s o 144 M3A4- s? f "7>*^C fifct, /"rye* / - MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF FORESTRY F. W. BESLEY, State Forester THE FORESTS —OF— WASHINGTON COUNTY BY F. W. BESLEY, State Forester BALTIMORE, MARYLAND JANUARY, 1922 MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF FORESTRY it F. W. BESLEY, State Forester THE FORESTS —OF— WASHINGTON COUNTY BY F. W. BESLEY, State Forester BALTIMORE, MARYLAND JANUARY, 192a &*■ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS • RECEIVED FEB S1 1922 \<\* ^ STATE FORESTER'S OFFICE 815 Calvert Building BALTIMORE F. W. BESLEY State Forester KARL E. PFEIFFER. Assistant Forester JOSHUA A. COPE Assistant Forester SAMUEL CORBIN Assistant Forester NELLIE E. WHITCRAFT. , Secretary SARA M. REESE Clerk CONTENTS. Page. Introduction 7 Land Classification 7 Distribution of the Forests 8 Description of the Forests 8 Area, Stand, and Value of Saw Timber 9 Commercial Type 10 Native Forest Trees 11 Important Timber Trees and Their Chief Uses 13 Oaks 13 White Oaks 14 Red Oaks 14 Chestnut 14 Black Locust. 14 Tulip Poplar 14 The Lumber and Timber Cut, 1920 15 Lumber 16 Lath 16 Railroad Ties 16 Trolley Ties 16 Poles 16 Staves 16 Pulpwood 16 Cordwood 17 Mine Props 17 Tanbark 17 Home Consumption of Timber and Wood 17 Building Materials 17 Fuel Wood 18 Fence Rails 18 Fence Posts 18 Wood-Using Industries 18 Table of Woods Used in 1916 19 Page. Forest Protection 19 Forest Fires 20 Causes of Fires 20 Forest Wardens 21 Destructive Cutting Practices 21 Chestnut Blight 22 Grazing 23 Forest Planting 23 Black Locust 23 White Pine 24 Red Oak 24 Other Species 24 Planting Windbreaks 24 The Future of the Forests 25 Summary 27 The Forests of Washington County. INTRODUCTION. At the time of the first settlements, about 200 years ago, prac- tically the entire land surface was covered with forests. As settle- ment advanced the forests receded, the better soils in Hagerstown Valley coming under the plough, as the fertile character of the land became better known. From a condition of 99 per cent, forest at the beginning, the forest area has, through successive stages of development, been reduced to 24 per cent. This 24 per cent., how- ever, is producing timber of considerable value and presents possi- bilities of far-reaching consequences under the improved methods of forest management herein described. Washington County lies in three physiographic divisions — the South Mountain — Blue Ridge section, the Hagerstown Valley, and the Appalachian Highlands — presenting variations in soil and growth conditions reflected in the great variety of tree species. The highly developed condition of the County, with its improved road system and large railroad mileage, opens up splendid, avail- able markets for forest products. A forest survey of the County was made in 1911, resulting in the mapping and classifying of all of the forest lands. This data is presented in graphic form on the large forest map, folded in the inside cover of this report. Statistics as to the annual production of forest products and the many uses of the forests have been obtained, and the records for the last calendar year, 1920, are used in this report. LAND CLASSIFICATION. Improved farm land 191,842 acres 63 per cent. Wooded area 72,274 acres 24 per cent. Waste land 41,006 acres 13 per cent. Total 305,122 acres 100 per fftwt. 8 The Forests of Washington County. DISTRIBUTION OF THE FORESTS. The woodlands are very unevenly distributed over the County. The great bulk of the forests are in two sections, one along the eastern boundary, comprising the South Mountain and the Blue Ridge section, the other in the western part of the County, in the Alleganies, with the intervening half of the County, embracing the Hagerstown Valley, containing but a small percentage of scattered woodland, constituting in some sections only 2 per cent, of the area. The section from Fairview Mountain, westward, contains the largest percentage of forest land. The forests are confined for the most part to rocky ridges and steep slopes, with the better type of soils of the valleys and more rolling land cleared for agricultural crops. Table No. 1 shows the area, stand, and value of sawed timber by election districts. The character and distribution of the forest is shown more clearly on the forest map at the end of this report. DESCRIPTION OF THE FORESTS. The forests of the County are made up most largely of hard- wood species, principally oak, hickory, maple, tulip poplar, and gum, with a large number of other species in small proportion. In the western half of the County are small areas of pure pine, with much larger areas of pine in mixture with hardwood. The pine represented in the County is almost entirely scrub pine, although white pine is found to a small extent in the extreme western part. Chestnut formerly comprised a large proportion of the stands, par- ticularly in the eastern section of South Mountain and the Blue Ridge, and still forms a considerable proportion along the promi- nent ridges in the western part of the County where the chestnut blight has not yet killed all the chestnut, as is the case in the eastern section of the County. The flat Hagerstown Valley, with its limestone soil, upon which the chestnut does not grow, appar- ently furnished a temporary barrier to the westward spread of the chestnut blight. The disease, however, is thoroughly established in* the western section, having gotten into the State southward from Pennsylvania, and it is only a matter of a few years before the chestnut in this section will be destroyed as a commercial species, as is now the case in the eastern part of the State. PLATE I. PIG. 1. — Quirauk Tower. Built by the Western Maryland Railroad, equipped and maintained as a fire observation station by Maryland and Pennsylvania in co-operation. ^fe^y^.^;v:,. ; ; > PLATE I. FIG. 2. — Forest on East Side of Fairview, Showing Chestnut Killed by the Blight. 03 H O as H 32 O O 'a a H Ph OS o H P iJ «< t> Q < EH 93 H Ph «< Q H Q O O The Forests of Washington County. S3 > 0) M 3S a 0) .9 a Ph o o os 4* t-i o ed o ffioi M 09- ^cOlOWXMOOOCCOHOt: ■Si ,H ©{--©00'^rHrHSNCNCO-*©^ iHtH-«P W9- H HH . ^ © M CO OS t- t~ uoos ^ © ig tr CO tH t-* ■*" CO* ■* t- ** CO © © co t- © CN !6» 01 0) fe rofO»COW5C^C^C^©t-©-*'*l-iH©©t-^©C390©t^© liiisis5SS8s3^ssss.e?seB5| OK3HH(OH Tt< rH © © © ©■cTcc t^odec th ©"co" to" th t£ -* co* co* t- -* tJi tH rH CN cN CO Tf © fi iHrHit* 00 i~^lftOincCCCX-*CO©©©OOCO-*OCO©©QOCSTHCO© 5 pepooAi •*©eo-*coi-eooo«'ot-TH©eo©eoe»©b;eMco'*'>* cn \a th in oo N r-i ©oo oo CO o £ *-> ©Si! COCOCOCN©^©©^???*'?} o d ^ o ©©©^©■"tlCNTHcNM©' *r3T-HeNi-HOi©rHrHO5N0CC< H S M » M M M ^55 H H t-^O CNt- 0>rH '*'-H © 00 CN ©* W rH r-T -o S «cg^»cejqogggrHejg5gjg 10 The Forests op Washington County. The forests may be separated generally into three types, de- pendent upon soil and moisture conditions. The ridge type, extend- ing along the top and upper portions of the ridges, consists largely of chestnut oak, mixed with scarlet oak and chestnut. Here the soils are the thinnest and driest, consequently the growth is slow and the trees short and more limby. This type, in addition to being the most inaccessible, is also of the lowest stumpage value, due to the inferior quality of the product. The slope type, comprising the forests along the slopes of the mountains and hills, having somewhat deeper soil and a greater moisture contents- than in the case of the ridge type, also has a better tree growth. The principal species are chestnut, black oak and white oak, on the upper slope; and on the lower slopes white oak, red oak, hickory, tulip poplar. The bottom type comprises a much smaller percentage of the forest area than the other two, and is found on the flats along the river and streams, and consists prin- cipally of ash, elm, willow and sycamore, together with some white oak, red oak and hickory. The forests are almost entirely of second growth, the original forest having been cut many years ago, and in some cases the forests have been cut over as many as three times. Cuttings for the most part have been made in a destructive manner and left the forests in poor condition. This, together with the damage occasioned by fre- quent forest fires, especially in the mountain sections, has resulted in rapid deterioration and low production. The effect of excessive cuttings and fifes has been to reduce the proportion of valuable species, and by leaving the undesirable species and defective trees, to increase the proportion of inferior growth to the exclusion of more valuable species. Commercial Types. — Commercially, the forests are divided into three classes as shown by the different colors on the forest map at the back of this report. The three classes are distinguished as hardwood, pine and mixed hardwood and pine. The hardwoods are further divided into three classes, depending upon the stand of timber. The merchantable hardwoods are those in which the stand is sufficient to justify profitable logging operations, while the culled hardwoods represent the cut over stands, which, however, in some cases, contain a sufficient amount of sawed timber to justify cutting on a small scale. The third class, the hardwood saplings, is com- The Forests of Washington County. 11 posed of small areas of young trees, not of sufficient size to be of commercial value. There are but a few small areas of pure pine of the merchantable class, although there are considerable areas in the western part of the County where pine occurs in mixture with hardwoods. NATIVE FOREST TREES. There are 79 species of trees native to Washington County, and in addition four introduced species that have become common. In the list given below are many species that do not rank large size, but attain tree form and are, therefore, classed as trees. Conifers. Common Name. Botanical Name. White Pine Pinus strobus Scrub Pine Pinus virginiana Pitch Pine Pinus rigida Table Mountain Pine Pinus pungens Shortleaf Pine Pinus echinata Hemlock Tsuga canadensis Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana Hardwoods. Common Name. Botanical Name. White Oak Quercus alba Chestnut Oak Quercus prinus Post Oak Quercus stellata Swamp White Oak Quercus bicolor Red Oak Quercus rubra Black Oak Quercus velutina Scarlet Oak Quercus coccinea Pin Oak Quercus palustris Shingle Oak Quercus imbricaria Scrub Oak Quercus ilicifolia Black Jack Oak Quercus marilandica Bear Oak Quercus nana Willow Oak Quercus phellos 12 The Forests of Washington County. Common Name. Botanical Name. Chinquapin Oak .....Quercus prinoides Chestnut ....Castanea dentata Chinquapin Castanea pumila Yellow Poplar..., Liriodendron tulipifera Mockernut Hickory Carya alba Pignut Hickory Carya glabra Big Shellbark Hickory Carya laciniosa Small Pignut Hickory ..Carya microcarpa Shellbark Hickory Carya ovata lied Maple Acer rubrum Sugar Maple Acer sacckarum Black Maple Acer nigrum Mountain Maple Acer spicatum Box Elder Acer negundo Black Walnut , Juglans nigra Butternut Juglans cinerea Beech Fagus grandifolia White Ash Fraxinus americana Black Ash Fraxinus nigra Red Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica Cucumber Magnolia acuminata Umbrella Tree Magnolia tripetala Black Birch Betula lenta Yellow Birch Betula lutea Red Birch Betula nigra Black Gum Nyssa sylvatica Sycamore Platanus occidentalis Balsam Poplar Populus balsamifera Large Toothed Poplar Populus grandidentata Aspen Populus tremuloides Black Locust Robinia pseudacacia Basswood Tilia americana White Elm Ulmus americana Slippery Elm Ulmus fulva Wild Black Cherry Prunus serotina Fire Cherry Prunus pennsylvanica Red Mulberry Morus rubra Paw Paw Asimina triloba The Forests of Washington County. 13 Common Name. Botanical Name. Shad Bush Amelanchier canadensis Blue Beech Carpinus caroliniana Hackberry .-. Celtis occidentalis Redbud Cercis canadensis Dogwood Cornus florida Cockspur Thorn Crataegus crus-galli Scarlet Hawthorn Crataegus coccinea Persimmon Diospyrus virginiana Witch Hazel Hamamelis virginiana Hop Hornbeam Ostyra virginiana Mountain Ash Pyrus americana White Willow Salix nigra Black Willow Salix alba Sassafras Sassafras sassafras Holly Hex opaca Smooth Alder Alnus rugosa Staghorn Sumach .....Rhus typhina i Introduced Trees That Have Become Common in the Forest. Common Name. Botanical Name. Silver Poplar Populus alba Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos Ailanthus Ailanthus glandulosa Osage Orange Madura pomifera IMPORTANT TIMBER TREES AND THEIR CHIEF USES. Of the large number of trees named in the foregoing list, all are used to a greater or less extent for various purposes, but taking all of those which by reason of their abundance and good quality are used extensively, the list may be reduced to a comparatively few well recognized species. Oaks. — The various species of oaks constitute considerably over half of the lumber and timber cut of the County. There is no class of wood that possesses strength and durability to such a marked extent as the oak. The oaks, generally, are divided into two groups, white and red, each group containing several species that cannot 14 The Forests of Washington County. be easily distinguished except by experts. The wood of the two groups is quite similar, although the wood of the red oaks is not quite so strong and much less durable in contact with the soil than the wood of the white oaks. White Oaks. — The chief species included in this group besides the true white oak are the chestnut oak, swamp white oak and post oak. This wood makes excellent ties and construction timbers, where strength and durability are so important. The demand for this valuable wood has resulted in very heavy cutting and serious depletion of the supply. Red Oaks. — In the red oak group are included, in addition to the true red oak, black oak, scarlet oak and pin oak. These woods are less durable than white oak, and for most purposes do not com- mand so high a price. Like white oak, however, red oak is heavy, hard, strong, and tough, but not so durable under exposure. For interior uses, such as furniture, finishing, etc., it is the equal of white oak and sells for about the same. Its chief uses are for gen- eral construction, railroad ties, car stock, furniture, and interior finishing. Chestnut. — Chestnut has been the most important tree species and still constitutes a very large percentage of the timber cut. Due to the chestnut blight, it is probable that it will not be able to longer hold its own, and is destined to disappear as a commercial species. Its chief uses are for telephone poles, railroad ties, shingles, staves, lumber and construction timbers on the farm. Black Locust. — This species is widely scattered over the County and is used, principally, for fence posts. A rather special market has been found for it for use in the making of cross-arm insulator pins. It is a tree that grows along the edges of the woods, fields, and in fence rows, rather than in the forests. The forest grown trees, however, furnish a better quality of wood, due to their slower growth and a larger proportion of hard, durable heart wood. Tulip Poplar. — This species, commonly known as yellow poplar, is extensively used for pulpwood, and for this purpose is usually sold as soon as the trees have reached the pole stage, 8-12 inches in diameter. The wood is of a fine texture, light, soft, and easily worked, and is used locally for weather boarding, sheathing and general construction. The Forests of Washington County. 15 LUMBER AND TIMBER CUT, 1920. For the year 1920, there was a total of 32 sawmills operating in the County, of which only 9 operated during the entire year, the remaining 23 suspended operations during the summer, engaging in other work, such as threshing grain, using their traction engines for the purpose. The total output of 4,310,000 feet, board measure, of lumber consisted of boards, planks, and dimension materials, and did not include sawed ties or other products. Many operators get out ties, poles, staves, pulpwood, and cordwood in addition to lum- ber, while there are others which produce pulpwood, poles, or ties exclusively. While 1920 was a little above the normal in timber production, it represents a considerable falling off of ten years ago, due to the depletion of the available timber supply. Lumber and Timber Cut and Sold, 1920. Product. Amount. Value. Lumber (hardwood) 4,185,000 bd. ft. $146,475 Lumber (softwood) 125,000 bd. ft. 3.125 Lath 150,000 pieces 900 Railroad ties 4,750 pieces 4,750 Trolley ties 6,025 pieces 3,615 Poles 12,350 pieces 61,750 Staves 3,175,000 pieces 36,513 Pulpwood 2,025 cords 28,350 Cordwood 3,425 cords 17,125 Mine props 16,000 pieces 4,800 Tanbark 90 cords 1,440 $308,840 Home Consumption op Timber and Wood Products, 1920. Product. Amount. Value. Building material 288,000 cu. ft. $17,280 Fuel wood 12,720 cords 31,800 Fence rails 120,000 pieces 9,600 Fence posts 125,000 pieces 15,000 $73,680 Total value of timber and wood products $382,523 16 The Forests of Washington County. Lumber. — The total lumber output of 4,310,000 board feet includes 125,000 feet of pine. The larger proportion of hardwood lumber cut was oak and chestnut, with a number of other species in smaller proportion. The average price for lumber at the ship- ping point was $35 per thousand, making a total value of $149,600. Lath. — Lath are cut in small quantities, usually in connection with sawmill operations, and utilizing principally the slabs and other refuse from sawmills. The cut for 1920 represented 150,000 lath, valued at $6 per thousand, amounting to Railroad Ties. — The demand for railroad ties and the good prices obtained has diverted much of the timber cut from lumber to ties. For this purpose white oak, red oak, and chestnut are the chief woods used, red oak constituting one-half, white oak and chestnut the remainder. Nearly all ties were sawed, the high cost of labor making it unprofitable to hew them. The hewed ties pro- duced were from small tracts where there was not sufficient timber to justify the setting up of a sawmill. In 1920, 4,750 ties were produced at an average price of $1, amounting to $4,750. Trolley Ties. — Trolley ties are variable in size, but are shorter and smaller than railroad ties. Chestnut was used to a greater extent than any other wood. In all, 6,025 were produced, with an average value of 60 cents at the railway, amounting to $3,615. Poles. — Since chestnut is the only wood used for telegraph, telephone, and trolley poles, the available supply is being rapidly exhausted by the chestnut blight. The poles range in length from 25 to 60 feet, the average being about 35 feet. In 1920, 12,350 were produced at an average value of $5 each, amounting to $61,750. Staves. — The production of staves for slack barrel cooperage has increased in recent years, amounting to 3,175,000 pieces, valued at $11.50 per thousand, or a total value of $36,512.50. Chestnut was the principal wood used for the purpose, although other woods were used without discrimination. A clear cutting system is gen- erally practiced where stave wood is cut. Pulpwood. — This consisted of 2,025 cords at an average value of $14 per cord, amounting to $28,350. Tulip poplar was the prin- cipal wood used, although other species, such as butternut, maple, and sycamore, were cut and mixed with it to a limited extent. The PLATE II. FIG. 1. — East Side of Fairview Mountain. Washington County Forests are mainly confined to the mountain ridges and slopes. PLATE II. FIG. 2.— Natural Seeding on Abandoned Fields. Sideling Hill. The Forests op Washington County. 17 wood is cut in 5-foot lengths and the bark peeled. A cord consists of 160 cubic feet of closely packed wood and represents the equiva- lent of about one and one-half cords of cordwood. Cordwood. — The cutting of cordwood in the winter time is an important industry in some sections. The wood is sold to lime burners and also to residents of towns for fuel purposes. Chestnut, oak, and hickory are the principal species cut for the purpose. The production in 1920 was 3,425 cords .at a value of f 5 per cord, amounting to $17,125. Mine Props. — A mine prop in Western Maryland consists of a stick 8 to 10 feet in length and from 4 to 5 inches at the top end. Any species of hardwood is accepted and the prices obtained for the past few years have been especially attractive, resulting in the cutting of quantities of small size trees from the forests. The cut for 1920 was 16,000 pieces, which at 30 cents each, f. o. b. cars, amounted to $4,800. Tanbark.— Chestnut oak bark is peeled in small quantities from trees cut in the spring and early summer for ties and saw logs. As most cutting operations are conducted in the fall and winter, when bark will not peel, it is only where there is a considerable quantity of chestnut oak to be cut that the trees are felled and peeled in the spring, the logs often being worked up the following winter. There is one large tannery in the County, located at Williams- port, which gets most of its bark from outside sources. The amount of bark produced in the County in 1920 was about 90 cords, valued at $1,440. Home Consumption of Timber and Wood.— In addition to the large amount of timber and wood cut and sold from the forests of the County, the amount cut and consumed on the premises by the owners almost equaled in volume the amount of wood exported. The home-used material consisted principally of four items — build- ing material, fuel wood, fence rails and posts. Building Materials. — A large amount of timber was used in the rough for building purposes on the farm, such as sills and timbers for barn and stable construction, posts and timber for sheds, hog pens and other structures, together with timbers used in bridge con- 18 The Forests of Washington County. struction, etc. In all, 288,000 cubic feet were so used, valued at $17,280. Fuel Wood. — While a considerable portion of the farms use coal in whole, or in part, for fuel purposes, the large majority depend upon wood for fuel. The fuel wood used is, frequently, dead and down material and the inferior trees in the woodlands, although a large part was thrifty, growing timber. It is estimated that 12,720 cords were used in 1920, which, at $2.50 per cord, had a value of $31,800. Fence Rails. — Chestnut, because of its durability and good splitting qualities, is the favorite wood for fence rails. The large amount of blight-killed chestnut has encouraged the making of chestnut rails to utilize the dead timber and extend the use of rail fences, although the wire fences are most commonly used though- out the County. The home consumption for this material in 1920 was approximately 120,000 rails, valued at $9,600. Fence Posts. — Approximately 125,000 posts, valued at $15,000, were cut from the home woodland and used on the premises in 1920. Locust and cedar are preferred to all other woods because of their durable qualities, although chestnut, because of its much greater abundance, is used more largely than any other species. Chestnut ranks next in durability to the locust and cedar, which are not abundant. WOOD-USING INDUSTRIES. In addition to the production of raw products from the forests, it is interesting to note how far the use of lumber and wood enter into the wood-using industries, consisting only of local industries which take timber and wood products, from the County and from elsewhere, and by carrying them through further processes of manu- facture turn out valuable, finished products. In this particular, Washington County, as a manufacturer of articles made from wood ranks third in the State. While most of the lumber and wood used in the manufacture is imported from outside, there is a certain amount of home-grown material used. There are fifteen such plants in Washington County, employing a total of 966 men, an average of 64 for each plant. Nearly half a million dollars is expended for the lumber and wood to keep these plants going, and the value of these The Forests of Washington County. 19 finished products is further multiplied. Manufacturing centers are at Hagerstown, where furniture-making is the chief wood-using industry. Planing mill products are also produced to a large extent, and to a lesser degree vehicles, musical instruments, wooden boxes, and novelties. There are eighteen different kinds of wood used by the manu- factories of Washington County, this being a larger variety than is shown by any other district in the State, outside of Baltimore. Oak leads in consumption, followed closely by yellow pine. With Baltimore in the central section of the State and Salis- bury on the Eastern Shore, Hagerstown is the third center of wood manufacturing in the State, with its numerous activities in Western Maryland. It is well situated in a strong network of railway lines, which add great importance to City and County in the shipping of both raw and finished products. Summary of Woods Used in Washington County in 1916. Kind of Wood. a b Cost M. ory. fa Av. per Fact 8 »i ~* O +* — . S3 1. Oak species 2. S. yellow pine.. 3. Hickory species 4. Black locust 5. Basswood 6. Tulip poplar 7. Chestnut 8. Cypress 9. Hard maple 10. Eastern spruce 11. Beech 12. Birch species.. 13. Red gum 14. E. white pine. 15. W. white pine. 16. Elm 17. Ash species... 18. Mahogany 1,595,000 508.000 1,075,000 50,000 10,000 50,000 15,000 5,070,000 3,400,000 2.007,000 704,000 637,000 445,000 450,000 439,000 375,000 298,000 166,000 105,000 40,000 50,000 22,000 10,000 |10,000 6,665,000 3,400,000 2,515,000 1,075,000 704,000 637,000 495,000 450,000 439,000 375,000 308,000 166,000 105,000 100,000 50,000 22,000 15,000 10,000 38 19 14 6 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 1 .5 .5 $32.29 $215,215 21.07 14.19 9.30 25.67 30.00 23.63 33.22 22.S9 32.60 23.62 26.87 26.57 40.50 61.00 22.73 30.00 145.00 71,650 35,700 10,000 18,072 19,109 11,695 14,950 10,049 12,225 7,274 4,460 2,790 4,050 3,050 500 450 1,450 Totals |3,303,000 1 14,208.000 120,000 17,531,000 100 $25.25 $442,689 20 The Forests of Washington County. FOREST PROTECTION. The forests of the County are suffering severely from the effects of destructive agencies that have been operating for more than 100 years. Chief among them is forest fire, and of scarcely less impor- tance is the damage resulting from reckless or wasteful cutting, followed by the chestnut blight and grazing. Forest Fires. — Forest fires have, in past years, swept over the mountain forests repeatedly, causing heavy damage. Valuable stands of timber have been destroyed, thrifty young growth has been either killed or so badly damaged as to check its growth and produce a very inferior quality of timber. The small trees on large areas have been completely destroyed, together with the leaf litter, which is the natural protection of the soil, adding fertility and con- serving soil moisture. The effect is not only in destroying timber and young growth, and damaging the soil itself, but it also reduces the capacity of the mountain forests to conserve the rainfall, to pre- vent floods, and to maintain a steady flow in the mountain streams. Causes of Fires. — An analysis of the forest fire records, kept by the State Board of Forestry, shows that in a single year, including the fall season of 1920 and the spring season of 1921, which is about an average for the past five years, there were 17 fires in the County, which burned over 2,221 acres of land, causing a direct damage of $5,391, and cost the State and County in equal proportion, $263 to extinguish. Of these 17 fires, 9 were incendiary (deliber- ately set out), 5 were caused by railroads, 1 from brush burning, 1 from hunters, and 1 the cause is unknown. The most alarming fea- ture of this record is the large number of incendiary fires, the high- est percentage for any county for any year since records have been kept. The forest law provides heavy penalties for maliciously set- ting fire on another's lands, and in one of the nine cases of deliberate setting of fire, the State Board of Forestry secured a conviction. Such fires are the outcome of perverted ideas about burning over the woodland for huckleberries, pasturage, or what not, some cases of spite work, others apparently pure "cussedness." At least 75 per cent, of the fires are preventable, with proper care on the part of all owners and users of the forest. The State Board of Forestry maintains a protective system for the County, consisting of twelve wardens — one on patrol duty — also a lookout tower at Quirauk in The Forests of Washington County. 21 co-operation with the Western Maryland Railroad and the Pennsyl- vania Forestry Department. In addition, one lookout tower and two patrolmen in Frederick County look after parts of Washington County on South Mountain. A list of the wardens is given below, together with their locations and telephone calls, corrected to December 1, 1921 : Name. Location. Telephone. Milton S. Coulter Yarrowsburg Keedysville 9 F 12. Samuel Detrow ,.. Hagerstown B. Hayes Exline Exline Hancock 2 F 4. C. H. Faulder Smoketown Hagerstown 4091 F 22. S. D. Frownfelter Hagerstown A. J. Fulton Millstone Hancock 33 F 11. Ira B. Glenn ....Pondsville Smithsburg 6 F 3. J. R. Keller Dargan Keedysville 42 F 2. W. S. McAllister Indian Spring F. D. Martin Indian Spring Call Clearspring 110 F 3. George Norris Sideling Hill Call Hancock 2 F 5. B. F. Shadrack Maugansville Every landowner is required to do what he can to control fires on his own land, but in case the fire cannot be quickly brought under control, is liable to cause considerable damage and threatens neighboring property, he should at once notify the local forest warden, who is a regularly commissioned State officer, with full authority to employ all needed assistance, and to take any measures that may be necessary to suppress forest fires. Much can be done in the way of preventive measures, such as clean management in the woodland, including the close utilization of the tops and lops after cutting operations, maintaining roads through the woodlands free of inflammable material to serve as fire lines, and special vigilance on the part of the owner and his em- ployes during dry periods and in particular during the hunting season when there is a larger number of people in the woods. Destructive Gutting Pratices. — It is natural and proper that the timber in the woodlands should be cut when mature. It is the purpose of forestry to grow successive timber crops on forest lands and to maintain their productiveness. Next in importance to the 22 The Forests of Washington County. stopping of fires is the elimination of reckless cutting. The best results can generally be obtained by handling the forests under what is known as the selection system, that is, cutting from the woodlands at intervals, trees as they reach maturity, making room for the new growth that is constantly coming on in uneven aged hardwood forests of mixed species such as are found throughout the County. In the past, the practice has been to remove in one heavy cutting the best timber to the smallest salable size, and leave for succeeding growth the inferior species, and the crooked and de- fective trees which have little or no prospective value. This has, in most cases, transformed the stand from one which, in the beginning, was made up largely of good species, well formed and well developed trees, to a scrub forest consisting largely of inferior species and poor specimens. This system, or lack of system, must be completely changed if the forest is to be restored to full productiveness. It is usually poor policy to cut small, thrifty growing trees of high prospective value for the small amount that can be realized at the time. But if the small trees of good species are cut, then, at least, the defective trees and those of poor species should be cut at the same time in order to remove unfair competition and give the good species an even chance. Any land owner may have his woodlands examined and expert advice given as to the best methods of handling them by applying to the State Forester, Baltimore. Chestnut Blight. — The chestnut blight (Endothia parasitica), a fungus disease which first appeared in the County about 1911, has spread rapidly, until in 1920 it has killed, or seriously affected practically all of the chestnut in the eastern section of the County, and has eliminated the chestnut as an important tree species. In the western part of the County, the disease appeared somewhat later, and has not yet caused complete destruction of the chestnut stands, although this is inevitable, and there will scarcely be a live chestnut tree in the County in five years. While the tree is killed by this disease, the wood is not damaged. There has been, in consequence, a much larger quantity of chestnut cut and sold, largely in the nature of salvage in the past five years, than ever before. The next five years, however, will probably see an end of the chestnut timber supply. The Forests of Washington County. 23 Grazing.— It is customary, particularly in the valley sections, to include the farm woodland in the permanent pasture. Where this is done, the damaging effect to the woodland is very apparent. Pastured woodland, especially if it has been grazed for many years, presents a distinct picture, in which the prominent features are, first, the absence of young growth which is needed to perpetuate the forest; second, the absence of a ground cover, consisting of leaves and humus, to serve as a blanket to the soil, conserving moisture, keeping the soil in a good physical condition, promoting tree growth; third, the soil is dry and hard, the trees become stag- headed, with much dead wood in the tops, growth is greatly slowed down, or practically stopped, the stand is very much understocked, open unproductive areas occur, and the sum result is an unpro- ductive, declining woodland and a very poor pasture. Good pas- ture and good woodland are impossible in the same area. The least amount of damage is done to the woodland from pasturing, when the area is fully stocked and the trees have gotten large enough so that the lower branches are beyond the reach of the cattle. Under such conditions shade will be too dense for gass to grow, although the cattle could have the protection of the woodland without doing very much damage. FOREST PLANTING. Washington County contains 41,000 acres of waste land upon which no crop of value is being produced. This is 13 per cent, of the total land area. All of this land is suitable for timber growing and could be made productive by planting it in suitable forest trees. The waste land consists, for the most part, of rocky, barren hillsides, once cleared and cultivated, but from which the soil has been washed away, or has been so badly gullied as to be unfit for agri- cultural use. In forest planting, native species of proven worth should be generally used. The larger number of valuable native species per- mits a wide choice for planting purposes. Only a few of the most desirable species are here named. Black Locust. — This is a rapid growing tree, producing a very durable wood, especially valable for fence posts. One year seed- lings, about 12 inches high, may be used for planting and should be 2! _zti I bbesss :r Wasmeksotosi r:T>~~. sps ced about Bxf Beet apart Eke locnst -will do veil on poor soil, aLthoiLgL :: makes a much, more rapid growth on good soil. In the laitex case, it should reach fence post size in fifteen rears. At ~ --_— years, the majority of the trees shotild make two or three T — IT" _ r — Has is a native tree of rapid growth, which has i;fr even-grj lined wood, nsefnl for many pnrposes. It does not thri~r ape : hys ite bat .nmedinm Qnality soils makes i "^17 ---■.-:/.- i ~ - 1 " - Bees from about 4-6 inches high are the most practicable size t: nse f : forest planting and should be spaced ; : ..:_"--'.- : x6 feet apart. _~ i " : — Hns is the mosT i - 1 Rowing of the oaks, and is dbe T-i si TiirinI hardwood adapted for general forest planting. It can either be propagated by planting the acorns in holes abont Ave i a [ a Ft r ;_ way. dropping two acorns to the hole, covering abont — : indhes leep. or one-year-old seedlings may be nsed. spacing them z i feet apart. _"-" : Sj — Other species, sneh as white ash on overflow bottom lands, black walnnt on deep, moist, fertile soils at the foot :i ravines, and sc i :"_ pine on high, dry soils where the soil is thin and it is diffi cult to get any other tree to grow, may be nsed. In addition to establishing new planting, there are many small areas in portions of the woodland which are very nrach undel- ete izri. sneh as where open 3j _t~ ocenr. To restore these area* t : prodnctiveness in the shortest time it will often be f onnd prac- iieal in either plant them with sma ll trees of a species that will endnre shade, sneh as Xorway spruce : r sugar maple, or if the cover - imfficiently open, trees like white pine and red oak may be need Where seedling trees are not easily available, the woodland may be reinforced by the planting of red oak acorns in places where trees are needed. PLAJSTCNG TTDTDBEEAXS In the open sections of the County where there is so little wood- land as in the Hagerstown Valley, nrach discomfort and damage resnlts from the nnrestrained sweep of the winter winds. This con- dition can be largely remedied by the planting of windbreaks on PLATE III. FIG. 1. — Plantation of White Pine Six Years Old. This species has been used successfully for forest planting in Washington County. PLATE III. FIG. 2. — 23-Year-Old Black Walnut Plantation. Near Breathedsville. The Forests of Washington County. 25 the windward side of the house and farm buildings and yards where livestock is kept. The windbreak should consist of two or more rows of trees, preferably evergreens, the rows to be 8-10 feet apart, and the trees 6-8 feet apart in the row in an alternate arrangement. Norway spruce or white pine is the best species to use, although hemlock is almost equally good. The influence of the windbreak is dependent upon its density, length, and the height of the trees. Its influence is effective for a distance equal to ten times the height of the trees, but to secure the greatest benefit, the windbreak should be located as close to the buildings to be protected, as practicable. Where there is no wood on the place, the windbreak may be widened to form a combination shelter belt and woodlot, serving a double purpose. Beyond the windbreak of evergreens may be planted suitable hardwoods for the wood supply. THE FUTURE OF THE FORESTS. It has been shown on page 15 that the present wood and timber cut of the County is taking, annually, large quantities of material from the forests. The annual cut amounts to 3,435,000 cubic feet, while the most accurate figures on forest growth indicate that the 72,274 acres of woodland are producing in annual growth only 2,890,000 cubic feet. These figures show that the forests are being used 19 per cent, faster than they are growing. The lumber and timber cut has fallen off very markedly in the last eight years, not- withstanding the great advance in price paid for forest products. The falling off in the cut is due almost entirely to the rapid exhaus- tion of available timber supplies. The present average growth for the entire forest area of the County is not over 40 cubic feet of wood per acre per annum, whereas by eliminating the fire danger and applying correct forestry principles in the management of the wood- lands for their highest productive value they could be brought up to a production of 90 cubic feet per acre per annum, or more than twice what they are producing at the present time. This is the purpose of forestry and the attainable status of forest production for the County. This attained, the present timber cut could be doubled without taking more than the annual growth, and produc- tion at this rate, could be indefinitely maintained. The increase in 26 The Forests of Washington County. timber values and the great demand for forest products will always insure a good market at remunerative prices. In the past, timber has been cut with very little thought of the future productiveness of the forest, but as values increase, the forests will be handled from an entirely different viewpoint. The woodland owner will look upon his forest as a growing crop, the amount and value of the ultimate harvest depending upon the protection and care given to the grow- ing crop. The woodlands have suffered so long from fire damage, reckless cutting, damage from grazing, and more recently from the chestnut blight, that it will take many years to bring them back to a condi- tion of full productiveness. The forest fire menace must be stopped, the present practice of continually taking out the best of the timber, such as the young, immature, thrifty growing trees of the best species, leaving the crooked and defective trees and those of the pooer species, must be supplanted by improved methods. The forest is made up of many tree species, each of different relative value, and it is for the forest owner to regulate his cuttings in such a way as to give preference to the better species, eliminating the poorer trees, and converting his woodland from a scrub forest to one of high productiveness. This can generally be done by judicious thinnings and improvement cuttings where firewood and other low- grade material can be utilized. Washington County possesses for- ests of the highest potential value, which, if properly handled, will continue to be one of its most valuable assets. The Forests of Washington County. 27 WASHINGTON COUNTY REPORT. SUMMARY. The forested area of 72,274 acres, which is 24 per cent, of the total land area, is sufficient to supply all of the timber needs if it were fully productive. Forest fires have done more damage to the forests than all other agencies combined. Ninety per cent, of them are preventable. The fire menace can be stopped by the exercise of reasonable care on the part of those Avho use or travel through the woodlands. There are 79 different species of native trees, nearly all used to some extent, and at least 20 of them of considerable commercial importance. The 32 sawmills cut, in 1920, 4,300,000 feet board measure of lumber, which, with the output of ties, staves, lath, poles, pulpwood, cordwood, mine props, and tanbark by other operators, furnished a lumber and timber output valued at $308,840. In addition $73,680 worth of timber and wood was cut and used at home. There are 15 woodworking plants in the County, employing 966 men, using lumber and wood products to the value of nearly $500,- 000 annually, and through process of further manufacture turn this material into valuable articles exceeding in value many times the raw product. The chestnut blight, a fungus disease, has killed 75 per cent, of the chestnut, one of the most valuable tree species. The remaining chestnut is doomed, and will probably not survive more than five years longer. There are 41,000 acres of waste land upon which no crop of value is now growing. This is 13 per cent, of the whole land area. Nearly all of it is capable of growing timber, and most of it should be planted in forest trees to restore productiveness without delay. 28 The Forests of Washington County. The planting of windbreaks in the open country is needed to protect homes and livestock from severe winter winds. Due to damage from fires, destructive cutting methods and grazing the forest area is not producing, on the average, more than 40 cubic feet of wood growth per acre per annum. The forest lands, protected from fires, and properly managed, are capable of producing 90 cubic feet of wood per acre per annum, or more than twice what they are doing now. The present annual wood and timber consumption is about 3,435,000 cubic feet, while the annual growth is but 2,890,000 cubic feet. The forest is being used nearly one-fifth faster than it is growing, which means cutting heavily into capital, a procedure that cannot last long without serious consequences. Forest growth must be increased by eliminating fires and practicing real forestry. MARYLAND BOARD OF FORESTRY ' ;■;. ' K ijkk" +^-- ,,n..,.„„. , : -%' •"if '< ■' '■'■ i..": i m ■ ■"■' ■ ' '1 i -~< \=sr 7 >/ • _/ MAP OF WASHINGTON COU SHOWING THE FOREST AREAS BY COMMERCIAL TYPES F. W. BESLEY MARYLAND BOARD OF FORESTRY WM. BULLOCK CLARK F. W. BESLEY 1913 V/> f( '. ■""as Hrtnlwuoil Suplin-s ub Pine Sapling CONVENTIONAL SIGNS CULTURE ^3 Roads and Private mid liuildinfjs secaodaiyT « K.ii'ls Dams I*h-4« State In g EE EB E - lYi.iU Itnilii infill 1 1, ,1.1,1m U HlMiol 'l\ | H - D.sim 1 linen IMwijftUiiUau rimioh uirufc* Kg'u-es /* _* u i u ?¥' s . Depression .'Lifts ■'.„, .. '.,',■. .. , ■■ - ''if.*:"" Iuoih tiiUron 11 R. B. Mnmlinll. Ohlef Hongrnphor. 11. M. Wilson. Prank Sutton, u.ogmpb,,, ,„ ChBr , e . Wlu.ut. H. 1. Il.nl,.,,,,. R. A ,;,„,., H »". 1 ,^„,„,.tlel.l. A. B. I.,.l,„„„,. A, M. WMkov. H„i„,,, m,„,|,„„ S '• ,,'','"';,„. Control by i'. s, 0. ,t u. s., u t h» u i. ' ,, mT . m . w R Surveyed IBU8-1UIO. • Uc M»ush,si ei i K1 - Tfttun