The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-03-02
IMPROVE THREE THOUSAND
ACRES
WOodIOts In 1916 Put Under Better
Paying Management BY Board.

Some three thousand acres Of pri-
vate forests and wOodlots in this
State are going to be in better grow
ing condition in 1917 than they have
been in 1916, or for very many years
before, in fact. 1t has just been learn
ed from the Office of the State For
ester that the foregoing represents
approximately the area of State-im-
proved, but privately owned, lands
which have been given through expert
treatment by the States foresters
during the past twelve months, and
put in a condition of actual and fl
nancial productivity which will show
immediate returns and a source Of fu-
ture revenues by no means small.
This woodlOt Improvement work
has been going on with accumulative
force for practically eleven years
The first year. back in 1906, when
State Forestry was only lusty be-
ginner, a little of it was done; Il little
more OF it was done in each year fol-
lowing, until the area OF wooded
lands put on a better-paying basis by
the Board of Forestry is numbered by
the thOus2nd-acres. Each years i'm
petus goes on to the next, for new
work is constantly brought to me
fore through preliminary eXam;nd-
tiOns made by the State Forester, or
an Assistant, to determine if possible
just what must be done for individual
bodies of woodland if they are
promptly to be returned to the
healthy, growing condition for which
they were intended, and from which
they have steadily been getting farth-
er through unWise cutting and casual
care. Tracts given the preliminary
examination, as it is called, numbered
in 1916 not far from 40. On some OF
them work needed, and therefore re-
commended, has already been done by
the State on its cooperative terms Of
less than cost. On the others, if ac-
tive Improvement work is needed, it
will be given them as speedily as DOS
slble, and nothing neglected. that it is
possible for the Board itself to do.
Such practical activities, important
as they are, do not by any means COM
prise the full scope of the Board of
FOrestry's field of work. Forest fires.
at one time a source of incalculablp
damage and loss to forests and forest
owners, have been consistently re
duced, and plans mapped out for their
further prevention and most efficient
control through 1917. No one who has
been witness to the progress which
State Forestry has made already,
doubts that these plans will mature.
and everything possible done to safe
guard the forest resources Of the
State. 1t is unfortunate that they
must constantly be so protected from
human CaTelessneSS.
Investigations in the field of forest
uses have been undertaken and COM
pleted, ana it is intended to promptly
give them to the public in the shape
OF yield and volume tables for Mary
land forests and the individual trees
that make them up; a practical Wood
Waste Exchange and report of Mary
land WOOduSing industries for the
benefit Of producers and consumers,
and the cutting down Of unnecessary
waste Ey way Of better methods: and
a report upon the local opportunities
for willow culture, with a brief re-
sumo Of what has already been done
IN this field, with the additional en-
cOuragement afforded the forest grow
er hy the European war.