The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-12-02
MORE STATE LAND
Forester Halves Adds TO Reservation
in Washington County.

in Washington County.
Montpelier, Nov. 30.-State For
ester Austin F. Halves OF Burling-
ton was in Montpelier Saturday
and completed negotiations for the /
purchase Of two tracts OF land Of As |
acres each five miles south OF /
Plainfield and adjoining the L. R. |
Jones State forest Of $50 acres
At the Jones forest, where lum-
bering operations are being carried
on for the purpose of thinning out
the trees in the more densey wood
ed places in order TO give the
other trees chance to grow. For
ester Halves and his assistant have
marked $4,000 feet of timber to be
cut from this tract but as it is scat
tered and as many Of the trees
marked for cutting are small the
sum realized by the state this year
will not be large but win be fair
considering that the cutting is be-
/ ing done so as to improve the re-
naming trees.
Only the poorer kind of timber
is being cut in most instances,
spruce trees being cut only where
a tree is preventing the growth or
crowding Of several others. In this
manner the poorer timber is being
cleared out and the better trees are
left standing.
The amount that will be realized
from the sale of the timber will Gov
er a great part of the expense Of
planting seedlings of pine and spruce
on the unwooded part of the $50
acre tract in the spring. By this
method ii can be seen that the State
forest will become paying PROPOSE
ton after all of the necessary plant
ing is done as the proceeds from the
sale of timber that 1t is necessary to
Cut will be clear gain and, II indeed.
can be used to maintain other parts
of the forestry department.
This tract of $50 acres was
bought for the States in the fall of
1909. Ii lies in the town OF Plain
field and the region was called to
the attention OF the State forester
by Hon. o. l.. Martin, commissioner
of agriculture, and Mr.. Foss who
is well acquainted with all wild lands
of that region Opinions were secur-
ed for the State and the titles were
searched and found correct by States
Attorney Gates. The average price
paid per acre for the Jones forest vas
$4
The board Of agriculture and for
estry. following the example OF The
Federal government in naming
forests for noted forestry men,
named the tract in honor Of Prof.
l.. r. Jones, who was for 20 years
associated with the University OF
Vermont and won fame for himself
and the university by his researches
in botany. especially in the branch
dealing with the diseases of plants.
Forestry was not his speciality but
his wide interest made him one of the
earliest opponents of better manage
ment of forests in the New Eng and
States.
Forester Halves in his recent an
nua report described the Jones
forest and summed up the work
done up to October OF this year as
follows: This tract is situated
about FIVE miles south of the village
! OF ILdiHlltlu III lht P''NHH
town known as Goshen Gore and
on the edge Of a 5000 acre forest
owned by a Mr.. Cushing Of Boston
A portion of it extends up onto the
slopes of Mt. Truro. which has an
elevation OF nearly 5000 feet, accord
ing TO DIR. Smiths History of Plain.
field. Goshen Gore was at one time
/ inhabited by several families, but il
has had none for 20 years or more
1T is in a hilly territory yaryins
by about 500 feet There are sew
era types Of land represented, which
make Il ideal for. forestry demon
stration purposes. Perhaps one
third of the whole area is run out
| pasture land. which is suitable fol
forest planting. Another portion
formerly pasture. is now covered
with a thick growth Of young spruce
varying In height from one to forts
feet, and In diameter up to ter
inches. Still another portion is COY
| cred with hard wood growth
either pure white birch, SECOND
growth or old hardwoods left afte
the soft woods we're culled out