The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-12-17
THE FORESTS OF GARRETT COUNTY
Garrett County as Seen in the Report
Of the naryland State Board of


given to the State for forest reserva-
tons. The Kindness Reserve lies just
east of Hutton and extends along the
south side of the county road to Oak
land and contains 206 acres. The
Swallow Falls Reserve lies between the
Oakland GAINESVILLE road and the Hut
ton Switch road with the southeast
corner on the county road at Herring
ton Creek, and contains 1923 acres. The
Skipnish Reserve lies on both sides of
of the Hutton and GAINESVILLE road be-
tween the Swallow Falls road and the
Hutton Switch road and contains 1888
acres.
The merchantable timber was cut
from these lands prior to their coming
lnto the possession of the State, so that
their management has consisted pri-
marily in keeping out fires and en-
couraging the young growth, which has
come up oyer the entire reserve areas
since the logging operations ten to
fifteen years ago. The object of man.
agement is to handle these lands IN
such way as to secure the highest
timber protection of the watersheds
lying within their borders. The Kind
ness Reserve was burned over in the
spring of 1910. No fires have occurred
on thelSwallow Falls and Skipnish Re-
serves since these lands became State
property, with the exception of a
small area which was burned over in
1910. 1t is the purpose of the State to
manage these woodlands according to
the best methods of forest practice, so
that they shall serve as an object lesson
of what practical forestry is and what
it will accomplish. The fire problem is
the most important and the State
maintains a fire patrol and lookout
station on the Reserves during the
ing constructed for the purpose of
checking any Fl res that may occur, and
it is gratifying to note the increased in
terest shown in fire protection in the
community. 1t is an absolute certainty,
under the favorable conditions of tim
Der growing, that if fires can be ex
cluded timber of as good quality as
ever grew in this section can be re-
produced, and under better methods of
forest management the maturity of the
timber crop can be very much fastened
IT, 10 - =
periments in forest management on the
State Reservations. Over portions of
the Swallow Falls and Skipnish Re
serves system of deadenlng the old,
over mature trees that have no merch-
antable value is being practiced, so as
to give the young growth that is COM
ing on rapidly the best opportunity
for normal development. In other
places experimental plots have been
laid out to show the increased growth
that may be secured by proper thinn-
ings in young stands. In other cases
improvement cuttings are being made
to improve not only the character of the
forest but also the conditions of growth.
AS soon as reasonable fire protection is
assured, not only for the State lands
but for the forest lands in the vicinity,
some planting will be done on the
Skipnish Reserve. 1t is confidently
expected that public sentiment against
forest fires will have reached the point
in few years where forest fires in
stead of being frequent as is now the
case will be uncommon. When that
time comes there will tbe'' considerable
encouragement to the man who wants
to hold his land for timber growing,
because it will mean a timber crop
from his lands in much. less time than is
required where fires so frequently
damage the young growth.
The investigation of the forests of the
county has shown conclusively the
following facts:
The natural conditions for timber
growing are excellent-abundant rain
fall, good soil, good climate, and native
tree species of great value.
The large area of woodland in the
county, GA per cent of the total area,
nearly all of which is better adapted for
timber growing than for any other pur-
pose, insuresi a large producing area
that will continue to make timber grow
ing and the manufacture of lumber and
other forest products one of the most
important industries in the county.
The transportation facilities for the
handling of timber are very good in the
southern half of the county, but lack of
good transportation in the northern
half greatly reduces timber values in
that section. A good macadam road
traversing the county northward over
comes some of the difficulty.
There is an active market for almost
all forest produce where cheap trans
portation is available. In districts back
from railroads the low grade produce
such as mine props, cordwood, etc.,
does not pay tor cutting, but timber
values are increasing and market nrices