The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-10-26
MAKING MARYLAND
WOODLOTS PAY
State Forester Gives Plan for I'M
proving Woodlands and Sell
ing Forest Products.

For sometime the State Forester of
Maryland has cooperated with local
owners in devisiug and executing a
plan for not only conserving the forest
resources of their lands and farms but
doing so with profit. Nothing, for
estry included can long be practiced at
a loss, and recognizing this, plan was
made and offered to the people Of the
State which met not only the needs of
the woodland, but the financial needs
Of the owner. An instance will ex-
plain.
The holder of a hundred-acre tract of
timber less than ten miles from Balti-
more City requested the Forester, late
last winter, to make a preliminary ex-
animation for the land in question with
an eye to laying out some practical
plans of improvement. The examina-
ton was made, and plan prepared for
the handling of the woodlands. This
plan was adopted by the owner and in
March an Assistant Forester from the
Board of Forestry went oyer the tract,
marking the trees to be cut. estimating
values and carrying out in detail the
work recommended. The timber was,
as whole, mature, and intermingled
with it was a considerable growth Of
other species with little present, and no
future, value. This latter included
some little scrubby pine, gum, maple
and the like; in brief, weed trees"
which needed to be thoroughly removed
to give the room to the other better
trees, then needed for their best devel-
opment and growth.
Among the better species, also, some
cutting was indicated. this being done
by blaze upon the trunk OF the tree,
several feet above the ground, and
another, stamped with the letter IN"
farther down, near the stump, where it
would be left after the tree was cut to
show that only marked trees had been
removed by the purchaser. The work
was done by the Forester: to estimate,
tally, and Indicate the trees to be mark
ed; and two assistants, who had to
I mark and measure them. Young,
thrifty, trees of the better kinds were
left to perpetuate the stand, and the
mature specimens were removed, to-
gether with those over mature de-
fectiye, diseased. or undesirable in any
way. Several large seed-trees were
also left per acre.
The work was done a little faster
than 35 acres per day, and the total
cost to the owner. for his 100 acres of
timber, was $50. This included all of
the field work. and that only, as the
data is worked out in the Forester
office at no additional cost. The esti-
mated value of the standing timber was
| 81, 772.0 o., and bids were solicited from
lumbermen of the vicinity To aid in
this, memeographed statements of the
| timber for sale were furnished to the
owner, together with a list of lumber
dealers TO whom they should be sent.
| The timber was sold almost immediate
ly, and cutting started with the be-
ginning of summer. The price secured
was 81, 500, which was slightly above
the estimated value, enough to more
than cover the entire cost of the
work-S20. 1t would seem that there
was considerable clear profit.
When the work is done, a young,
growing forest will be left. and another
| tract of timber of valuable character
will in a comparatively short time sue
coed that removed. Such work pays
/ pays in timber, pays in the future of
the forest, pays inpresent revenue.
1t is work available to all in Maryland.
and the State Forester, at 532 North
Howard St, Baltimore, is prepared
with corps OF trained Foresters to
| give prompt assistance.
]