Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1906-11-15
woodlands OF St. Mary 5 County
By F. ". BnsLnY, srArr FoarsrER

About one half Of the area OF the
County Is wooded and 10 addition,
considerable land once under culti-
walton is now growing up in brush.
The woodlands Of this county, have
not been SO severely cut overisasI Is
the case ia other counties and for
that reason, it is an inviting3sdeld
for the timber buyer. True. much
Of the forest lands have been skimm-
cd OF the cream, butSwith the rapid
rise in value Of the differents CLASSES
Of wood material much remains1that
is merchantable.
The forests Of the County may be
divided into three types, namely;
the Mixed Hardwoods. the Mixed
Hardwoods and Pine, and the Pure
Pine. The mixed hardwoods cover
the largest percent Of the forest
lands. This type consists princip-
ally Of sweet gum, yellow poplar,
black ash, sycamore, the oaks. beech,
and elm, and occupies the rich gray
ely soil along the water courses.
The mixed hardwood and pine type
border the mixed hardwood type
and extends back from the water
courses. The principal kinds OF
trees 10 this type are red and white
oaks, sour gum, scrub pine, and q
small amount Of loblolly pine. The
third type of forest Is the pure pine
type which occupies the high situa-
ton. and on land that was formerly
used for agricultural purposes. The
pine here found is the scrub pine,
with occasionally some loblolly pine
10 places.
In the three types Of forest REFER.
ed to, the principal ommercia spec
les Of trees are red gum, which is
used for veneer and basket stock;
poplar, for paper pulp; white oak.
for ties, bridge timber, and dimen-
sion stuff chestnut, for fencing,
slaves, and shingles; lcblolly pine,
for piles and poles; scrub pine, for
fuel, wood pulp. and lumber; red
cedar, for fence posts. There is very
little merchantable chestnut left,
since 1t has been nearly all culied
over for poles and ties. La the South.
ern part OF the County, ! Of the lum-
Der cut is pine, while 10 the North
can part the cutisabout1 hardwood.
Formerly the forests consisted Of
hardwood species almost entirely,
but at present about 20 per cent. is
pine, and this proportion is increas-
ing.
With the large woodland area Of
st. Marys County, timber products
should be good source Of revenue.
There is The opportunity for the
farmers and woodland owners 70
make these lands source OF con-
slant income. On the other hand,
there is the temptation held out by
the timber man TO sell all the timber
10 him for q lump sum or by the thou
sand, leaving with him the choice Of
what be will take and the manner OF
getting itoot. A wholesale murder
Of the forest according to this meth.
cd means that il will be great many
years before there is q chance for o
second crop, and this second crop,
which the owner will never see mat
ured, will, 20 chances to |, be much
inferior to the first growth. Itwould
be just as reasonable for the farmer
TO sell 1 OF his flock OF sheep or his
herd OF cattle at so much per head
or so much per pound, leaving the
selection tothe purchaser. Ofcourse.
under this arrangement. the farmer
[ would have lett the very poorest
specimens with which 70 build up
bis flock or herd.
When q timber man goes into q
tract OF timber which he has pur-
chased and where he does not own
the land, he naturally takes all that
is valuable. In getting this out
much ofthe promising young growth
is broken down or cut outo tho way.
He cuts q chestnut IL inches 10 d.
ameter and gets / r. r. tie, worth
10 cents on the stump, and leaves
the other 40 feet Of the tree 10 20 to
waste Such q tree is ID the stage
OF its most rapid growth and 10 q
few years would make pole, pro
baby worth ten times as much.
The timber man is not TO be blamed,
he is only making the most out Of
his Investment. which is natural aud
legitimate. 1t simply emphasizes
the Importance Of regarding our
forest lands just as much produc-
ing part Of the farm as the agricnl-
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