Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-19
Planting of Forests in North
eastern Pennsylvania on I'm
occupied Lands
LARGE AREA TO BE REFoREsTED
A Valuable Experiment in Growing
Coal Land Timbers on Fifteen Hun
drcd Acres of Denuded Land in
Wayne county-Bis Demand for
! Wood Of II Kinds.

Tie question or feICfeStluB WuSte
mountain land in Wayne county. Ia.
has been investigated by the forest
service of the United States depart
ment Of agriculture in connection with
the preparation of planting plan FOR
lands controlled by Richard knight OF
Middletown. N. Y.
The plan recommends the planting OF
commercially valuable trees on l,5oC
acres of denuded land. Whatever
young growth is at present occupying
the ground will be favored where ii
will not detract from the value OF the
future stand. There is a second growth
forest of 100 acres adjacent to the land
to be planted, and the recommends
lions will include directions for the
right management of this forest, az
well as measures to protect the whole
property from fire.
The principal trees suitable for plant.
ing in this locality are chestnut, Euro
pean larch, red pine and red oak.
Black locust has many desirable quail
ities, tut its susceptibility to insect
damage makes it's use on large scale
somewhat hazardous. so that it will
be planted only to limited extent.
The growth Of all these species Is
fairly rapid, SO that they may be ex-
pected to make substantial yield In
from thirty to forty years. The yield
from thinning in the meantime Will
also be of value. When the plantation
Is from fifteen to thirty years of age
q good deal Of material can be utilized
for such purposes as mine props
The nursery stock needed for the
plantation will be grown on the tract.
This will reduce the first cost, and the
seedlings, when ready for planting, will
already be acclimated. To furnish
these seedlings. nursery capable of
rearing some 100000 plants annually
will be established i'm the coming
spring.
The project is one of great interest to
landowners OF the region as an exam
pie Of what may be done with these
waste lands. 1t is reasonably certain
that the experiment will increase the
value Of the property and prove IN ex-
cellent business investment
The demand for timber Of all kinds
In northeastern Pennsylvania is far in
excess of the local supply. This is es-
pecially true Of the better classes of
material. The coal mining companies
require enormous quantities Of timber
annually, and to obtain the amount
needed they are forced to accept woods
which are Of small value. In many
cases, however, the use Of strong, dura-
bic timber is imperative, and to supply
this demand large quantities must be
Imported, principally from the southern
states.
The second growth hardwood forests
which in many places have replaced
the original stands are an illustration
Of what would have been general had
the cut over lands been protected from
IRE. The absence Of protection, how
ever, has resulted in large areas of
brush land, absolutely worthless in
their present condition. This waste
land, If ,forested, is capable Of fully
supplying the local market, and it is
undoubted that large areas will be
planted to forests In the near future.