Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women - Wise Acres Yearbook (Ambler, PA)

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If one could see maps showing the forest structures of Pennsylvania in 1682, when Penn arrived, and in 1922, we would be amazed at the wonderful change that has taken place in a period that represents only a few generations of trees. They would show that where once stood supposedly inexhaustible stretches of unsurpassed timber there now remains vast areas of unproductive forest lands, and only a few scattered small remnants of primaeval timber. The original forests of Pennsylvania covered at least 28,500,000 acres. There are now left in the State 13,004,557 acres of forest lands, of which less than 25,000 acres are covered with original forests. This means that there is now left in the State only 1-350 of an acre of original timber for each inhabitant. This is a mere remnant of what was here at one time. In at least 50 of the 07 counties not a single full acre of primaeval forest remains. Most of the younger generations have never had the privilege of seeing the glory and grandeur of the original or nature-made forests. The few scattered remnants of original forests that are left occur in remote and rather inaccessible places. Nearly all of them were left because the lumbermen either missed them or could not get to them. Most of them are privately-owned. A small acreage is found on the State-owned forest land. It will not be long until most of the privately-owened will be cut down, for logging railroads are now approaching them or lumbering plans are in preparation. Special efforts should be put forth to protect and perpetuate the few stands of primaeval forest that do remain, for they will be worthy memorials to the present generation, and splendid object lessons to future generations. All those who have not seen the glory and grandeur of the primaeval forests will be well repaid by taking a trip to them and walking among these stately and princely trees and other associated life. There follows a list of some of the most important primaeval forest stands that now remain in Pennsylvania: 1. The Cook Forest—This tract of original timber consists chiefly of white pine. It is located in Clarion, Forest and Jefferson counties, and has long been admired by residents of Western Pennsylvania, who believe that it should be preserved as a natural forest park. It can be reached over a State Highway through Cooksburg. Detail information can be supplied by The District Forester, Clarion, Pa. 2. Wheeler-Dusenbury Forest Holdings—This company owns extensive forest property in northwestern Pennsylvania. At one time their holdings comprised some of the finest white pine found in the State of Pennsylvania. Only one small tract of original timber remains. It covers approximately 700 acres, and is one of the largest and heaviest stocked stands of original timber in Pennsylvania. Conservative estimators feel that on some of the acres there stand fully 200,000 board feet of fine white pine lumber. This fine primaeval timber will be lumbered in a few years and may be reached by the way of the city of Warren. De- 2

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WISE-ACRES Vol. VI June, 1922 No. 26 Published Quarterly by the Students of the School of Horticulture for Women, Ambler, Pa. —Elizabeth Leighton Lee, Director Enterkd at Ambler P. O. as Second-Class Matter Under Act of March 3, 1879. STAFF Editor-in-Chief, Sarah B. Fogg Asst. Editor, Josephine Sharon Adv. Mgr., Elizabeth Swing Asst. Adv. Mgr., Virginia deSterneck Business Manager, Irene Geiser One Dollar a Year Single Copy, Twenty-five Cents OUR ORIGINAL FORESTS Joseph S. Illick There is good reason to believe that the inhabitab’e portion of the earth's surface, with a few exceptions, was covered with a forest growth when it first became the home of man. North America was no exception, for the early American pioneer was confronted on all sides with dense and supposedly endless forests. It is said that a white pine tree was the first green thing that the pilgrim fathers saw when they landed on the rough and rocky shores of the New World. To be welcomed by such a beautiful and princely tree must have given cheer and comfort to the little band of daring and tired sea voyagers. The original forests of North America were not surpassed in beau tv, make-up or value by those found in any other part of the World. In all’they covered 822,000,000 acres—an area about thirty times the size of the whole State of Pennsylvania. 1 hey extended practically unbroken from the Atlantic to the prairies beyond the Mississippi, covered most of the Rocky Mountains, and occupied a wide strip of the Pacific coast. Nature was in a liberal mood when she made the great and prosperous State of Pennsylvania. hen the white man first set foot on her soil the entire land surface of the State, with the exception of a few natural meadows and several rough mountain tops, was covered with a dense forest growth. Nowhere in the East did there occur better and more valuable forest stands than those found on the hills and in the valleys of the Keystone State. It is appropriate that Pennsylvania means “Penn’s Woods and is the only State in the Union that embodies the word “forest’ in her name. Nature worked many centuries to produce these matchless miles of primaeval timber that once clothed every hill and valley of Pennsylvania. It is most unfortunate, but only too true that it took man only a short while to remove the original forest, and now only a few small and scattered remnants of original timber are left. 1

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tail information can be supplied by The District Forester, Warren. Pa. 3. Primaeval Forest Holdings of Central Pennsylvania Lumber Company—The Central Pennsylvania Lumber Company is one of only a few lumber companies that still operate in Pennsylvania. Among its forest holdings is a tract located in Bradford and northern Sullivan counties, reported to cover approximately 10,000 acres upon which are excellent stands of original timber. Detail information can be supplied by The District Forester. Dushore, Sullivan County, Pa. 4. Colonel Rickett’s Forest Estate—Upon the estate of the late Colonel Rickett, located in Sullivan county, there stands some of the finest original hemlock and hardwood trees found in Penn-s lvania. This original timber is found along the gorge of Kitchen Creek, below Great Shawanese Lake, for a distance of several miles. This gorge is lined with superb hemlock and magnificent hardwood trees, it is the handsomest spot in Pennsylvania, covered with original timber, and is also dotted with thirteen beautiful waterfalls. It is located about the corners of Wyoming, Luzerne and Sullivan counties, and may be approached by a good highway route. Detail information can be supplied by The District Forester, Dushore, Pa. 5. Alan Serger Forest Recreation Park—This grove comprises about 100 acres of mature hardwoods, mixed with hemlock and a few original white pine, located near Greenwood Furnace, Huntingdon county, between Broad Mountain and Bear Meadows. This original timber is included in the Logan State Forest, and will be preserved as a forest recreation park, which the public may enjo . Detail information can be supplied by The District Forester, Petersburg, Pa. ( . Forest Engineers’ Forest Park—This park embraces a considerable acreage of mature hardwood timber, located along Moore’s Run, Potter'county. It is included in a State Forest, and because of its sentimental and historical value will be preserved as a public recreation park. Detail information, can be supplied by The District Forester, Coudersport, Pa. 7. Joyce Kilmer Forest Recreation Park—This park embraces about 300 acres of mature hemlock and some white pine. It is situated on the northern slope and the summit of Paddy Mountain, in Union County. A State Highway passes near the park, which is viewed daily by thousands of motorists. Detail information can be supplied by The District Forester, Mifflinburg, Pa. 8. Snyder-Middleswarth Soldiers’ Park—This park includes a tract of 500 acres located on Swift Run, Snyder county, near Troxeb ville. It includes some of the finest and probably the largest group of hemlock standing anywhere in Pennsylvania. Among the hemlock are some superb white pine and pitch pine trees. The park has a charming location and is accessible. It is visited annually by thousands of motorists. Detail information can be supplied by The District Forester, Mifflinburg, Pa. 9. Michaux Pines—A grove of about 50 acres of mature short- 3