

 The white pine and pitch pine in the Poconos were 

 especially sought after. Early travelers spoke of the 

 standing timber with something akin to awe. In the 



North Mountain subdivision large valuable sugar 

 maple, black cherry, and white ash timber was found; 

 and though there is now some poor forest of aspen, 

 gray birch, and pin cherry in these sections, this is 

 largely because of fire. These forests can be restored. 

 The subdivisions of the extensive forest area are 93 

 percent in forest (fig. 36). The proportion of forest 

 land in each subdivision is: 



Pet cent 



Eastern Poconos 93 



Western Poconos 95 



North Mountain 92 



Peters Mountain 91 



Condition 



The condition of the extensive forest as a whole is 

 considerably better than that of the coal fields and 

 not quite as good as that of the farming area (fig. 37). 



The forest condition varies greatly from subdivision 

 to subdivision (table 19). The North Mountain area 



NON FOREST AREA 



EASTERN 

 POCONOS 



WESTERN 

 POCONOS 



NORTH 

 MOUNTAIN 



PETERS 

 MOUNTAIN 



100 



ACRES 

 m THOUSANDS 



FOREST AREA 



I OO 200 



ACRES 

 (N THOUSANDS 



300 



400 



Figure 36. — ^Forest area in the extensive forest area, by subdivisions. 

 Table 19. — Forest condition in the extensive forest area, by subdivisions 



Subdivision 



Merchantable stands 



Unmerchantable 



Total 



Saw timber 



Pole timber 



stands 



Eastern Poconos 



Acres 



4,200 



12, 300 



36, 800 



8,600 



Percent 



1 



3 



12 



7 



Acres 

 36, 200 

 57, 600 

 122, 300 

 28, 700 



Percent 



9 



12 



42 



24 



Acres 

 350, 900 

 398, 700 

 135,300 



80, 600 



Percent 

 90 

 85 

 46 

 68 



Acres 

 391, 300 

 468, 600 

 294, 400 

 117,900 



Percent 

 100 



Western Poconos 



100 



North Mountain 



100 



Peters Mountain 



100 







Total 



61,900 



5 



244, 800 



19 



965, 500 



76 



1 97? ?no 



100 









50 



Miscellaneous Publication 648, U. S. Department of Agriculture 



