The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1925-01-29
Better Forestry Means Bigger
Farm Incomes

| given at various afternoons and even
ing meetings in Garrett county dur
ing two weeks in February, will be
timely presentation of the problems
confronting woodland owners in the
county, according to word received
from the Forestry Specialist at Col
lege Park "The winter months offer
the best opportunity for giving the
farm woodland the attention which
it, as a real farm crop, deserves"
says the Forestry Specialist, Mr.. F.
B. Trenk, ''yet in a hardwood region
such as is characteristic of Western
Maryland, certain phases of the for
estry problem require some atten-
ton throughout a longer period of
the year. Fire protection is one
such problem, and it is practically the
greatest problem timber owners and
the State Department of Forestry
have to meet"
The increased financial yields
which even a rough system of for
estry assures, when carried out over
a period of years, is another phase Of
! the work which will be emphasized.
Farm forestry, like any other farm
crop" declares the Forestry Specia-
list, needs attention chiefly at two
very critical periods in the history of
the crop-getting the stand properly
started, and marketing it at a maxi
mum return. But unlike other farm
crops, the period for getting the
proper start may be extended over a
considerable number of years. But
ultimately, failure to observe either
of these essentials in managing the
timber stand means unnecessary low
income. And the farmer who today
can afford to handle his crops for re-
turns that are only a fraction Of
their possible value is either indie
pendently rich, or is taking a short
cut to the poor-house."
! For the proper handling Of the
voting woodland-for putting today's
hardwood thicket on the right road
for tomorrow's forest-several sug-
/ gest;Ons are made by the Forester.
It is nearly always necessary to re-
move some trees for the good of the
young growing forest. Following is
a general list Of those kinds that
should come out during the winter
thinning:
Trees which have been overtopped
by others, and have had their growth
stunted.
Diseased trees, or trees seriously
injured by insect attacks, or trees ex-
tremely liable to such injury; such
for example, trees shattered by light
ming, or hickory trees infected with
the hickory borer.
Badly fre-scarred trees.
Crooked trees and large-crowned,
short-boled trees, which will not
make good lumber and which shade
out or stunt the better timber trees
which grow beneath them.
Sound dead trees, both standing
and down.
Observing these suggestions will
result in more valuable, rapidly grow
ing timber being left to grow in the
woods; and in many cases, neat re-
turns for the time and labor invested
in thinning.
Every farmer is interested in the
Condition Of the market when he
harvests his agricultural crop. But
how many farmers exercise nearly as
much care in looking into the timber
market when they are about to harv-
est their timber crop" asks the For
estry Specialist. "Don't's" are very
common nowadays" he says; "here
are a few DOS"
Get prices for various wood prod
ucts from as many sawmills and
other wood-using plants as possible.
Advertise in paper and otherwise
secure outside competition.
Secure bids, if practicable, both
by lump and log-scale measure.
''Get a reliable estimate of the
amount and the value of the mater
ial before selling. The State Depart
ment of Forestry is at your service
for this work.
"Use a written agreement in sell
ing timber, especially if cutting is
done by the purchaser.
"See that the fire hazard is kept
to a minimum after logging, and
that provision is made for new crop
Of timber to take the place of the
old"
Difficult Order