The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-08-16
Grlcit 1ilisellolln.
CEDAR SWAMpS OF NEW JERSEY.

l.
The Cedar SrampSare remarkable feature
in the forests of southern New jersey. They
are common in all the counties south of Man
mouth, but probably the most extensive are
in Cape May, and the adjoining parts of
Cumberland and Atlantic counties. The
Cedar Swamp creek which runs into the
Tnckahoc river, and Dennis creek, which
runs into the Delaware bay, head in the
Same swamp, and the whole length of the
two strcalus, distance Of seventeen miles, is
one continuous swamp. The wood is the
white cedar, the CypcSSus My0iics of the
botanist. The original growth of trees which
covered the swan,ps at the first settlement
has all been cut off; scarcely any are now to
be found more than one hundred years old,
and it is usual to cut them at fifty or sixty
years. Formerly they attained a great age.
MIR. Charles Ludlum counted seven hundred
rings Of annual growth in an old tree, which
Was living when cut down, and DR.. Beeseley
counted $50 in another The trees stand
vcIy thick upon the ground and grow rapidly
ut first, but as they increase in size, and
crowd each other, the tops become thin and
the annual growth exceedingly small. The
rings near the centre of large Cedar log are
often almost an eighth of an inch in thick
hess, while those near the barkc are not
thicker than paper. Trees four or five feet in
diameter have been found, but this is uncom-
mon, and in the second growth timber they
are much smaller.
a swamp of sixty years growth will yield
from 1000 to 200 split rails. halves and
quarters; besides the top poles or cuttings,
and considerable number Of logs for saving.
And in the older swanps the product is pro
portionally large. The value of an acre of
>.ti,.h tub,,r iS f,,n, 81 /
some acres are thought to have welded a
larger sum still. The soil in which these
trees grow is black, pcaty Garth, composed
of vegetable matter, which when dry will
burn. This earth is of various depths, from
two or three feet up to twenty or more and
the trees which grow Oh it have their roots
extending through it in every direction near
the surface, but not penetrating to the solid
ground. When this earth is open to the sun
and rains, 1t decays rapidly, but when cover
cd with growth of trees, and shaded that the
sun docs not penetrate to the ground, it in
crcaS,s rapidly from the annual fall of leaves
and from the twigs and small trees which die
and fall. Mr.. Chas. LuIlam recently found
low sawed off at both ends, which was entire
]y buried in the swamp. 1t was about a foot
in diameter, and he knows that it was cut
fifty or sixty years since. This process of
covering and preserving timber, has been 60
ing on for a long time. Trees are found buried
in tais pe"tv earth at all depths, quite down
to the solid ground. The buried logs are
quite sound, the bark OH the under side of
many of them is still fresh in appearance. the
color of the wood is preserved, and its buoy
ancy retained When these logs arc raised
and hoated in water, it is observed that the
side which was down in the swamp is upper
most. The buried trees are some Of them
found with their roots upturncd as if blown
down by the wind. aud others are broken of
as if they had stood and decayed, till too weak
to support then own weight.
These logs are so abundant in some parts
of the swamp, and in the salt marshes border
ing OH them. that large number of men arc
constantly occupied in raising and splitting
them into shingles. In Mr.. Ludam's swamp
this business was commenced fifty years ago,
and has been carried on every year since, and
though the logs are not quite so plenty as at
first, enough are still found to repay the work.
men. The size of the logs is from one and
half to three feet, though four feet is not UNI
common, and have heard of them five or six
and in one instance seven feet in diameter
Occasionallyn log is found that will work for
thirty feet, but generally the length is less
than this.
In searching for logs the workman uses an
iron rod, which he thrusts into the mud till it
strikes one; then by repeated trials, he judges
of It's direction, size and length. The next
trial is by digging down, and if possible get
ting a chip from it. by the smell of this the
experienced slinslcr can tell whether the tree
is a rHndfaT ora byeakdo,rn, or in other words
whether it was blown up by the roots or
broken off. lfjudged to be worth working,
the stump. roots and turf are removed flom
over the log, and the earth dug out. The
trench which is thus made Of course, is full
ofw water. There being no grit i'll the earth.
tools can he used in it without injury, and The
logs are rapidly sawn of by one-handlcd
cross-cut saw, which can be worked directly
in the soft Garth. AS soon as the log is cut
off and looscned by means of levers, it rise
and floats in the water. 1t is then divided
into single cuts quartcrcd and thrown out
to he split into shingles, and shaved, when it
is ready for market.
II is said that for five years past the aver
age number of these Shingles sent from Den
nsville, is not far from 100000 year. They
are " orth from Sl3 to SIS a thousand. About
200 900 white cedar rails have been sent from
the same place this year. They are worth
from Sc 10 ! " a huudlcd