The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-11-19
THE FORESTS OF GARRETT COUNTY
Garrett County as seen in the Report
of the Haryland State Board of
Forestry.

used. Among the softwoods the most
important species are white pine, hem
lock, yellow pine and spruce; while
among the hardwoods the most impor-
tant are oak, chestnut, maple, birch,
Eastwood. beech and hickory.
White Pine. This tree at one time
of very great Importance in the county
since it occupied large areas particularly
in the central and northern sections.
Its stumpage value is higher than that
for any other species, but it has been
cut so closely that little remains. 1t is
principally used for lumber.
Hemlock is still abundant in some
sections and is scattered more or less
over the county along the streams. The
lumber is used for construction pur-
poses, and the bark which is also valu-
able adds greatly to the Importance of
the species.
Pitch Pine is found in small areas in
different sections of the county and is
being cut extensively for lumber. 1t is
the only yellow pine found in the
county.
Spruce never was abundant in the
county, but is found scattered in some
sections with the white pine and hard
woods. 1t is cut into lumber and d.
mension material.
Oak. Nearly one-half the cut of all
the hardwoods is oak of the various
species, of which white oak and red oak
are the most important, followed by
chestnut oak and scarlet. The large
sized white oak trees go into saw TIM
Der, while the smaller sized white oak
and chestnut oaks are used for railroad
ties, mine props, etc. Some high grade
red oak lumber is cut from the larger
red oak trees, while the smaller ones
with scarlet oak go into construction
material. railroad ties, mine props, etc.
Chestnut is abundant in all of the
mountain sections of the county, par
ticularly on the ridges and upper slopes.
1t is used for lumber, srailroad ties,
telephone poles, and fence posts.
Maple, Birch, Beech and Eastwood do
not tank high as timber, and these trees
are run through the mills in connection
with oak and chestnut with which they
are more or less associated. Their
principal use is for construction mater
ial. mine rails, etc.
Hickory is quite abundant IN some
sections, and wherever it grows in
quantity it is sawed into special dimen-
sion material for wagon stock, etc.
Black Cherry and Black Walnut are
common trees in the forests and of
great value, but do not occur in suffi-
Gent quantity to be very important
Other Trees, such as Ash and Cucum-
Der, are likewise found scattered and
are cut with other species wherever
they occur.
The history of the lumber business in
Garrett county is not unlike that of
other sections where extensive and
valuable forests have existed in the
mountain sections. In the early days
when there were no good roads, i'm
mense forests and few people to use
them, only the choicest timber in the
most accessible places was taken
Later on when there was greater de-
mand for timber, cutting extended far
thor no nk in tho mountains op1 upoc +ba
beginning of the more rapid depletion
of the forests, but even then it did not
pay to take any but the very best of
the trees.
Forest fires generally followed the
numbering operations in the old slash
ings and from this time to the present
forest fires have undoubtly destroyed
more timber than has been cut. With
the advent of the logging railroads it
was possible to extend the tracks up
the streams and bring the timber from
the adjacent mountain sides. Even be-
fore logging railroads were used some
of the best timber areas were cut over
and the timber removed by tram roads,
in which the cars were hauled by mules
or horses. This was the way in which
the white pine on Meadow Mountain
was taken out about 35 or 40 years ago,
over tram-road constructed from
Meadow Mountain to Deer Park, where
large saw mill was located. The
lumber was taken out from that point
by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
The large white pine stumps that are
scattered so thickly over the ground
bear testimony to the excellent stand of
timber that was found there, the equal
of any in the State.
The timber business has been the
most important industry in the county
for over so years, but the reckless
methods of cutting, combined with the
destruction by forest fires, is placing
this industry on very uncertain foot
ing. Large saw mills that were estab-
lished years ago when there was an
abundance of timber and prospect of
almost perpetual operation have ex-
hausted the local supplies, and the mills