President: Theodore T. Buckley, R.F.D. 2, Cambridge, N.Y.Secretary: Floyd E. Carlson, College of Forestry, Syracuse, N.Y.

Ire~surer-Membership S~cretary: Mrs. Luella B. Palmer, 157 Ballantyne Rd., Syracuse,N.Y.

wIssued Monthly by

New York Forest Owners Association, Inc.

January - the month of inventories- looking ahead - resolutions andstopping and starting. So far as

Association is concerned I have to admit- we have made some substantial progress.membership is increasing too slowly (561-anuary 1st) but the quality of our mem-s is outstanding. We have been quoted ina ional magazine and have apparentlyed some prestige among other conserva-groups. But we could do better, and

whole picture prompts the President tolittle soul-searching of his own for

guidance.A meeting of the Executive and Legis1a~Committees was held Friday evening,

8th at the charming home of Dr. Ed-Palmer in Syracuse. John Daly was

rman of the Legislative committee and~atch as secretary. Several construc-suggestions were made, and you willmore from this very talented cOffi~ittee.On Saturday, January 9th, the 14th

_ing of the Board of Directors was held~ e Northway Inn, Syracuse.

Treasurer Palmer reported $856.00 on. with all bills paid to date. (We arerich - neither are we in debt.) Theate matter of the use of our member-lists by anyone for commercial pur-

s was discussed.Director Emiel Palmer reported for

?rogram committee. We approved Syra-, April 24th, for the Annual Meeting;

d the theme "MARKETING", and accept-

ed with pleasure the offer of the New YorkTree Farm Committee to cooperate at the 1965Fall Meeting.

Du Mond (chairman), Najer, Edward Pal-mer, Hatch and Cheney were named nominatingcommittee.

Do YOU BELIEVE? - Then please send ina new member.

T. T. B.

RED OAK - DIRECT SEEDING

A. B. Lyon, VPI Extension Forester, re-ports on tests made in direct seeding of oak.Best results are obtained when acorns areplanted one or two inches deep. Planting canbe done in either fall or spring, althoughspring planting gives the best results. Theacorns should be immersed in water to deter-mine soundness, and then heated in a hotwater bath at 120 degrees F. for 40 minutesfor weevil control. Acorns planted in thespring should be sprouted.

From Forestry Work Tools, October 1964, Ver-mont Extension Service, University of Ver-mont •

MEMBER REYNOLDS GARNERS GRAND CHAMPION ROS-ETTE

We are late in reporting that Mathew

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MEMBER REYNOLDS (continued)

Reynolds really walked away with the blue ribb-ons at the 1964 State Exposition in the Christ-mas Tree competition. He received five blueribbons for first prize winnings for Norwayspruce, balsam fir, scotch and for fir in thetrue fir classification as well as otherspecies not covered in listed classes. Then hetook a third place in the white spruce competi-tion. Congratulations!

F.E.C.

CONDITIONS FAVORABLE TO GOOD HARDWOOD GROWTH -PART II

(Editor's Note: Norman H. Richards, Departmentof Silviculture, College of Forestry and NYFOAmember, - was one of the speakers at our FallMeeting on October 8. This is the second ofthree parts. F.E.C.)

For tilemost part, we have to live withthe site conditions we have inherited from thepast; particularly the natural features ofclimate, topography, and soil. Some areas havenever supported as good hardwood growth asothers. For example, the soil under Mr. Hoyt'swoodlot is excellent for tree growth; that ofMr. Webster's is by comparison somewhat shallow-er and poorer, and it is likely even the prime-val forest there was never as tall, nor did ithave as rich a variety of high value species asthis site supports.

We have also inherited some additionalsite conditions from past mistreatment of thewoods, particularly fire and grazing. The sub-stantial damage to northern hardwood soils pro-duced by fire and grazing is reflected in poor-er tree growth for many decades, but sites mayeventually heal themselves if mistreatmentdoes not reoccur. However, on severe burns andseriously run-down agricultural lands, it maywell take several generations of forest to re-build the soil to the point where it can oncemore support high quality hardwood growth. Sofor practical management purposes, these siteeffects from mistreatment must also be regard-ed.as relatively permanent, as we can present-ly do little to change them quickly.

However, although we cannot do much tochange site conditions, it is important for usto recognize them. In every woodlot over a fewacres, we can usually identify important sitequality differences. It is a good general ruleto remember that we are likely to get the best

returns for our efforts when we steer mostof our management investments toward thebest quality sites we have.

Good quality trees are to some extenta reflection of good site quality, as hasalready been pointed out. However, poortrees are not necessarily the result ofpoor sites. Past treatment has played amajor role in shaping our present hardwoodstands, and because of mismanagement a highproportion of our woodlots now have theirgrowth potential locked up in considerablypoorer trees than the particular site couldsupport.

The main factor leading to this condi-tion has been the practice of so-called"selective logging" or "high-grading"; re-peated cuttings aimed at removing the bestand leaving the worst to expand into theremaining available growing space. It isworth noting that clear-cuttings, that haveremoved everything, provided they weren'tfollowed by fire or other abuse, have gener-ally resulted in much better second growthhardwoods than this sort of high-gradinghas produced.

Grazing has had a direct effect on hardwood stands as well as on the forest soil,through the destruction of the more valuablehardwood species' regeneration; in favor ofthe more rugged and unpalatable species suchas root-sprout beech, and hophornbeam.

REDWOODS ON STATION WGY - 12:30 p.m.Feb1965

Harry Wiant, Jr., Assistant Professorof Forestry, Division of Natural Resources,Humboldt State College, Arcata, Calif., willbe Floyd Carlson's guest at 12:30 on WGY'sFarm Paper of the Air February 1, 1965, whenProfessor Wiant is interviewed on "Redwoodsof California". F.E.C.

SPEAKING TO THE LADIES

Alex Dickson said it as we stood in Wester's Woods in October. "The hardwoods ofNew York have a distinct feminine streak;they do a strip tease in the fall, go throu

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ith bare limbs; get 2. brand new out-spring; and all the while they are

:.g o~f some sap!" However, he doesn't claim-he author of the statement. Webster's

5, and Hoyt's, too, demonstrated to me soore than good management. I had a strong

__::..g of "family" in both these woodlots. It- as if I had been invited into the front par-

-~ ~o si~ in great-grandmother's old rocker_ :00k through the family albumn. They seemed== onstration of the eagerness of generation

=~=r generation to preserve that which is trulywhile. Do the youngsters in your family=: a deep interest in the II Back Forty", the

-~eation area you are developing, the treean-ation just set out, the pond lately dug and_ -.ed? Can they see their futures related to~5e projects? Junior membership in the F.O.A.

_ being offered the young folks to let themwe consider them an important part of our

ily". We promise them a larger interest inrn for their vigor.

D.B.W.

SCHOLARSHIP

Planting 11,000 trees in the last three~~s has helped Thomas Catchpole, seventeen,Geneva St., Bath, N.Y., to gain a $400 coll-

__ scholarship as a national winner in the 4-H~estry program. The scholarship was one of

~x awarded by American Forest Products Indust-_:55, Inc., during the 43rd National 4-H Club

gress held in Chicago, Nov. 29-Dec. 3.Catchpole is the 14th New Yorker to win

--~onal honors during the 17 years the 4-H~estry awards have been sponsored by AFPI.

Tom purchased a 16-acre tract this past~ing with funds he accumulated from his 4-H= jects. The land, mostly open, will afford

~- an opportunity to observe the conservation_~ctices and forestry procedures he has learn-. through 4-H work. The wooded area of thisact is now being used for Tom1s new woodlotrovement project.

He has planted 1,000 trees on his newly_quired acreage, in addition to the 2,000:anted on his family's land. He also has-sisted in the planting of 8,000 trees for

~'~_·_~erpeople and in the pruning of 120 acres- Christmas trees for neighboring farmers.

has practiced timber stand improvement onacre of white ash by cutting and poisoning

desirable trees.

Denons rat:'on of ::he loads of New York"have brough:: him too county and dist~icthonors. His "Know Your Trees" exhibit hasalso captured many awards.

The winner, a son of Mr. and Mrs.William Catchpole, plans to attend a forestrycollege. He currently is a senior in highschool.

"My 4-H forestry work has'not been anend in itself, but a journey which has in-spired interest and enthusiasm for new andgreater activities and aCbievements," Tomsaid.

The National 4-H Forestry program issupervised by the Cooperative Extension Ser-vice and arranged by the National 4-H ServiceCommittee.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

(Editor's Note: With this issue We are be-ginning a series giving information aboutleading magazines in the conservation field.LE.C.)

American Forests is called the magazineof forests, soil, water, wildlife and out-door recreation. It is published by theAmerican Forestry Association at 919 Seven-teenth St. N.Y., Washington 6, D.C. TheSUbscription price is $6.00 per year. Thebanner line reads "The American ForestryAssociation, publishes American Forests, isa national organization - independent andnon-political in character - for the advance-ment of intelligent management and use offorests and related resources of soil, water,wildlife and outdoor recreation. Its pur-pose is to create an enlightened publicappreciation of these resources and the partthey play in the social and economic lifeof the nation. Created in 1875 it is theoldest national forest conserva~ion organiza-tion in America."

ADDITIONAL FINANCING FOR TIMBER GROWING

The last Congress passed a law (PL 88-341)which liberalized the conditions under whichNational Banks can make loans on properly

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ADDITIONAL FINANCING (continued)

managed forest lands. The law (1) broadens thebasis of the loan security to include "growingtimber, land and improvements;" (2) increasesthe loan term periods;" and (3) increases theloan ratio from 40% to 60% of the appraisedfair market value.

It is good to know that forestry in thiscountry has reached a stage that results insuch confidence on the part of members ofCongress that they will pass such a law.

From Forestry Work Tools, October 1964, VermontExtension Service, University of Vermont.

WHY IS A KNOT ---7

(Editor's note: Can you answer this one? Wewill, in February issue. F.E.C.)

1150 Glenmore Ave.Brooklyn, N.Y., 11208

N.Y. College of ForestrySyracuse, New York

Dear Sirs:

I am a student at Brooklyn Technical HighSchool. My industrial processes teacher re-quested that I find the answers to the follow-ing questions: Why is a knot in a board dark-er than the rest of the wood? And why is aknot in a board harder than the surroundingwood?

I would appreciate it very much if youcould answer as soon as possible. Thank youvery much.

(Signed) Rimas Likterius

FORESTS IN THE MIDDLE AGES

Forests were man's first home. They supp-lied food and shelter. As fuel their effect oncivilization is inestimable. Wood as fuel notonly furnished warmth against the onslaughts ofwinter but also heat for metal working andother crafts.

In the middle ages whole families workingas metalurgists and glass makers lived in theforests of France. Glowing glass furnaces,charcoal furnaces, lime kilns and wood working

projects gave a strange atmosphere to theforest. From earliest times, forests havealways supplied products indispensable tohuman progress.

From Tree Tips Nov.-Dec. 1964, published byWisconsin's Trees for Tomorrow, Inc.

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