The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-22
A FORESTRY EXPERIMENT.
Shows n Profit of Five Per Cent. Per
Year on Investment.
Philadelphia Record.

- AAAcONiPhAd
A report of an interesting forestry expert
ment is given in a recent bulletin issued
by the geological survey of the State of
New Jersey, the report having been COM
piled by Prof. F. r. Meier.
The document gives the actual result of
eight years practical forestry work upon a
tract of 5000 acres of land near Darlington,
Bergen county. situated just off the Ram
apo river, and belonging to II. o. Have
meyer, jr.
This woodland is covered with oak and
chestnut and a little maple and hickory.
forty 70 fifty years old, and grown mostly
from sprouts. The inroads of lumbermen
had caused such a degeneration that trees
rotted at the heart when less than forty
years old.
Professor Meier, after studying the sit
uation, proceeded to apply a treatment
based on the theory that a healthful and
vigorous growth of timber required the
raising of trees from the seed, and the
abandonment of the %sprouting from the old
stumps, as rapidly as the coming forward
of the new seedlings could be brought
about, without seriously impairing the COM
mercial prOductiveness of the forest.
In order to preserve the conditions the
cuttings of each year were restricted to a
portion of the area, so that it would take
several years to cover the whole tract. The
forest was divided into ten parts of 800
acres each, and every year one of the sub
divisions was taken in hand for treatment,
so that ten years would be consumed in
going over the whole reservation. Once in
ten years, therefore, the cutting will return
to the same section.
The cutting consisted of a systematic
course of thinning. the purpose being to
improve the future growth, for there were
cut trees that had reached maturity, in
ferior trees that We're crowding out supe-
rior ones, stunted and unpromising speci-
mems and heavy sprout trees with no pros
pect of thriving.
During the last eight years 2,40O acres
have been subjected to this process of nur-
ture, and. in addition, during the same
period have been cultivated throughout the
preserve numerous groups of young and
vigorous Seeding trees. Eiguratively speak
ing. these new groups provide the new
blood, so greatly needed, and will supply
the recuperative energy OF the fresh forest.
1.-THE result of this treatment" writes
Professor Meier. both from the sylvicul-
tural and financial standpoint, is a marked
one. The trees which were overshadowed
by inferior kinds have been set more free
by the trimming, and have already doubled
their rate of growth in diameter. Young
seedlings which were set free are thrifty
and appear in increased numbers. both in
groups and Stnglyj the forest is healthier,
and the sale value Of the tract has not been
impaired by the cutting, but, on the con-
trary, it has been enhanced.
The financial statement Of the eight
years receipts and expenses shows a net
revenue of $11, 254.66, or a net revenue of AZ
cents per acre per year. This was a trifle
over 5 per cent. on the investment, not in
Guiding the enhanced value Of the forest. -
There are 1924 quare miles of forest area
in New Jersey that could be subjected to
this treatment, and the forthcoming report
points out that there are only two ways in
which it might be brought about.
One is for men of wealth, like Mr.. Have
meyer, who can afford il, to buy large
tracts of land and place them in charge of
capable foresters and wait for the sure re-
suits. The other is for the State to acquire
extensive holdings of forest lands where
they can be prOitably devoted to no other
purpose, and cultivate them in accordance
with the system proposed and successfully
tested by Professor Meier.