Evening journal., 1909-02-04
TO PRESERVE
STATE FORESTS
This the Object Of the Board
as Proposed by Delaware
College
PROFESSOR HAYWARD
FATHERS THE SUGGESTION

NEWARK, Feb. 4-There Is much talk
here regarding State Board OF Forestry
under a state forester as recommended by
w. D. sterrett, Of the Forest service in
the bulletin issued by the Delaware Col
lege Experimental station. Already the
Trustees OF Delaware College have Great
ed a chain Of forestry. but the appoint
ment OF a professor TO tho chair viii not
be made until late in the year.
In a recent issue OF the Experimental
College Station Bulletin credit is given
Professor Hayward. director Of the sta
ton. for creating sentiment which has re-
suited In the formation Of forestry
bureau at the college.
Professor Hayward made application to
the Forest service in November. 1906. for
cooperative forest study Of the state the
expense Of the work TO be born Jointly
by the service and the station. II was
agreed that the work should consist of
careful examination OF existing forest
conditions with the purpose OF recom-
mencing practical measures for the man
agement Of the various classes Of wood
land and Of formulating a definite forest
policy for the state. The Forest Service
commenced the work the middle OF March,
1907. and field data were collected during
the following two months by an officer
Of the service.
Summary of Conclusions.
The conclusions and recommendations
based upon this study may be summarized
as follows:
Delaware Is a State Of farms and most
OF the land is too valuable for agricultural
purposes to be used for growing forests.
However a small woodlot is a necessary
part Of every well equipped farm. no mat
ter how valuable for farming purposes
is the land already in woods
II Is advisable in certain parts Of Della
ware to plant and maintain trees to serve
as windbreaks and shelter-belts IN locali-
ties devoid OF extensive wooded areas.
where the country is practically all
cleared up and under cultivation.
The climate and soils Of Delaware are
uniformly well adapted TO extremely rapid
tree growth.
The market for forest products is as
favorable as can be found anywhere in
the United States. and is extremely con-
dueive TO care and economy In forest man
agement
None Of the 20 per cent OF improved
land is wooded, and not all Of the 30 per
cent unimproved can be classed 3s wood
/ land The value of land has greatly ad-
vanced since 1900. and now IT is nearly
double what 1t was then There are con-
siderable areas of cut-over forest land OF
slightly improved land i'm southern Del.
aware which can be bought for s. 10 sli
an acre. on which timber growing could
easily be made 10 pay good interest
The following statistics on the lumber
industry IN the State are taken from the
census OF 1900; Number OF mills. 7e; tota
capital invested, 1884, total value o.
product. s47i, ,4S2: total value OF rough
sawed lumber. ss95.S2s; 7e per cent. from
pine and the rest from hardwoods.
Total amount OF rough sawed lumber
1856 NJ board feet per cent. Of which
is pine and only Il per cent. hardwood
mostly oak.
Utilization Of Forest Products.
Delaware is a wood-lmporting, rathe
than a wood-exporting State. as it con
sumes much more lumber than Il manu-
factures. The high prices for timber pro
ducts, which have been reached recently
have brought about clean and economic
forest utilization, and there is now YER,
little waste material left in the woods al
} ter numbering.
There is practically no virgin forest II
Delaware The forests consist for the mos
part Of second growth stands less thai
sixty years IN age. the original growtl
having been long since removed. and onl,
occasional decrepit veterans OF inferio
quality left standing Forest growth al
over the State. except in portions Of The
extreme northern part, is very rapid, an'
trees reach merchantable size at com
paratively early age. There is very littl'
pine over fifty years in age, and II q
usually cut before Il is forty. as it reache
merchantabie dimensions for saw-timbe
in twenty-five to thrty-1vc years. II
some cases the stands arc even-aged an'
regular, as where the previous one wa
clear cut or where pine has taken pos
session of idle farm land. But more Otter
the forest is irregular. with trees OF al
ages from young seedlings to scattering
deterioratlng veterans
Forest Policy For State.
Il was pointed out that there are twl
general lines Of action which the Stat,
should pursue. IN order to better its fu
ture wood supply condition;
I. To encourage forestry by private own
ers.