Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1906-11-08

Dut ON November u EOF#ME
IL was election day
-..z.-.z<
EXAMINATION ! WOODS.
Dir. +. W. Besley he State For
ester. was Ia st. Maf $ recently on
trip OF inspectid tbrough- the
county. He is coglzetksg data in
regard to the. woosl1 IDS and forest
resources of the'coukky.
To fepreseua sOf he Bra
ss { - :. -
L presume theFe are compara-
lively few people in ahe county who
know that the State has begun sys-
tematic work toward the improve
ment of woodlands IN cooperation
with the owners, or indeed that
there is such an agency as the State
Board of Forestry. This Board is
making forest maps Of the different
counties, collecting Information as
to forest conditions-an devising
plans for better forest management.
The policy of the State is to furnish
this information and the service OF
the Forester in preparing plans and
giving advice when requested.
Three leaflets bearing on this CO.
operative work, our forest laws, &c.
have recently been published and
will be sent free upon application
to the Maryland State Board Of For
estry, Baltimore. Md.
In speaking vi tue forest condi-
tlons in this county, MIR. Besley
said About two-thirds of the land
area Of the county is in woodlands.
Since land is growing up faster than
II Is being cleared, Inls proportion
Of woodlands Is not likely 10 de-
crease. 1t Is safe ~ say that the
forest products. Lumber, ties, pulp
VOID, poles, piles, cordw wood, &c. ]
amount W more than ali other pro-
ducts combined. When We come to
think vi 10 our woodlands as d source
revenue are an important consider
alton. Tnegrowsh Of timber should
be regarded as o crop in whicn the
harvest though delayed, is as GER
tain and as remunerative as a crop
Of Corn, wheat or tobacco.
Nearly ali Of the woodlands of the
county nave been cuL over. anu Iue
must valuable timber removed, SO
the material left as working capital
is Of inferior growth. Where this
constant culling out of the Dest con
Ilnues, without any attempt " IIn-
prove the character OF tue growth,
the result must inevitably pe that
each succeeding crop of timber ls
less valuable. Now, how Is TINS
condition TO be remedIeu ? A wouu-
lot Is sucn cOnls4eA sulug auu no
two are exactly alike, SO il Is Impos-
slole 70 lay aown nard aud last
rules, but, IN general, this simple
method may be used. la the nrsL
place the most important consldera-
tion is the growing stock Or the tim
Der that Is 10 be ultimately placed
on the market. This should Oe law
ored at all times at the expense vi
the inferior kinds of trees. 1t is
necessary TO have a definite plan.
When a young thicket starts there
are many thousands Of trees to the
acre, and as they grow they begin
to crowd each other for room. A
little competition for space is desir-
able while the trees are young be-
cause il makes them grow up tall
and straight toward the light. Soon
the smaller ones areovertopped and
begin to die out. Jf the trees that
are being overtopped are the valua-
BILE oaks, poplars and hickories it is
time 10 stop this death struggle tenn
porarily by thinning out some of the
undesirable trees. The trees left
will then grow up rapidly and in a
few years these will crowd each
other aud will need thinning before
they become stunted. This gives
US an opportunity to thin out some
OF the crooked and less promising
trees, SO that we are constantly i'm
proving the character of our forest.
As soon as trees reach maturity and
market conditions are satisfactory,
they should be cut. When healthy,
hardwood trees are cut, they will
sprout vigorously from the stump
and new crop is assured. These
sprouts should be thinned out at
the right time, as in the case of the
thicket, and then the rotation is
complete.
OF course, this system cannot be
applied in all cases without modifi-
cation. Special plans must be made
for Individual cases and it is for
this purpose that the State Forester
is authorized by Leuislatiye Act IN