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SUGAR MAPLES.

One of the very finest deciduous-leaved trees of North

America is the tall Sugar Maple. It can truly be called
the noblest of all the Maples.

NO BETTER VARIETY CAN BE USED FOR STREET,
PARK, OR LAWN PLANTING,

as its growth is rapid and straight, its form symmetrical,
and it does not have the objectionable density of foliage
possessed by the Norway Maple.

For this reason it is well adapted for planting near build-
ings, as it does not obstruct light or air, and the grass
will grow up to its very trunk. It is deep-rooted, and
the wood is not brittle; hence, it is not easily damaged
by storms. The Sugar Maple will thrive in almost.
all localities, except where the ground is damp or
boggy. No tree has more gorgeous autumn coloring,
as it varies in all shades of yellow, orange and scarlet
until the leaves finally fall.

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orest leaves

99

Forestry at the St. Louis Exposition.......

VOL. IX.

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PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY ASSOCIATION,

CONTENTS.

1012 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa.

Entered at the Philadelphia Post-Office as second class matter.

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98

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Labors to disseminate information in regard to the necessity and methods of forest culture and preservation, and to secure the enactment and enforcement of proper forest protective laws, both State and National.

Annual membership fee, Two dollars.

Life membership, Twenty-five dollars.

Neither the membership nor the work of this Association is intended to be limited to the State of Pennsylvania. Persons desiring to become members should send their names to J. Dundas Lippincott, Chairman Membership Committee, 1012 Walnut Street, Phila. President, John Birkinbine.

Vice-Presidents, Wm. S. Harvey, James C. Haydon, Albert Lewis, Richard Wood,

General Secretary, Dr. Joseph T. Rothrock.
Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. John P. Lundy.
Recording Secretary, F. L. Bitler.

Treasurer, Charles E. Pancoast.

Council at-Large, Mrs. Brinton Coxe, Dr. Alfred L. Elwyn, Charles Hewett.

Finance, W. S. Harvey, Chairman; William L. Elkins, Dr. Henry M. Fisher, W. W Frazier, Charles E. Pancoast, and J. Rodman Paul. Membership, J. Dundas Lippincott. Chairman; Mrs. George F Baer, Edwin Swift Balch, Hon. Lucien W. Doty, Charles W. Freedley, Dr. J. T. Rothrock, W. W. Scranton, Albert B. Weimer, Dr. Samuel Wolfe, and Hon. S. P. Wolverton.

Law, Hon W. N. Ashman, Chairman; Henry Budd, Charles Hewett, and John A. Siner.

Publication. John Birkinbine, Chairman; F. L. Bitler, Alfred Paschall, and Harrison Souder.

Work, Mrs. Brinton Coxe. Chairman; Mrs. George T. Heston, Miss E. L. Lundy, Mrs. John P. Lundy, William S. Kirk, and Abraham S. Schropp.

County Organization. Samuel Marshall, Chairman: Eugene Ellicott, James C. Haydon, Dr. J. Newton Hunsberger, and Richard Wood. OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATION, 1012 WALNUT ST.. PHILADELPHIA.

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EDITORIAL.

THE forest reserves established in Pennsylvania, which have reached an aggregate area of 600,000 acres, must be protected and cared for, if the forests are to be preserved, and if new growths are to be encouraged. Protection to be effective must be supported by the law, and means of arresting and punishment must be provided. The forests of Pennsylvania may be well supplied with foresters who are educated to select, trim or transplant trees, but unless these foresters have the legal power to arrest offenders the preserves will soon be such only in name.

Dr. Rothrock has initiated a movement which may well extend to other portions of the State than the forest reserves. His mounted corps of foresters may be the initiative of a State constabulary, which at present seems to be in demand for the suppression of crimes now far too prevalent.

Whether a mounted and armed force distributed throughout the State would be the best means of quelling disorders, and of arresting offenders against the law, is worthy of careful investigation, and we would not counsel the establishment of a State constabulary without such investigation. It is, however, evident that something more than our present organization gives is necessary. We say organization, not laws, for the latter are probably ample if well enforced. The laws affecting the forests of Pennsylvania are sufficient, but the officials often fail to enforce these laws. Hence, it is essential that the wardens or foresters who patrol our State reserves should be organized and clothed with lawful authority. such an organization could be extended throughout the State, made up of men selected on merit, and not because of political usefulness, it could be employed in cases of strikes or other disorders, and could be made a terror to the evil doers, who have in turn terrorized suburban and farming communities by outrages.

If

Wires and Lightning.

We trust that the experiment which is being | Damage to Shade Trees From Electric made at the Mt. Alto Forest Reservation will demonstrate the possibilities of similar organizations, and permit of candid judgment as to the value of using some sort of State constabulary as a protection to the people. J. B.

Forestry at the St. Louis Exposition.

TH

HE Exhibits of Forestry and Fish and Game at the Universal Exposition of 1904 will be united in a building 300 feet wide and 600 feet long. In addition to the inside exhibits of the Forestry Department, space is being set apart for displays of the Government methods of tree-planting and forest management. These exhibits, which are not confined to this country, must prove instructive and entertaining to all persons who are interested in the future of the forests.

The participation in this department will be extensive, embracing about twenty States and Territories and many foreign countries. The exhibits from foreign countries will include forestry policy as well as the forest industries, and the United States Bureau of Forestry will occupy a large central location in the west end of the building. One of the popular elements of the display of the United States Forestry Bureau will consist of color transparencies illustrating particular phases of forest life and conditions; for instance, the big tree and the sugar pines of California, choice bits of Appalachian farm land and forests, results of tree-planting, and other instructive forest subjects.

Other features of the scientific forestry display will consist of photographs of trees and flowers, botanical literature, and specimens of trees and plants. The tools of the lumberman and saw-mill worker will be fully displayed.

A special object of the selected display in the Forestry Building will be the complete illustration of the economic uses of valuable trees, such as yellow pine, white pine, loblolly pine, cedar, cypress, redwood, spruce, fir, hemlock, and other coniferous trees, as well as the hard woods. While the scientific illustration of these species will be complete, the economic history and utilization will be shown with equal thoroughness.

Woodenware and cooperage will be offered by many exhibitors. Basketry, including native manufactures, will form an essential feature of the display.

Such forest products as gums, resins, and the numerous secondary objects of forest industries, notably wood alcohol and turpentine, will have important places among the exhibits.

The tanning content of bark of oak trees varies greatly with the region, soil and density of stand.

THE

HE Massachusetts Agricultural College at Amherst, Mass., has recently issued a bulletin on the above subject, giving the results of extensive experiments and tests. The results have been summarized as follows:

The adverse conditions with which shade trees have to contend in cities and towns constitute a serious drawback to their development.

A considerable amount of damage occurs to shade trees by wires, causing abrasions, destructions of limbs and leaders, burnings, and necessitating much injudicious pruning.

The greatest amount of damage caused to trees by alternating and direct currents is by local burnings. The higher the electromotive force (voltage) the more injury is likely to occur to trees.

There is practically little or no leakage from wires during dry weather. In wet weather, however, when a film of water is formed on the bark, more or less leakage is likely to occur, and if the insulation is insufficient and contact with the tree exists, grounding takes place, and burning due to arcing results.

No authentic cases have been observed by us where the alternating current, employed for lighting service, has killed trees, though there are authentic cases, extremely rare, where the direct current, used in operating street railroads, has killed large shade trees. This has been accomplished by reversing the polarity, causing the positive current to traverse the rail, and the return current the feed wire, which usually carries the positive.

This high resistance offered by trees and plants, in general, serves as a protection against death from an electrical contact.

The least resistance in trees occurs in the vital layer (cambium) and those tissues adjacent to it. Electric currents, of whatever nature, when applied to plants of a certain intensity, act as a stimulus.

The physiological effect of the direct current on vegetable life differs from that of the alternating; the latter current acts more as a stimulus to the plant than the former.

There is evidence to support the idea that a current of not sufficient strength to cause burning may overstimulate the plant and cause a retardation of its activities which will subsequently result in death.

Earth discharges during thunder storms are more common than generally supposed, and they are known to disfigure and cause the death of

trees.

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Forestry Work at Mont Alto.

Y referring to the June issue, the readers of FOREST LEAVES will note that the spring work consisted of enlarging the forest nursery and planting fifteen pounds of white pine seeds, two pounds of red spruce seeds and some catalpa seeds. One thousand six hundred white pines were set out into plantation and 3000 transplanted in the nursery. The result of this sowing and planting has been very encouraging, with the exception of, perhaps, the transplants. They made an excellent growth, but toward fall were attacked by a small insect which eats the bark from the root just below the ground. In this way about one-half were lost.

From June until September very little was done outside of the nursery. It was necessary to keep the weeds out and the beds worked to kill the moss. A number of compost heaps were made. These have been given a portion of lime and wood-ashes, and after they are thoroughly stirred up will be used in the spring on the beds as fertilizer.

On the 1st of September the force was increased to 14. The nursery work for fall was completed as rapidly as the weather would permit. An inventory of stock resulted in the following: 1500 three-year old white pine transplants; 30,000 one- and two year old white pine seedlings; 100,ooo one-year old white pine seedlings; 10,000 one year old red spruce seedlings; 3000 catalpa seedlings; 1000 white oak seedlings, and some few pitch pine and chestnut seedlings. The 1500 three-year old and the 30,000 one- and two-year old seedlings were taken out of the beds and heeled in for the winter. The larger ones will be placed in a plantation near the Sanatorium next spring and mixed with western catalpa as an experiment. The others will be transplanted in the nursery. The remaining one-year old pines will be left as they are for another year, as well as the spruce. The catalpa and white oak will be set out in the Spring. In the beds from which the pines were taken, the students of the Academy have planted as many different kinds of seeds as they could obtain on their Saturday morning botanical excursions. This has been done that we may have an opportunity to study the growth of our trees right from the seed and as they grow in the nursery. The beds which were not planted were spaded up and will be allowed to lie fallow during the winter. The beds which still have seedlings in them have all been covered, to protect the seedlings from frost and to prevent the ground from heaving. Between the rows of the pines and spruces small sticks of wood were laid, and

spread over these are pine needles. Some beds were covered with pine branches and a few, especially those having seed in them, were covered with leaves and needles alone.

In addition to their nursery work the students have opened up, along old roads, in all, from fifteen to twenty miles of fire lane. The advance class has been using a transit to survey the main roads and are making a map of about 1500 acres. The other young men have been with the county surveyor, who comes every other week to survey on the outside lines of the reserve. A valuation survey of the above 1500 acres has been begun. The work will continue along the same lines during the winter, and by spring a considerable area will be in an improved condition; however, after the first of the year more attention will be paid to school work.

In various sections of the reserve considerable dead wood is being sold. Under the direction of the Superintendent about two miles of road were made in the spring. This road was very steep and rocky and perhaps one of the worst roads in the township. For a little over two hundred dollars he has made it one of the best roads in the county. G. H. W.

Protection and Care Against Weeds in the Forest Nursery.

MORE or less annoying and never absent

enemy in the seedbeds, whose subduing, though expensive, may be effected thoroughly, are the weeds. To illustrate how the invasion of this troublesome enemy may be prevented, as well as up-rooted in the best and at the same time cheapest way, is the object of this article.

The weeds appearing in the seedbeds, manifold in number and species according to the mineral substances in the soil, its natural humidity or its former use, rob the plants of part of the nourishment which is drawn out of the soil, of the benefits of the finer atmospherical precipitation, especially the dew; overgrow the slowly developing seedlings, overshadowing them, limiting the space of their roots, preventing the circulation of air in the soil, and using up the water distributed in the ground.

In the fight against weeds, as in the case of many another enemy to the forests and plantations, it is necessary to deal with the prevention of their appearance in large quantities and quick growth, as well as the extermination of those sprouting in spite of all endeavor.

The excessive appearance of weeds is prevented by appropriate selection of the scil for the seed

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