The New York Forest Owner - Volume 18 Number 4

July-August, 1980

NewYorJr'

&trest Owner",-,r&?-!U5f5V, I~No .1- i

New York Forest Owner

THENEW YORK FOREST OWNERS

ASSOCIATION

IN THIS ISSUE

P.2 New Members, Directors

P. 3 View From the President's Chair

P. 4 Make plans now to attend the FallMeeting, By Bob Edmonds

P. 5 Gutchess Lumber Company Hosts FallMeeting

P.6 CURRENT EVENTS, By Bob Dem-eree

P.7 WOODS WALKS, Gilligan Mountain

P. 8 Log Scaling Workship, Empire FieldDays, Wood & Paint

P. 9 Woodsmen's Field Days, ForestryCamp

P. 10 FOREST MANAGEMENT, Workers'Comp.; Boundary Lines

P. 11 Publications you should know about,Wood & Moisture

P. 12 Broad Classification of Woods Ac-cording to Characteristics

WELCOMEOUR NEW MEMBERS

Published by theNEW YORK FOREST OWNERS

Association

Gerald E. Michael7 Old Chimney Rd.

Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Dr. Norman A. Richards156 Westminster Ave.Syracuse, NY 13210

John E. Pipas, M.D.404 University Ave.Syracuse, NY 13210

EditorEvelyn A. Stock

5756 Ike Dixon Rd.Carnillus, NY 13031

PresidentHoward O. Ward240 Owego St.

Candor, NY 13743

First Vice PresidentRobert L. Edmonds

R#3, Box 99Marathon, NY 13803

Second Vice PresidentProf. Robert R. MorrowDept. Natural Resources

Fernow Hall, Cornell Univ.Ithaca, NY 14853

Recording SecretaryLewis DuMond9 Grand St.

Cobleskill, NY 12043

TreasurerEmiel Palmer

5822 S. Salina St.Syracuse, NY 13205

the sound of water

From childhood I have loved the soundof water;

singing of rain at midnight and the sweetmusic of mountains in a storm;the flutter of wet leaves after rain in

early fall;the gray swishing of water by the mill;and little murmurings of streams thatflow through flower-dotted meadows ora quite green wood where only birdsand children play.

There is a timeless healing in the soundof water that I will never let my heart

forget.and sometimes after sorrow there iscomfort whenever I remember asparkling stream that makes a pathwaythrough the crust of snow.

All this decades ago and a half a worldaway.

NoneeNolan

Membership SecretaryHelen Varian204 Varian Rd.

Peekskill, NY 10566

COMING!A DIRECTORY; The complete list of

names and addresses of all members ofthe New York Forest Owner's Associa-tion, as well as other helpful information,will make up the November, Decemberissue of this magazine.


THE VIEW

FROM

THE PRESIDENT'S

It's a pretty dim view right now since I'mwriting this from my hospital bed and the viewfrom the window is a blank brick wall. Actuallyit's not all that bad, I am well enough to walkaround and find windows to look out on themoving scene.

I was admitted Monday, Memorial Day, withpneumonia. It proved to be an unusual type andthey haven't found what medicine to treat itwith. Consequently, my body is taking care of itwith the help of rest and nursing attention. Ihope to be home sometime the week of June 9.

Now to the business of NYFOA. We had avery successful Board Meeting in Cortland on

CHAIR

QUALITY CHRISTMAS TREES

Please try to be at thejunction of Route 96 and 96B, inthe Village of Candor at 9:30a.m. There will be signsdirecting you from there to theTree Farm. Saturday, July 12.

Bring your own bag lunch.Iced tea, water and coffee willbe furnished.

A tour of the hardwoods willtake place in the morning,including an area marked forthinning but not yet cut.

After lunch we'll get to seeCotton Hanlon doing a loggingoperation on an 8 acre piece ofthe farm, including their log-ging road to the area from themain road.

May 24th. Minutes of the meeting are printedelsewhere in this issue. Please take note of thedate of the Fall Membership Meeting - October11, at Cortland, NY.

Bob Edmonds and Jim Lassoie are planningthe meeting and will have publicity on it in thenext issue of the Forest Owner.

I had big ideas of all the things I was going towrite about but I seem to have run out of steam.Hopefully, I'll get it done for the next issue. Iwant to thank Bob Sand for pitching in to helpduring my illness.

Howard O. WardPresident

WOODS WALK - LOGGING DEMONSTRATION AT THE WARD FARM


GEORGEGUTCHESS'SAWMILL

GUTCHESS LUMBER COMPANYCORTLAND WOOD PRODUCTS A

CORTLAND CHIP CORPORATION ll'I~PAUL BUNYAN PRODUCTS

LAPEERN.Y.1904

MAKE PLANS NOWTO ATTENDTHE FALL MEETING OF THE NYFOA

This year's Fall Meetingpromises to be an interestingevent for Forest Owners. Ourtheme is "Lands of ManyUses. "

Plans are being made to tourthe Gutchess Lumber Com-pany [and Cortland WoodProducts] facilities at Cortlandwhere you will see intenseutilization of wood first hand.

Nearby, we plan to visit afederally operated fish nutritionlaboratory. In the immediatearea is Lime Hollow, an ecolog-ically unique area now beingplanned for a preserve andeducational park.

We hope to have lunch at alarge ski area, which willprovide insight into a highly

developed forest land use.After lunch, we will be

stopping at the Moxie GorgeWildlife Area of the SUNYCollege at Cortland. A differentslant on land management foreducattonal purposes will bepresented.

As you can see, we have areal mix of wood utilization,wildlife, preservation, highlydeveloped land use and aneducational forest use is instore for the forest owners whoare in attendance.

Further details will be com-ing your way. Mark yourcalendar. Invite your friendsand acquaintances ... And planto have a good time! When?October 11, 1980.


GUTCHESSLUMBER COMPANYHOSTSFALL MEETINGOCTOBER 11, 1980

By Bob Edmonds

Vice President of the New York Forest Owner's Association.

Gutchess Lumber Company continued togrow under the direction of George's son,Clair. "C.B." as he was known aroundCortland County, marketed lumber pro-duced by a number of widely scatteredindependent sawmilling operations in NewYork, Pennsylvania, and Ontario.

New York Forest Owners will be visitingthe largest lumber manufacturing companyon one property in New York State this fall.Welcoming the Association members andfriends to Cortland is Gutchess LumberCompany.

The Gutchess family has been a part ofthe Central New York forests for three-quar-ters of a century. From its beginning in thedays of oxen and crosscut saws, thecompany has evolved into a Widelyrespected and well known company in thehardwood lumber business.

The cover of this issue of the ForestOwner shows George Gutchess firstsawmill in Cortland County in i904.During his career, he operated manysawmills in the Central New York area.

In 1938 he established a mill on McLeanRoad on the western edge of Cortland; thesite of our fall tour.

After a devastating fire in 1956, the millwhich rose on the property marked thebeginning of the present day manufacturingoperations.

A home grown Cortland County business,Gutchess Lumber Company and its affiliatesstill enjoy local ownership and managementby the Gutchess family. Affiliated companiesinclude Cortland Wood Products, CortlandChip Corporation and Paul Bunyan Prod-ucts.

The Gutchess Lumber Company isdevoted to the principle that "goodconservation is good business."

With a half dozen professional foresters onthe staff, it works with a renewable timberresource in ways that perpetuate forever thewood supply it needs.

While we like to reflect back to 1904, theforest management people of the companyare looking far into the next century withtheir planning. Truly a growing company.

JOHN STOCK HONORED

TUPPER LAKE-John Stock, TupperLake, was presented with the Liberty BellAward recently at the annual FranklinCounty Bar Association dinner held at theTupper Lake Country Club.

The presentation was made by DavidJohnson, president of the Franklin CountyBar Association.

Johnson said, "This year's award goes toan outstanding citizen of Tupper Lake whohas served this community widely and well.Stock is a 1937 graduate of the College ofForestry. He came to Tupper Lake in 1944as a forester for the Emporium LumberCompany. Since 1956, he has been theSuperintendent of Litchfield Park.

Mr. Stock has served on many local, stateand national boards and activities over theyears. He is a past president and directorof the New York State Forest OwnersAssociation. He is on the Advisory Boardon Forest Lands to the U.S. Department ofAgriculture.

Mr. Stock's awards include the HeibergMemorial Award for his outstanding contri-butions in the fields of forestry andconservation. In 1975, St. LawrenceUniversity recognized him as one of sixdistinguished North Country Citizens.

Ed's note: Mr. Stock is well known in theBoonville area and on several occasions hasgiven talks on forestry taxation and otherforestry related subjects at the WoodsmensField Days.


New York State Department of Environmental ConservationLands and Forests OfficeP.O. Box 1169, Fisher AvenueCortland, New York 13045(607) 753-3095

CURRENT EVENTS

This will be an attempt on mypart to add to every issue whatmay be called current events. Iwill try each issue to bring thereader up-to-date on the latestin the world of forestry inCentral New York on subjectsthat may be interesting oruseful.

The most current event isthat the bottom has finallydropped out of the lumbermarket. Demand for hardwoodlumber and logs has sloweddramatically as housing startsremain reduced and the normaldemands for hardwoods forflooring, cabinetry and furni-ture has dropped off. This isnot, I repeat, not a good time tomarket standing timber. One ofthe pluses of growing trees isthey can be harvested at one'sleisure as opposed to annualcrops.

Conversely, the demand forfirewood remains strong. Thelottery held for firewood onState forest land showed amaz-ing demand. Here in theCortland District, approxi-mately 3,000 people appliedand about 1,200 were success-ful. Many were turned awayand will be looking for woodfrom private sources.

Funding for the ForestryImprovement Program (FIP)has suddenly and dramaticallydried up. Apparently, use ofthis program nationwide has

By Robert DemareeAsst. Regional Forester

increased to the point that ithas exhausted the allocations.More will be available inOctober, but how much morefor New York is a questionmark. Information on this isbest attained from your countyASCS Office. Each county hasa different level of funding andhas slightly different ways ofhandling the program.

Of interest on the legislativescene is the Packwood propos-al which has been added on toa Senate Bill-HR 2492. In itscurrent form, this Bill wouldprovide a 10% investment taxcredit and a 7 year amortiza-tion on the first $10,000 forreforestation costs. This is a farcry from the present taxrequirements of capitalizationfor reforestation. There is noneed to go into great detail onthis Bill as it has not passed,but if it does, more informationwill be available.

We are receiving quite a fewcomplaints about the seedlingsfrom the State Nursery. Theseedlings were brown on topand generally had a poorappearance. This was due to nosnow cover in the nursery thiswinter, causing the seedlings towind burn. They should recoverand grow if they show greenbuds below the damage.

Robert DemereeAsst. Regional Forester

The next meeting is to be June 21,1980 atCortland.

Good RiskA woman was nervous about her first

airplane flight. An airline executive reas-sured her. "Look at it this way," hesuggested. "If it wasn't safe, would we letyou use a credit card?"

A government that is big enough to giveyou all you want is big enough to take it allaway.-Sen. Barry Goldwater

BOARD MEETING

The 117th Board meeting of theNYFOA was held May 17th, 1980 at theDEC Headquarters in Cortland, N.Y. Therewere 12 directors and officers present withHoward Ward, President, presiding.

The Membership committee reported659 members as of April 1, 1980.

There was discussion concerning theprinting of a new Directory and this is to beunder the supervision of Robert Demaree.

Kenneth Eberley reported that plans areall made for us to participate in both the"Field Days" at Boonville and the "EmpireFarm Days."

It was voted to cooperate with EugeneFisher, Extension Coordinator of theForestry Department of the College ofEnvironmental Science and Forestry inpromoting workshops for the building offorest access roads. These meetings are tobe held in various areas of the State.

Dean Shirley closed the meeting with adiscussion of our role with Forest Owners.He stated that burning wood can degradefuture forests, and that we should keep ourmembers informed and project a reasonableoutlook in order to keep our forests in thebest condition.

J. Lewis DuMondSecretary


WOODS WALK - GILLIGAN MOUNTAIN

WHERE:The Gilligan Mountain lot of some 650

acres is the largest single holding of ShirleyForests, Inc. It was acquired by the Shirleysin 1956. It had been cutover just prior to thesale. A partial cutting was made by theShirleys in 1968-'70.

The lot is interesting because of thediversity of timber types, cutting methodsused, the variations in soil and topography,and the volunteer species that have takenover the abandoned farmland and pasture.

The land extends from the flood plain ofBoquet River to the summit of GilliganMountain, 1500 feet above sea level.

WHAT:We will see a variety of types and species,

as well as the development of different agesand age classes of the forest.

WHEN: AUGUST 16, 1980Advance notice of intent to participate

would be appreciated so that guides can beprovided. Address your letters to Hardy L.Shirley, Star Route, Elizabethtown, NY12932.

HOW TO GET THERE:People coming from the south on the

Northway Highway #87 should exit atnumber 30, turn left for about (2) miles tohighway #9, and stay on #9 for (5) milesfarther north to the entrance sign.

The Calm, Peaceful, Beauty of a Woods Walk.

ENTRANCE:

The entrance to the lot is through theproperty of Thomas Lamb. A sign will bedisplayed at the driveway. This is on theriver side of Route 9, about 5 miles south ofthe traffic blinker at the junction of StateHighways #9 and #9N, in Elizabethtown.

LOCAL PEOPLE:Local folks can find the Lamb entrance

about (1) mile south of New Russia. Pleasebring your own lunch. Rain gear is advised.

Houses nest intothe eveningSilverSpreads like liquidover roofsand ground

The mockingbirdsits on alimb of summerlit by the moon-and sings thesky round.

We hope many of you are interested inattending. I suggest you plan to contact theindividual "Woods Walk" sponsor foradditional details including an agenda,directions, etc. Mail is best, but you canphone. Personal reservations are necessaryso proper arrangements are possible.

Woods Walks are first rate opportunitiesfor any member interested in forestmanagement and desiring to meet "one-on-one" with the forest owner. In all cases aprofessional forester will be in attendance.Groups must, by necessity, be no larger than30. With the weather cooperating, a real dayof interesting and informative forestryactivity is yours. It will be time well spent.

ON THE CALENDAR

WOODS WALKS

(1) Tioga County - July 12, 1980Howard o. Ward240 Owego St., Candor, NY 13743Phone: 607 -659-4520

(2) Essex County - August 16, 1980Dean & Mrs. Hardy L. ShirleyStar Route, Elizabethtown, NY 12932Phone: 518-873-2084

(3) Schuyler County - Sept. 20, 1980Robert M. SandOdessa, NY 14869Phone: 607-594-2130

PageS

EMPIRE FIELD DAYS


WOOD AND PAINT' In and Around the Home

The New York Forest Owner's Associa-tion will have a display at the Empire FieldDays again this year.

The event will be held from August 13ththrough August 15th at the Palladino's farmon Sweet Road, in the town of Pompey. '

Ken Eberley will take his signs andmembership information to the field days. Ifyou are there, look him up.

A. With Oil Base Paints:

1. Boards with narrow summerwoodbands are best for painting because thecoating bridges the summerwood and holdsbetter to the springwood.

2. Edge-grain, vertical-grain, or quarter-sawn bands have narrower bands ofsummerwood and therefore retain paintbetter.

LOGGER, FOREST OWNER, MILL SCALER:

Your participation in a forthcoming Log Scaling and Grading Workshop is earnestlysolicited.

WHEN: Saturday, July 26, 1980 8:30 AM-3:00 PM

WHERE: Ballard Lumber Company Old Route 28Fleischmanns, New York

WHY PARTICIPATE:

To gain understanding of -- the role of harvesting in the management of the hardwood forest.

- the fundamentals and techniques of log scaling and grading and practice in application.

- log rules being used and variations in log volume as dependent upon rule used.

- the effects of log grades on quality of lumber output.

- live sawing demonstration.

COST: $15.00 (fee includes box lunch and coffee break) per participant.

Cooperators: School of Forestry School of Continuing EducationState University of New York

College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New YorkNew York State Timber Producers Association

Host: Ballard Lumber Company, Fleischmanns, New York

HOW TO REGISTER: Detach form below and mail in envelope with $15 registration feeto: Dean, School of Continuing Education, 231 Baker Laboratory

SUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestrySyracuse, New York 13210

Registrations will be limited and reservations will be made on a first payment-first reservedbasis. Also, the sponsors reserve the right to cancel this workshop if sufficient registrations arenot received. If cancelled, all registration fees will be returned. Please use a separate form foreach registrant.

Detach and return promptly

LOG SCALING AND GRADING WORKSHOP

Fleischmanns, N.Y. Saturday, July 26, 1980

Enclose $15 per registration. Make check payable to SUNY-ESF and mail to:Dean, School of Continuing EducationSUNY-ESFSyracuse, NY 13210

NAME PHONE (----------~--------------------------------- --~------(Please type or print)

ADDRESS -----------------------------------------------------

Town State ZipAFFILIATION _

3. With flat-grain boards, the side nearthe bark often holds paint longer than theopposite side. '

4. Dark paints may be expected to last 2to 3 years longer than light colors.

5. Three coats of an oil-type paintshould dry to a total thickness of 4.5 to 5 mils(1 mil is 0.001 inch)

Recommendations:1. Paint wood when it is at a moisture

content which will prevail during service.2. Shellac or varnish can be applied to

end-grain wood or knots before painting toprevent loss of gloss or discoloration.

3. When first painting Douglas fir andSouthern pine lumber, priming the woodfirst with an aluminum house paint madeespecially for exterior woodwork is benefi-cial.

B. With Latex or Water Base EmulsionPaints, or Oil Base Paints:

Recom mendations:1. Correct the condition that caused

peeling, blistering, or cracking of paintbefore repainting.

2. Wash dirty paint with detergent andrinse thoroughly with water.

3. Don't paint too often. Sheltered areasmay not need to be painted when paintingthe house. Painting them every other timemay be sufficient.

4. Sand or "feather" the edges of thesound paint around a spot where the painthas peeled before painting.

5. Paint when the weather is clear, dry,and not windy; and when the temperature isbetween 50 and 90 Deg. F.

6. Start painting after the morning dewevaporates.

7. "Follow the sun" is a rule of thumb.Paint after an area has been exposed to thesun and is in the shade.

8. The USDA Forest Products Labora-tory recommends applying a water-repel-lent pentachlorophenol preservative be-fore priming new wood. It should dry for twowarm, sunny days before painting with aprimer.

9. Don't paint a dirty surface. If you waita month or more between applying a topcoat to a primer, wash the primed surfacethoroughly before painting.

10 . Two coats of latex paint may beapplied on the same day; but at least 48hours drying time should be used betweencoats of oil-base paint.

'Prepared from USDA Forest ServiceMisc. Publication No. 629 and USDA Home& Garden Bulletin No. 155 by David W.Taber, Cooperative Extension Specialist,Wood Utilization Service, 231 Baker Labor-atory, SUNY College of EnvironmentalScience and Forestry, Syracuse, New York13210.


WOODSMEN'S FIELD DAYS

WOODSMEN'S FIELD DAYS, will beheld again this year at the Fair Grounds inBoonville, New York, August 16 and 17.

EVALUATING YOUR WOODLOT willbe the seminar topic at the BoonvilleWoodsmen's Field Days on Friday evening,August 15 at the Adirondack Central HighSchool in Boonville at 8 p.m.

The seminar is sponsored by the NYSTPA(New York State Timber Producer's Associ-ation) a non profit organization of loggersdedicated to the improvement of the lumberharvesting profession.

The seminar will feature Dan W. Weller,chief forester with the DEC and a reallogger.

Information will be provided aboutquantity, quality, species, and loggingpractices, as they relate to woodlands. Inaddition an excellent movie (according toDavid W. Taber, cooperative extensionspecialist at the SUNY College of Environ-mental Science and Forestry) will depictmultiple use values of forests and how thenation's 150 National Forests are "supposedto be sensitive to all people's needs."Common Ground, a half hour color moviewhich shows logging, milling and recreationon forests throughout the United States, willbe shown.

David Gardner, of Gardner Bros. Farmnear Canajoharie, is the NYSTPA loggerwho. along with his wife Kathy is setting upthe seminar. David will be master ofceremonies.

The seminar is open to the public and freeof charge. Refreshments will be served.There will be a question and answer period.

WHO WILL WIN

A $100 prize will be given to the one whosubmits a list of the most documented usesof wood. The prize to be awarded at theNew York State Woodsmen's Field Days onAugust 17.

Contestant rules are available at theChamber of Commerce office, Boonville13309.

All entries will become the property of theField Days Corporation and the Judge'sdecision will be final.

All entries are to be typed Or clearlyhandwritten.

The deadline for submitting your entry isAugust 1.

FORESTRY CAMPCamp Owahta Outdoor Education

Center is pleased to announce thescheduling of a resident Forestry Campfor boys and girls 13-18 during the week ofAugust 10 through 16 at its Town of Solonfacility in Cortland County.

Designed in cooperation with public andprivate foresters, resource specialists, andprofessional forestry educators, ForestryCamp is aimed at the teen with a generaland career interest in forestry. Campers whoparticipate in Forestry Camp will come awaywith a basic knowledge of forest ecosystems,and how they function, the tools andtechniques of the practicing forester, publicpolicy decisions as they affect the use offorests, and the various approaches to forestmanagement. The first several days of thisprogram will be centered on developing abasic comprehension of tree identificationkeys and their uses, soil science, forestrymeasurements, including pacing, timbercruising, taking forest inventories and use ofthe Biltmore Stick, water quality and forestutilization, culminating in a study of forestmanagement techniques including harvest-ing, thinning, pruning, planting, fire andsilvics. A highlight of this program will be afield trip to a maple sugar bush, an evolvingnature preserve (to examine forest recrea-tion management techniques in action), anda local sawmill. Parents are invited to ourclosing all-camp forestry competition onSaturday.

In addition to our forestry emphasis eachcamper's program will be balanced byexposure to a wide variety of elective areas,

ROt. McGraw,NY t3101

and traditional resident camp activities,including: campcraft, meteorology, localhistory, first aid, wilderness survival tech-niques, map and compass, mountaineering,edible wildfoods, song fests and recreationalswimming.

The cost of the Forestry Camp is $60.00,which is all inclusive.

Parents may register campers by mail or inperson at the Cooperative Extension Office- Camp Owahta, County Office Building,.60 Central Avenue, Cortland, NY 13045.

A $10.00 deposit is required withregistration. The balance is due on or beforethe first day of Forestry Camp. Full refund ofall monies will be given for cancellationreceived through June 2. The $10.00deposit is withheld thereafter. Early registra-tion is encouraged as camp capacity islimited. For further information, call 607-756-7587.

By enrolling by May 30, campers areeligible for a 10% early enrollment discount.An additional 5% discount is available fortwo campers enrolling from the same family,or groups of four or more campers enrollingtogether.

Limited scholarship funds are available tothose campers (Cortland County youthonly) who cannot afford the entire camp fee,with preference given to families sendingmore than one child to camp. Applicationforms may be obtained at the CooperativeExtension Office.

For a descriptive brochure on ForestryCamp and Camp Owahta's other residentenvironmental education programs, contactBarbara Weatherby at the CooperativeExtension Office 607-756-7587.


FOREST'MANAGEMENTWORK COMPo INSURANCE AND

LANDOWNER'S FIREWOODLIABILITY INSURANCE

Superintendent of Insurance with the NewYork State Dept. of Insurance, Albert B.Lewis, provided the following information toMs. Dawn E. Radley of the New York StateEnergy Office in his letter of February 4,1980.

"If the landowner allows the firewood tobe cut and taken for no charge, he may becovered for his liability under a Comprehen-sive Liability Policy, a Homeowners Policyor a Farmowners Policy. In addition, aContractual Liability endorsement wouldcover any hold harmless agreement."

"When standing timber is sold and thebuyer cuts the wood for his own use orresale the liability of the landowner would becovered by a Comprehensive GeneralLiability and Contractual Liability Policy."

"When a landowner contracts to have thewood cut for him with payment to the partydoing the cutting, the landowner wouldneed a Workers' Compensation Policy tocover the woodcutter and a ComprehensiveGeneral Liability Policy with IndependentContractors and Contractual Liability cover-age to cover his liability with respect to thirdparty claims."

We can thank Dawn for her willingness toshare this viewpoint with us.

For your information, according to "100Years in the Public Interest - One HundredYears of Insurance Supervision In New YorkState" (printed in 1960), the New York StateInsurance Department was established in1860 (120 years ago). And its ComplaintBureaus analyze complaints from policy-holders. "A final responsibility of the NewYork Insurance Department consists offurnishing the public with informationconcerning their insurance problems. Spe-cific questions can be answered by mail."

Although Superintendent of InsuranceLewis writes from his New York City office,you may wish to do business with theUpstate office of the State of New YorkDepartment of Insurance at Empire StatePlaza, Agency Building One, Albany, N.Y.12223. About a year ago, Estelle Helpern ofthe Department's Publications Section (Tel.518/474-4557) provided me with a "Direc-tory of Insurance Companies" free ofcharge.

LINE TREES NEED NOT BE MARKED

On September 23, 1930 the AttorneyGeneral gave the following opinion toAlexander McDonald, the ConservationCommissioner, concerning line trees.

"On the line.-If the trunk of a tree is onthe boundary line, the tree is the commonproperty of both owners whether marked asa boundary or not. . .As such trees are thecommon property of both, neither maydestroy without the consent of the other,and where a row of trees is on the lineneither is entitled to make his own partitionby cutting alternate trees, and furthermore,an injunction may be granted to prevent thedestruction of a line tree. However, themere fact that a tree stands upon a boundarydoes not preclude either owner from cuttingaway the branches overhanging his land."

David W. TaberExtension Specialist

Wood Utilization

ADJOINING OWNERS

Here is part of what Fred Johnson wrotein his letter of February 15, 1980.

"The 'old tale' is that every othermerchantable tree growing on a propertyboundary line, belongs to each adjoiningowner. This is not legally correct unless bothowners agree."

"Actually trees which stand on theboundary line, belong to adjoininq ownerstogether as tenants in common. Where suchtrees are destroyed by one of the adjoiningowners, proprietors or agents, a trespassaction may be maintained by the otheradjoining owner."

"Line trees are on the actual line with theboundary passing through them. . . .Linetrees are marked with blazes facing the line'sdirection and differ from trees standingclose to, but not on the boundary

. .These trees are painted on the face orside of the tree facing the boundary."

"There is no joint ownership of trees thatare face blazed or painted. They belong tothe owner on whose land they stand

.The State does not want these trees cutif they are located on the State side of theboundary. We would prefer that theadjoining owner agrees. However, we haveno jurisdiction over trees on neighborhingland."

PROPERTY BOUNDARY TREES

Controversy sometimes occurs over whoowns "line trees." A considerable amount ofmisunderstanding about who has the right tocut trees which grow on a property lineexists, so let's look at the facts.

Fred L. Johnson, DEC Regional Forest-er in Lowville recently provided me with thefacts dating back to the New York StateAttorney General's opinion of September23, 1930. Since it was an old "ruling" I had itconfirmed by N. Y.S. DEC PrincipalForester, Dan Weller of Albany who says itis still applicable and accurate.

If thou of fortune be bereftAnd in thy store there

be but 2 loavesSell 1 and with the dole

Buy hyaclnths toFeed thy soul.

Recently in Key West, Florida. "A mantold police he was robbed of his expensiveGucci bag and wallet, a $180 Tiffany lighterengraved with his initials, $50 in cash, acheckbook - and $30 in food stamps."

A girl in a wedding gown came running upto the first tee as a young man was gettingready to tee off. "Henry! " she cried, "Youpromised! "

"No, I didn't, Sally," he replied. "I saidonly if it rains! "

We used to hiss the villain. Now we go outand buy his book.

Adjusting LIFEMEDITATION

It's a busy world we live in,We get caught in the race,And sometimes our sense of valuesSlips a little out of place.

It's a good thing to pull overTo the roadside now and then,And get our thinking straightened outBefore we start again.

-Author unknown.


Publications You Should Know About

Ithaca, NY-Trees, animals, tricklingstreams, birds, fallen leaves, wildflowers,underbrush and more comprise the interre-lated community we call a forest. If youvalue this environment and want to learnmore about it, two bulletins just issued by theNew York State College of Agriculture andlife Sciences at Cornell University will be ofinterest in understanding and managingwoodlands.

"Understanding Forest Ecosystems"(L-5-13, $2.00) is a 40-page publicationdescribing the living components of theforest environment. What happens to theforest, and why and how people can affectthis community of nature is explained. Thepublication can be a companion on a walkthrough the forest to observe the trees,growth patterns, and wildlife requirements.After reading "Understanding Forest Eco-systems," your knowledge of the environ-ment will be enriched.

A forest evaluation inventory sheet,reference guide for publications, and forestryorganizations are included in the illustratedbooklet. Information in the bulletin tells howto take tree measurements, to enhancegrowth, and to control pests, diseases, andundesirable vegetation. Clearcutling, leavingseed trees, and regeneration methods are.covered. A glossary explains all terms usedin understanding and working with the"forest ecosystem." Included are instruc-tions for constructing and using a BiltmoreStick to measure the diameter and height oftrees; instructions for making and using aClinometer to measure slope in the land areprovided, too.

A companion bulletin, "Managing SmallWoodlands for Wildlife" (IB 157, $1.50),includes diagrams for building variousnesting structures. Topics covered includewater and timber management, the integra-tion of wildlife values with other woodlanduses, maple syrup production, Christmastree production, recreation and mapping,and inventorying resources in the area.Appendices list kinds of vegetation used bywildlife for food and habitation. Suggestedreferences round out the 32-page publica-tion.

Both of these bulletins can be used inconjunction with the Cornell CooperativeExtension publications on using wood as aheat source such as "Burning Wood" (NE

191, $1.00). "Understanding Forest Eco-systems" (L-5-13, $2.00) and "ManagingSmall Woodla~ds for Wildlife" (IB 157,$1.50) can help you manage timber lots andplan areas to clear and cut for fuel.

Spring, Summer, and Fall are good timesto manage a forest habitat. "UnderstandingForest Ecosystems" and "Managing SmallWoodlands for Wildlife" could makeexcellent gifts, especially for youngsters whowant to learn more about the environment.

Both publications can be obtained bywriting to Cornell University DistributionCenter, 7 Research Park, Ithaca, NY14850. Please order by title and number andmake checks payable to Cornell University.In New York State, Cooperative Extensionoffices also have copies of the publications;prices may vary in each county office.

"Woodland Ecology", by Leon S.Minckler, 2nd edition, is available fromSyracuse University Press.

The first edition was very well received,and the books are of great value to theowners of small forests.

Development of a Forest ProductsManagement and Marketing Cooperativein Maine is a 42 page report by William R.Seymour, Cooperative Development Divi-sion, USDA-ESCS, (U.S.D.A. Economics,Statistics and Cooperatives Service) 50012th St. S.W. (room 500), Washington,D.C. 20250. This report covers the woodlotowners' cooperative in the Dover-Foxcroftarea of Maine. According to Seymour,"Preliminary data indicates that by organiz-ing a forest management and marketingcooperative, woodlot owners could increasetheir net income per acre harvested by up to24 percent."

In New York State the Ulster EnergyCooperative, according to David Strong, isbeing formed to economically assist mem-ber-participants in a number of ways in-cluding: 1. obtaining firewood less expen-sively, and 2. purchasing less expensively bygroup action such items as insulation andsmoke detectors.

Persons interested in additional informa-tion about forestry cooperatives may wish tocontact Cooperative Extension, or theUSDA Economics, Statistics and Coopera-tives Service in Washington, D.C.

WOOD AND MOISTURE'In and Around the Home

FACTS:1. Wood is a fibrous material which

shrinks when it dries and swells when itabsorbs moisture.

2. Wood can absorb moisture in the formof water vapor from the atmosphere whenthe relative humidity is high.

3. Wood can absorb free water which is incontact with its surface.

RESULTS:1. The shrinking of wood can cause

warping in lumber, splits in lumber,loosening of fastenings connecting lumber,cracks in plaster, and cracks between floorboards.

2. The swelling of wood can causebuckling of floor boards and sticking ofdrawers, Windows, and doors.

RECOMMENDATIONS:1. Wood should be seasoned to a

moisture content which is in harmony withthe service conditions.

2. The recommended average moisturecontent for interior finish woodwork in NewYork State is 8 percent. For most of NewYork, however, the interior woodwork'smoisture content in January may be 6 to 7percent, whereas in July it may reach 10 or11 percent. In the New York City area theJuly moisture content of interior woodworkmay reach 13 percent; and along LakeOntario, it may reach 12 percent.

3. Recommended moisture content forvarious lumber items at time of installationfollows:

IndividualPieces Average

Interior finish woodworkand softwood flooring 5-10% 8%

Hardwood flooring 6- 9% 7%Siding and exterior trim 9-14% 12%Sheathing and framing 9-14% 12%

'Prepared from USDA Forest ServiceReport No. FPL-1655 by David W. Taber,Cooperative Extension Specialist, WoodUtilization Service, 231 Baker Lab., SUNYCollege of Environmental Science andForestry, Syracuse, N.Y. 13210, January1973.


Evelyn A. StockEditor

5756lke Dixon Rd.Camillus, N.Y. 13031

Non profitj; J.bulk rate

U.S. POSTAGEPAID '.

Nedrow, N.Y.13120

Permit No. 37

.,,'.; ..

ASK A FORESTER .BROAD CLASSIFICATION OF WOODS ACCORDING TO CHARACTERISTICS*•• (Classification system for comparing woods:A relatively high in particular property;B - intermediate; and C = relatively low)

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C C

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Cedar, Northern vlhite C C A A A A A C

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Larch, Western A

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A

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C A A A

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(or Eastern) C C A A A A A C C C

A B C A A A

Pine, Ponderosa eBB A ABC C C CPine, Sugar C C A A A ACe C CPine, \~esternWhite eBB A A A eBB BRedwood B B A A B p., A B B BSpruce, Eastern C B B A B B C B 8 BSycamo~r~e~~ ~A~+-A~+-~C __ ~C~+C~+--~~C~~~B~ __ ~B~~ __ ~B _Walnut A A B A B - A A A A*PltepaJted nltOmUSVA FaltmeM BuUe.t.i.n No. 1756 blj DavA-d (I). rabel!., Coopell.a.:Uve Ext:en-!lA-on Spe&ltU6t:, SU.W College 06 Env.{.Jtonment:a1 S&enc.e & F0I!£6t:Jt1f, Sllllac.U6 e NY

By Al RobertsDear AI:

As a private individual owning as~'anwoodlands, I will have to say that to getsome income from my woodlands is .extremely important. I think a great majorityof small woodlands owners probably feel thesame way I do. One of the big handicaps ofthe small landowner is the fact that, for themost part, we are non-professional, and theprofesisonal logger takes an unfair advan-tage in most cases and does not do a propertimber harvesting job. In addition to this, thesmall landowner, in most cases, cannotafford to retain a consulting forester becausethe revenue from the small woodlot wouldnot even pay for the consulting worknecessary to supervise a silvicultural pro-gram.

Speaking as a professional foresterworking for a pulp and paper companywhich uses roundwood as the major sourceof supply for its mill complex, I feel that it isextremely important that we realize incomefrom our lands and from those resident andnon-resident small landowners around us aswell. It behooves us as a major landownerand a major user of raw material that weattempt to educate these landowners andassist them either through an independentconsulting service or as part of our ownorganization and provide them with amultiple use landowner program.'

Very truly yours,

Norwood W. OlmstedWoodlands Manager

The New York Forest Owner - Volume 18 Number 4

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Transcript of The New York Forest Owner - Volume 18 Number 4