Estimating the stumpage value of Nos. 1 and 3 at $5 per M bd. ft. and Nos. 4 and 5, in which the timber is larger, at $7 per M bd. ft., the following table shows the financial value of the standing trees per acre:

Although conditions are especially favorable for private commercial planting in the Northeastern United States, its progress if judged by area is relatively slow. Probably more interest exists in forest planting within this region than in any other of the natural forest regions of the United States.

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LAKE STATES

HIS part of the northern forest region is level to hilly in topography and occupies the greater part of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Broadly the forest types are swamp, pine and hardwood, respectively. The swamp type varies in composition and character, but includes among its principal species spruce, cedar and tamarack. The composition of such swamp types may be one of these only, as tamarack swamps, or it may be spruce and tamarack, or cedar. Within this type, which occupies moist and wet lands, there is no field for commercial forest planting. Growth is very slow.

The pine type occupies sandy loams and sand soils. The principal species in the pineries are white pine and red (Norway) pine. On the poorer soils the red pine and Jack pine are the chief trees. Most extensive areas in need of reforestation are to be found in this type. The rate of growth is medium. In Michigan, on the higher, more northern lands and on pure sands, it is slower.

The hardwood type occupies good soils, generally agricultural in character, excepting rocky hills. Pine originally formed a small per cent of the forest, and is still found in mixture. Hemlock also occurred in this type in portions of the Lake States. The chief hardwoods are yellow birch, beech, sugar maple, white ash and basswood. Forest planting on this type occupies a minor position and will probably always be of less importance than the planting of pine lands. Its place will be somewhat similar to that which it has in the northern hardwood region of the Northeastern United States. The same species will be useful for reforestation.

Ownership of land is generally private, reforestation lands in the Lake States being held in areas of considerable size by lumber companies, by development companies and by individuals. An active State forest policy is in effect in Wisconsin and Minnesota by which non-agricultural cut-over lands are being acquired for eventual reforestation. There is also commendable State activity in Michigan. The Federal Forest Service has begun planting on national forests in both Minnesota and Michigan. The States are at present just entering upon this work.

The total planted area, federal, State and private, is known to be small, although no census of it has been taken.

Forest planting in the Lake States is commercially feasible, judging by the increasing market for pine and hardwoods and by the available statistics of natural growth. Species for planting in the pine type are white, red, Scotch and Jack pine. The last mentioned is useful on the poorest sands, and a stand may be secured by spreading cones on newly burned lands, a method both cheap and effective for this species. Good transplants of white pine and red pine must be used in the reforestation of pine lands with these species. Professor Roth, of the University of Michigan, recommends good, sturdy stock and wide spacing, 10 feet or more, since clearing up the lands is too costly and this money can to much better advantage be used in protection from fire during the two months of greatest danger. Planting can be done at as low a figure as $6 per acre, and will pay. He estimates the area within Michigan requiring reforestation at 10,000,000 acres. In Wisconsin it is estimated at from two to three million acres. No estimate is available for Minnesota.

The present standing timber of value will be gone within a relatively short time. In Michigan it is estimated by the timber owners as a decade: in Wisconsin it will be a little longer and in Minnesota State Forester Cox estimates about thirty years for the present saw timber to last.

Such facts point to the necessity of an immediate and extensive plan of reforestation for the great area of land, incapable under present conditions of reproducing valuable species naturally.

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CENTRAL HARDWOOD REGION

HIS forest has its principal extent in Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee, a large part of the watershed of the Ohio River and its tributaries. To the west it occupies the southern portion of the Lake States, extending to the prairies, the central part of Missouri and the northwestern part of Arkansas. It dips down into Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, occupies the Piedmont Plateau east of the Southern Appalachians and extends northeastward into southern New England. For convenience of treatment, that portion lying in the Southern States is discussed with what pertains to the Southern Forest Region.

The Central forest contains the principal supply of hardwood timber and almost all of our broad-leaf, deciduous trees find their best development there— oaks, hickories, ashes, walnut, cherry, tulip poplar, etc. A full description of forest types and forest conditions is not pertinent to a statement concerning commercial planting. Ownership is almost entirely private, much of the timber being in woodlots, excepting in the more thinly settled hill and mountain portions of the region. Exploitation of valuable species, fires and grazing have caused deterioration of the forest on a very large area. Lands have been cleared and farmed that now need reforesting, since their value is greater in forest than as farm land. Interest in commercial planting is greatest in the northeastern part of this region and in Ohio, to a less degree in Indiana and the Lake States, and little interest, if any, in the rest of the region.

SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES

M

ARKET conditions in this part of the hardwood region are excellent and, in the aggregate, there is a large area of non-agricultural lands, either open land, brush covered, or occupied by worthless tree species. The chestnut bark disease has killed many chestnut stands, the renewal of which with valuable growth is largely dependent upon planting. Activity of State foresters has brought about a large amount of planting by private owners. The species chiefly used are white pine and some other conifers, on account of their higher yield per acre. Results of some of these plantations have been cited under "Northern Forest" (see p. 14). Timber production is the chief object of planting, growing of fence posts and like materials has been only incidental.

Massachusetts,* under its policy of accepting deed to private lands at a purchase price not to exceed $5 per acre and reforesting them, has planted 1,000 acres a year since 1906. Such lands may be redeemed by the owner within 10 years on payment of original price, plus the amount expended in improvements and maintenance, with interest at the rate of 4% per annum on purchase price.

The State Forester of New Jersey emphasizes care and proper management of woodlands rather than extension of wooded areas by planting. The following table, compiled from State Forester Gaskill's report, is a conservative statement of species recommended, and shows their commercial possibilities. A few additional notes have been added.

* Massachusetts, Chapter 478, Acts of 1908.

"Forest Planting in New Jersey," by Alfred Gaskill. Reports of the Forest Park Reservation Commission of New Jersey, 1913.

Massachusetts and Connecticut planting indicates possibility of higher yield.

¶ Will probably yield nearly as high at 50 years as white pine.

|| Subject to attack locally by borers, which often ruin a plantation.

Moist soil.‒‒‒‒

Drier soil..

Tool handles

Good, well-drained

soils

Good, well-drained

soils

Catalpa is not recommended for New England and New Jersey. It needs good soils and a milder climate.

Trees for planting are preferred to direct sowing of seed on the site. The total average costs given by State Forester Gaskill are $7.38 per acre for planting one-year-old deciduous species and $9.09 for three-year-old conifer transplants; spacing 6' x 6', and cost of trees $3 per M for the former and $4 for the latter. Examples of expected profit are figured to be 5% or 6% on money invested.

Planting is recommended in Delaware on farms having no woodlots and for protective purposes.* The species recommended are chestnut, red oak and pin oak, tulip poplar, hardy catalpa and black locust. No data of plantations are recorded.

The known area of forest plantations in Maryland is very small. Planting has been recent and principally for the production of fence posts, using catalpa and locust. In one 50-acre plantation set in 1882-1884, yellow poplar, black walnut, chestnut, red oak, white ash, maples, white pine and a few other species were planted. The cost of planting, if home-grown stock is used, is estimated at $8 per acre. Commercial forest planting has a small place as yet in this State.

OHIO VALLEY

Under this may be included Ohio, Indiana and Northern Kentucky. One may distinguish in general (1) upland forests, containing oaks, hickories, sugar maple, white ash, tulip poplar, basswood, walnut, cherry and beech; (2) lowland forests of elm, red maple, black ash, sycamore willow, gums, etc. The region is predominantly agricultural, and, for the most part, the forest is found in small detached parcels. Much planting for production of fence posts has been done successfully. The chief species planted have been catalpa, locust and Osage orange. This planting has been profitable, yielding good returns in a short period of years. Climatic conditions are more favorable for growth than in similar operations in the prairie region of the West. Values of land are high, and hence but small areas on farms in the best agricultural sections can be devoted to such planting. Interest in quick-growing species has been stimulated by co-operative assistance of the Agricultural Experiment Station. This has been done with the purpose of creating an interest in the planting of long-lived species for timber production and of encouraging care of woodlots.

The following table gives the average returns from 12 catalpa plantations in 4 counties in Ohio, spacing and site conditions varying much. Their ages ranged from 18 to 28 years.

Value per acre---.

2,710

70

30

$198.59

Average annual increase in value per acre___ 8.54

* Bull. 82, Report on Forest Conditions in Delaware. Delaware College Agricultural Experiment Station, Newark, Del., 1908.

Report of the Maryland State Board of Forestry. 1910-11.

Bull. 204, Forest Conditions in Ohio. Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Wooster, Ohio, 1909.

The greatest production was 4,780 posts per acre, value $412.80; average annual increase in value, $18.76. The lowest was 1,134 posts, value $97.24; average annual increase, $4.86. The ages of these stands were 22 and 20, respectively.

In southeastern and southern Ohio the topography is more hilly and much waste land is to be found. Planting can be done for commercial production and to hinder erosion on steep hillsides. Southwestern Pennsylvania, southeastern Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee are underlain in part by bituminous coal. In the localities of the coal mining, the demand for mine props is great, and the local supply is diminishing rapidly in eastern Ohio and southwestern Pennsylvania. Planting of hardwoods, both rapid-growing and longer-lived, together with improved treatment of woodland, is essential to meet future demands. Some expermental planting indicates its commercial value.

Conditions found in southern Indiana are quite similar to those in the southern counties of Ohio. Woodlot management should be encouraged and planting confined to barren hillsides. The Forestry Department of the Ohio Experiment Station is furnishing planting stock for reforestation. The principal species in the Station nursery are white pine, red pine, Norway spruce, bald cypress, red oak, white ash and tulip poplar.

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KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE

HE plateaux and mountains of the eastern portion of these two States have extensive forests, and the problem is one of conservative management. All of our principal hardwood species are to be found in the region. To the west is the central highland region, in which the timber consists of woodlots, wooded slopes and ridges and woodland along streams.* According to R. C. Hall, 32 per cent of the area in this portion of Kentucky and Tennessee is wooded, the chief species being oaks, yellow poplar, beech, chestnut, hickory and red gum. He says: "Forest planting may sometimes be profitable in the central highland region, either to start a new stand or to replace one that has been ruined by heavy logging and repeated fires, or perhaps to utilize old fields and washed lands. On all typical old fields, except those with poorly drained or acid soils, white ash, red oak, and yellow poplar will be found the best trees to plant. On rich, fresh, and moist soil hardy catalpa will do well, and will also furnish a very durable wood. On poor, thin soils black locust is the only tree producing durable wood that will thrive."

The Nashville Basin and the Blue Grass region have 10 to 15 per cent of woodland. No commercial planting is required.

The Mississippi Valley region of Kentucky and Tennessee contains large bodies of forest, but the soils are mainly agricultural, and forest planting will never have much place in the development of this portion of the two States.

OTHER STATES

The hardwood region of the Lake States is agricultural in character. Like Ohio, it is a region of woodlots attached to farms. Reproduction is fair and

* AMERICAN FORESTRY, Vol. XIX, No. 8, pp. 533-543.