Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-10-29
PROPOSED NATIONAL FOREST
in THE WASE1INGTON AREA

as possible lands that arv largely
wooded. The large wooded areas ly-
ing between Baltimore. Washington
and Annapolis offered rare opportu-
nifty for carrying out such a plan. He
prepared q map showing that the area
lying between Washington an6 the Pa
tuxent river to the west of TIE Balti-
more and Ohio railroad cover, approxi-
mately $4,000 acres. OF which about
$500 acres, or so per cent, were then in
woods. The state forester said that for
the purpose Of forest description any
wooded area is considered woodland
where there is tree growth on the
land at least ten feet high and where
the trees are close enough together to
form stand The main body of the
Forest, lying east of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad. including spurs extend
ing along South river and the Severn
river covers approximately 81 900 acres,
OF which over $4,000 acres. or 60 per cent,
are wooded.
The forester of Maryland wrote: The
proposed extension OF the national for
Washington. includes section noted
Tor It's natural beauty. The steep hills
OF the Virginia side of the river are
well wooded almost all the way from
the District line to above Great Falls
On the Maryland side of the river the
slope is less abrupt and there is more
cleared land. The area, including a
large TRACT west of Rockville, which
mately 10000 acres, of which about
5000 acres, or 60 per cent, are now
wooded. The combined areas available
Tor forest reservations comprise about
boundaries more irregular, or exciud-
ing tracts that are nearly all cleared
land, the area might be reduced and
the percentage of woodlands cor
respendingly Increased"
s.
1t was pointed out that the presence
of cleared lands within the forest
boundaries would not be q disadvan-
tage because the best of the farm lands
could be used as experimental farms
in cooperation with the Department
OF Agriculture. while those less adapt
ed for agriculture could be planted in
forests. There are many foreign trees
that have not been fully tried in this
country under forest conditions. The
rate of growth of most of our native
species, under the most favorable con-
ditions as would result in planting had
not been determined at the time of the
discussion of the Capital National
forest, and it was reported that the
field of forest experimentation is
large and promising one which would
find here the ideal conditions for its
fulfiliment."
In the vicinity of Washington. ae-
cording to Mr. Beasly a:id numerous
other observers, the forests di3.ef "a
character and composition, dependent
upon soil conditions especially as to
content and also dependent
upon the extent of previous cutting.
On the few high gravel ridges along
the edge of the Piedmont plateau the
species are post, black
and rock oaks. The higher slopes gen.
orally throughout the area are covered
with scarlet and Spanish oaks and
chestnut, while on the lower slopes
white oak, yellow poplar. wal
nut and black gum are the FREEDOM
mating trees. Along fhe streams a
great variety of species are found,
notably the maple, sycamore, beech.
sh, birch and elm. The characteristic
trees of the swamps are red gum. will
low and willow oak