Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-06-11
south Iersey,s Valuable swamps.

South JERSEYS Valuable Swamps.
Mr.. F. R. Meier, the consulting forestery
Of the Geological Survey, will this year
make careful and thorough examination
and survey of the white cedar swamps of
South Jersey, says Trenton writer, with
the object OF determining their area, theiry
present timber resources, the extent TOT
which they have suffered from fires, to-
what extent they can be successfully cul-f
tivated, what cedar can be cut out without{
injury to the remaining growths and TOT
investigate and experiment as to what Isl
necessary to the reproduction of the growthst
in cedar swamps when the mature wood is
cut off.
These cedar swamps constitute the most
valuable and promising forest area in South
Jersey. The wood is very useful in boat
and ship building and for great variety
of purposes. 1t is light, strong, and endur-
ing. The work to which Mr.. Meier will
devote most of the summer will be very
interesting. The white cedar is tall,
straight and sharp pointed tree. The base
of the crowns meet to form solid conopy,
and it is dim twilight within the recesses of
one of these swamps in the brightest days
in summer. The trees grow so close that
one supports another, and when a few are
cut or felled by storm the rest, deprived of
their support, fall in every direction. Thel
limbs are often thiclly festooned with a.
grass lichen, the pendant tufts OF which are
favorite resting places of the Parula warb-
ler These swamps are warm and protected
in winter, and harbor many birds. In
summer they are cool and fragrant, with
the odor Of clethra and magnolia. A cedar
swamp bottom seldom freezes in the cold
est winter. The forest floor is usually
covered with thick mass of spongy and
beautiful moss, through which streams OF
dark brown water meander. There are no
natural features in the southern part OF the
State so interesting as these cedar swamps
Is is in these dense coverts that the ami |
mails of the woods take refuge, especially |
the deer, which still abound in considerable |
numbers in that part of New Jersey. These
swamps are of great extent, the entire area |
aggregating more than fifty thousand acres.
Their value, at thirty-five years. growth, is
from SIS to 5000 an acre; fifty years
growth, from $75 to $4O0, according to the
condition of the standing wood. Heavy |
cedar swamp has been known to sell as
high as $500 an acre.
If, therefore, Professor Meir's researches
and labors shall result in bringing these
swamps under profitable cultivation, the
results to that part of the State will be
highly important. Thousands of acres of
valuable cedar swamps have been made
utterly barren by the ruthless improvidence
Of their owners in cutting down the whole
growth. The investigations of Mr. Meier
will be largely directed to discovering how
the swamps may be cultivated successfully
without end in the production yearly of a
crop.
MacFarland's Track Races.
The greatest half days raee-meet ever
held in Woodbury. was that at MacFar-
lands track last Saturday afternoon, and
the largest crowd of spectators ever assem-
bled there enjoyed as fine racing as was
ever witnessed. The grounds were filled
with conveyances of all kinds, and the
was packed with between six
and seven hundred auditors.
There were three races, 2. 40 class, 2.24
class and free-for-all. Between heats Mr..
MacFarland exhibited some of the famous
horses of the country. Mounted on
superb saddle horse, he drove these animals
with free line up and down in front of the
grand stand, the hores at the top of his
speed, while the trotters easily kept well in
advance.
2.40 CLASS. MIXED-PURsE 500.
w. Netherlands e. m. Moss Rose,
PAGER, by Gamerose.. (Dav1s)
W. Crotker's br. m. Ethel Brentwood,
PAGER, by Brentwood Croker
[. W. Moores oh. m. Society Belle,
PAGER, by Nuthurst (Moore)
J. McAnany's b. g. Point Breeze, PAGER,
, u, nnknwn ~; simmons)
by Wildnut (Williams} 2 5
Shed BaelSstOn's b. $ DaaGosta, PAGER L.
J. E. Lingo's b. g. Ensign, PAGER by
Charles RosseTs blk g. Riena wilkes
trotter, by Guy Wilkes Davisa dis
Time-23I, 229]4, 22914, 2.2s14.
224 CLASS PAoING-PURsE $50.
Edward basaa s%th' eh M Amaze 1y Ah
I. W. Williams, b. g. Don Chris, by
'itman farms b. M Fonde ep bg De 2
J. W. Merkle's b. m. Zerelda, BY Nut
g S Keichners b. m. Florence Why
W }q Moore < b. M Lady BSmps, by
WASH Ron Mu nrpfsfe blk. M veivt D Sip
pers, by Gusto (Murphy) Z
I. s. Montague's blk. g. Gilmore, BY
Gambetta Wilkes. (Montague)
Tohn McAnany's b. g. John ball, by
P Tn e0SafF 2.2lI, 2.2 }i4eAn'n'' us
Observation-Disclosures $500,
" MacFarlands b. g. Johnny Agan
lanes 4. Feds br. g Prince 4. x
Daniel Bodine's CHI. g. Major 5, by
Ti@eE2.l8, 2i7l4, 2..181l. ''