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ASSOCIATIONOFFICERS

J. Morgan Heussler, President900 Porterville RoadEast Aurora, NY 14052

Harold Petrie, ist Vice PresidentRD 1. Box 117Parish, NY 13131

Allen F. Horn, 2nd Vice President3978 Pompey Center Rd.Manlius, NY 13104

Stuart McCarty, Treasurer4300 East AvenueRochester, NY 14618

Ruth Thoden, Executive SecretaryPO Box 123Boonville, NY 13309

Richard E. Garrett11261 Apulia RoadLaFayette, NY 13084

Howard O. Ward240 Owego StreetCandor, NY 13743

Alec C. Proskine9370 Congress Rd.Trumansburg, NY 14886

Robert SandCotton- Hanlon, Inc.Cayuta, NY 14824

Kathryn WhitehorneRD1,Cayuga, NY 13034

R. Dean FrostRD 1 Box 80Whitney Point, NY 13862

Robert A. HellmannPO Box 231Brockport, NY 14420

William R. Lynch, Jr.100 Whitestone Dr.Syracuse, NY 13215

John ThoringtonRt. 2, Sky high RoadTully, NY 13159

Sanford VreelandPO Box 185Springwater, NY 14560

Thomas A. Conklin10 Artillery LaneBaldwinsville, NY 13027

Richard J. FoxRD 3, Dresserville Rd.Moravia, NY 13118

Earl PfarnerAllen Rd.Chaffee, NY 14030

Timothy S. WilliamsRD 3, Box 321Moravia, NY 13118

Affiliate/Chapter Representatives:Thrift-Dona Id Colton5595 Trinity AvenueLowville, NY 13367

Catskill Forest Assn.Donald GilbertCatskill Forest AssociationArkville, N Y 12406

Cayuga Chapter-Wendell Hatfield, ChairmanRDIMoravia, NY 13118

Tioga Chapter-Howard Ward, Chairman240 Owego St.Candor, NY 13743

Southern Tier Chapter-Donald Kellicutt, ChairmanRD I, Box 103Lisle, NY 13797

THE NEW YORK

FOREST OWNERPublished for the New York Forest Owners Association by

Karen Kellicutt, Editor

Materials submitted for publication should be addressed to: Editor, N. Y. ForestOwner, RD #1, Box 103, Lisle, New York 13797. Articles, artwork and photos areinvited and are normally returned after use. The deadline for submission is 30 daysprior to publication in January.Please address all membership and change of address requests to Executive Secretary,P.O. Box 123, Boonville, N. Y. 13309.

President's MessageReflections on the Fall Meeting

We have just returned from asuccessful meeting at Croton PointPark chaired and arranged by BobSand. The point sticks out into theHudson River in a lovely setting inWestchester County about 30 milesfrom NYC. The foliage was at itsheight although rain persisted most ofthe time we were there and thatdetracted from its enjoyment.Bob had arranged for a catered

dinner Friday night, breakfast onSaturday and, after breakfast, wehelped ourselves to a bag lunch to beeaten in the field. All were ample andof excellent quality.We had a memorable program

Friday night. Westchester CountyForester Ted Kozlowski welcomed us.He told us that yes, they did have treesin his county and that he wasresponsible for some 16,000 acres offorest. A good part of this is in NewYork City's watershed and otherpublicly owned woodlands.Dr. Ross Whaley, President of ESF

and Chairman of Gov. Cuomo's TaskForce on the Forest Industry came allthe way from Syracuse to make histhird speech of the day to us. Hediscussed the work of the Task Forceto date, gave us some upbeat andsurprising statistics on the percentageof forested land in our state and whoowns it and made an optimisticprediction for the utilization of woodin the future as compared to otherconstruction materials. We greatlyappreciate Dr. Whaley's efforts injoining us. He left on a train forAlbany immediately after his talk.Busy guy. .Finally, John Marchant, President

of the newly formed Western Finger

J. Morgan HeusslerLakes Chapter, gave us an intriguingand challenging presentation of thepossible uses of the computer by thesmall woodland owner. He did it in hisusual modest and self-effacing styleso that no one felt he was being told togo out and buy a computer next day.John has spent a lot of time workingwith Cornell, the Forestry College andothers on their software programsand we are in his debt.Later, at the Board meeting, I was

sad to have to announce KathrynWhitehorne's resignation as Chair ofthe Long Range Planning Committeeand from the Board. She citedmedical problems in her family as thereason and we hope that these will notbe of long duration. We are pleased to

(Continued on Page 10)

2 FOREST OWNER

Christmas WreathsBy PAULA WESCOTTJohn's Trees & Wreaths

"Like the evergreen wreath atChristmas, may your life be fresh andnew" is the blessing of the Christmaswreath. More and more folks arediscovering the blessings of producingChristmas wreaths for an everincreasing market.Wreath making has come a long

way from Mom wrapping somegreens around a coat hanger for thefront door. Not only has the equipmentand methods of wreath makingbecome more sophisticated, so hasthe customer. With the resurgence of'back to nature', the real tree and thelive wreath are more in demand thanever. Today's sophisticated shopper

no longer wants a flat, styless clumpof greens hanging on their front door.The wreath greets every visitor to ahome and the consumer wants, andwill pay for, quality.The benefits of making wreaths can

be substantial and it is one of the fewbusinesses you can get started in for aminimum investment of time andmoney and see an immediate profit.For example, we start people for aninvestment of $200.00 which enablesthem to produce 150wreaths. Anotherbenefit of wreath making is it anexcellent way to use and make moneyfrom boughs which many just throwaway.To make a wreath you require

greens or boughs or brush, as it is

Message from the EditorAt the NYFOA fall meeting, it was

recommended that I continue aseditor of The Forest Owner, followingthe three issue trial period. For that, Ithank the board of directors.So, this seems like a good

opportunity to introduce myself anddiscuss the future plans for thismagazine.I will say that it has been an

interesting and learning experience.During the last four years, I haveworked as editorial coordinator forthe Independent Newspapers,formerly of Marathon and now ofSyracuse. We produce three weeklynewspapers covering parts ofBroome, Cortland and OnondagaCounties. I continue to maintain thatfull-time job.Upon learning that NYFOA was in

need of an editor, I decided it would bea chance to expand my base ofexperience and a challengingopportuni ty .I was anxious to continue with the

magazine to improve upon what wehave already accomplished. I say"we" because I am grateful to thesupport I've received from RuthThoden, Don Gilbert, Dean Frost,Howard Ward, Wes Suhr, Allen Horn,Richard Garrett and Morgan

Heussler. It is no easy task to design amagazine from scratch, especially forthis forestry novice. I decided I wouldbe learning about this industry alongwith the group's new members.What's planned for future issues?

Now that I have the approval toproduce a full year's worth, I hope toobtain more editorial input from theboard. Specifically, what subjectsinterest our readers in January,February, March and so on. Whatinformation would you like to see inthis magazine that currently is notoffered? This is your magazine and itscontents should reflect your interestsand concerns. I am not a mind reader.If you have an interest in writing,submit your work. I would like to seethe section on Chapter Reportsexpand.When a magazine is being prepared,

material submitted from membersalways receives first priority, before Igo on to other sources. If you have anidea, talk to another member, yourchapter president or call me.This, then, is an open invitation. In

order to make this the best possiblemagazine for all NYFOA membersyour input is vital.

Sincerely,Karen Kellicutt

Tons of boughs arrive weekly toinsure freshness.

called, and a ring to fasten the greensto. Hand wiring involves placingbunches of greens on a ring, using athin wire on a roll to tie around thebunches, placing another bunch on,etc. Hand wiring has the least costinvestment, but, it is harder to learn,tiring, fatiguing, much harder toteach and requires more greens toproduce a full, thick wreath.The other extreme is an electric

wreath machine. These machines areexpensive ($1,400.00& up) and requireextensive training to master. Theyare definitely not for the faint heartedor inexperienced.The easiest method and the best

alternative, we feel, is the crimpingmachine. The crimping machine setsinto a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood and ismanually operated with your foot toclose the clamps on the rings whichhold the bunches of greens in place.This method is very easy to learn orteach, safe and because each bundle isheld individually, you can stop at anytime. There are a number of modelson the market. We use the Hillman

Wreaths of all sizes ready for delivery.

(Continued on Page 11)

FOREST OWNER 3

Chapter Reports:Directional Timber Felling

Cayuga ChapterJuly 14, 1988the Cayuga Chapter of

NYFOA used its meeting as a meansto combine both work and pleasure.Through the efforts of Dave

Tregaskis, arrangements were madefor a picnic supper/workshop atFillmore Glen State Park. Membersbrought a dish to pass while Daveserved up some delicious hamburgsand hotdogs.A brief business discussion focused

on the Chapter's plans to honor theCCC's work in the area during the'30's. Alfie Signor exhibited a plaquedesign to be displayed at the StatePark. Strategies to involve the county

4

and/or state in monument programswere explored.After the meeting, the 34 people in

attendance adjourned outside to theparking lot where Bill Millier andGregg Wellott, logger/members, puton a demonstration of chainsawmaintenance and directional timberfelling.Bill covered the basic maintenance

procedures and demonstrated sawchain filing techniques. Questionswere fielded on particular problemsthat members encountered in sawoperation and maintenance.The workshop also focused on the

basic requirements for safe felling inthe woods. Gregg displayed thenecessary safety equipment andaccessories and showed differentmethods for making felling cuts, bothin normal and problem trees.Coverage included notch cuts andbackcuts, with discussion anddemonstrations of each and theirvariations.The onset of darkness brought an

enjoyable and informative Chaptermeeting to a close.

Submitted by Gregg WellotPhotographs by Jerry Tomenga

Woodlotsand

WildlifeFrom Cayuga Chapter

Question: "Which tree in my wood-lot will produce the most wildlife?"Answer: "The one on a log truck on

its way to the mill."With that exchange, on 12

September 1988, Bill Hunyadi,Wildlife Biologist and RegionalDirector of the Ruffed Grouse Society,summed up his presentation to thegroup gathered to hear a presentationsponsored jointly by the CayugaChapter, New York Forest OwnersAssociation and the Central New YorkChapter, Ruffed Grouse Society on thesubject of "Timber Management &Wildlife in Private Forests".When you view a woodlot as habitat

for wildlife, rather than only a standof trees, the management of thatwoodlot takes on a new meaning anddirection. The cutting (harvesting) oftrees, for whatever reason, has adirect effect on the numbers anddiversity of the wildlife species thatwill be able to occupy the habitat thatyou create.Using a series of slides to illustrate

that point Hunyadi showed howowners of woodlots can ensure acontinuing harvest of trees and anabundance of wildlife. Managingtimber and wildlife are investmentsthat pay a return to the investor overtime. In order for an investor toprotect oneself, it is nest to diversify.According to Hunyadi that approachis also the key to protecting one'sinvestment in trees and wildlife. En-courage a variety of tree speciesand manage (cut) those trees so as tohave a mix of age classes and you willhave a more dynamic habitat and thusa healthier crop of trees and wildlife.If you have a particular bird oranimal that you want in greaternumbers you can manage yourwoodlot habitat to emphasize theplant life that will be most specific forthe species you desire to increase, e.g.increase Aspen (Populus tremuloidesor Populus grandidentata) if you want

(Continued on Page 11)

FOREST OWNER

Henry answers questions about TSI work he's done.

CFA Fall Woodswalk inSouth Worcester

By LOUIS TIRRITOCFA Woodlands Manager

The Catskill Forest Association(CFA) sponsored its fall woodswalk inSouth Worcester, NY on the propertyof Henry Kernan. The walk took placeon Saturday, September 17,and beganjust shortly after 10:00 AM, andfeatured timber stand improvement(TSl) work done by Henry. Althoughskies were rainy, and the air a bitcool, the event was very well attendedby a group of about 40people.The walk presented the group with a

unique opportunity to view the resultsof the careful long-term forestmanagement practiced by HenryKernan. After a brief presentation,Henry led the group through differentstands that have received TSI. Inexplaining some of the importantpoints of TSI, Henry explained whatdecisions he used in selecting trees toremove. The group was quiteinquisitive, and asked questions onnumerous topics ranging fromwildlife habitat, to forest ecology.Many of those in attendance were

forest owners themselves, and wereencouraged by Henry's hard workingethic and the enthusiasm he has foimanaging his woodlot. It wasn't

difficult to see that the TSI Henrycompleted has given him a woodlotwith better spacing, trees of superiorform and vigor, improved wildlifehabitat, and plenty of firewood to heathis home.

Legislative UpdateBy DON GILBERT

NYFOA Legislative CommitteeChairman

NYS Governor Mario Cuomorecently vetoed a bill to create apermanent Forest Resource IndustryCouncil (S.7614-B; A.9924-B). The billwas passed by the Senate in June andthe Assembly in August.The governor's veto message

expressed two main reasons forvetoing the bill: (1) the desire to allowhis Forestry Task Force to completetheir deliberations and (2) concernthat the proposed Council may beduplicative of existing statecommittees, principally the StateForest Practice. His veto messagealso stated that the proposed Councilhas merit: "We may wish to returnthis proposal when my Task Force'sreport is in. At that same time, we canalso seek to adjust the responsibilitiesof, or- consolidate the existing forestindustry boards and commissions,"stated the Governor.According to Senator Charles Cook,

sponsor of the Senate portion of thebill, the Governor's veto apparently"is not a renouncement of the need fora permanent body bringing togetherthe various public and private groupsassociated with the State's forestindustry. "

John's Trees & Wreaths(315) 678-2336

8852 Avery Road - Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027

HILLMAN RINGS&

CRIMPING MACHINE

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TOSTART - OR EXPAND

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FOREST OWNER 5

The Economics of Wood Fuel HeatDifferent species of wood provide

different amount of heat when burnedbecause they have varying densities(weight/cubic foot). In addition, be-cause species differ in percentages ofmoisture content when green (freshlycut), identical volumes or weights ofgreen wood have different amount ofwater that must be evaporated duringcombustion. This reduces the heatavailable for useful purposes.For a freshly cut hickory tree, the

moisture content of heartwood - thedark-colored inner cylinder of wood ina tree truck - is about 75 percent.Therefore, a 50-pound piece of freshlycut hickory firewood contains about21.43pounds of water (2.57gallons). Incontrast, a 50-pound piece of freshlycut white ash firewood, with itsmoisture content of 45 percent,contains only 15.52 pounds (1.86gallons) .After seasoning, fuelwood of all

species is easier to burn in moreefficient combustion that producesless smoke, less creosote, and moreuseful hea t. Seasoning wood,therefore, is important because itremoves the water that otherwisewould consume heat from the fire.Combustion of unseasoned wood sendswater vapor up the chimney alongwith smoke from unburned gases andwood particles.A standard cord of firewood

contains about 80 cubic feet of solid

wood, when the wood is well rankedand stowed with the length of thesticks parallel. A standard cord of 4-foot-long sticks of wood is a wood-pilewith a face (ends of cross-sections ofsticks) that measures 4 feet high by 8feet long; and it contains 128 cubicfeet of wood and air space. Note, if thesticks of wood were only 16 incheslong, for example, the 4 ft. x 8 ft. "facecord" would contain one-third of astandard cord (the length of woodbeing one third of a standard cord's48-inch-Iong sticks). When buying a"face cord", the wood may be cut intoany specified length.One standard cord of shagbark

hickory with its 24.6 million BritishThermal Units (BTUs) of availableheat, is equivalent in heat productionto 251 gallons of No.2 fuel oil and 308l00-cubic-foot units of natural gas.This assumes a wood-burning unit'sefficiency of about 55 percent,meaning that about 55 percent of theheat produced in combustion isavailable for use; No. 2 fuel oilcombustion efficiency at 70 percent;and na tural gas efficiency ofcombustion of 80percent.Based on "Efficiency of Using Solid

Wood Fuels" by Lawrence D. Garrettof the USDA Forest Service, whichuses the same bases as given forshagbark hickory, the heat values forsome common species are listedhere with the amounts of fuel oil and

natural gas needed to provide thesame heat.Based on these heat values and

combustion efficiencies, in conjunc-tion with prices of $100 per standardcord for wood, $0.85per gallon for No.2 fuel oil, and $0.59per 100cubic feet ofnatural gas, it would require thefollowing oil or gas expenditure toprovide the equivalent of $100worth ofwood by different species.

NO.2Species BTUs fuel oil Natural gas1 standard Millions gallons 100 cubic ft.cord

Shagbark 24.6Whiteoak 22.7Americanbeech 21.8

Sugar maple 21.3Red oak 21.3White ash 20.0Red maple 18.6

251232

308284

222217217204190

273286286250232

Species1 standard No 2 fuel Natural gascord at a cost BTUs oil equiva- equivalent-of $100 millions lent - cost cost of wood

of woodShagbarkhickory 24.6

White oak 22.7Americanbeech 21.8

Sugar maple 21.3Red oak 21.3White ash 20.0Red maple 18.6

$213.35$197.20

$181.72$167.56

$188.70$184.45$184.45$173.40$161.50

$161.07$167.74$167.74$147.50$136.88

(Continued on Page 12)

On Splitting Wood -Dispelling Some Myths

By MORGAN HEUSSLER

That thing you are pounding on isvariously called a log, a billet, ablock, a chunk and, in Western NewYork, we call the ornery onesmothers. Don't ask me why we callthem mothers; it's just a localcolloquialism. (Now say localcolloquialism three times, fast).We learned the basics of splitting

wood about.fifty years ago from an oldpart time stock broker, part timewoodcutter who had studied physics.We did it all with a sledge and

different weight wedges. When we cutthe trees, we did it with a two mancrosscut saw because, if the chain sawhad been invented then, it was notcommercially available. We still usean eight pound sledge for splitting andstart with a four pound wedge. Wemay have to follow the four pounderwith a six pound wedge on a largerlog. Sometimes the four pounder justwon't go into the log but rather,bounces back at us. We then try athree pound wedge and you canusually sneak its thin body into yourlog. Follow it with larger wedges.

We have tried a lot of splitting toolsbut our favorite is the go devil orsplitting axe or Allen axe or splittingmaul. Ours is an eight pound head andit goes thru ash, red oak and cherrylike a knife through butter.Exception: the knots or twistedpieces.Some veterans we know can split

straight grained wood with no knotswith an axe. They give the head of theaxe a little twist just as it enters thelog and this pops it apart. We never

(Continued on Page 10)

6 FOREST OWNER

Ask a ForesterSend Questions to: Wes Suhr, Ranger School, Wanakena, N.Y. 13695

"My son is about to sell sometimber, plus cordwood to eliminatethe weed trees. Walking through thewoods with the forestry agent and wellknown consultant, I asked a questionas we came to a soft maple sproutgroup with 4" diameter stems: 'Willthe cord wood people take the largerstems (three of the group)?' The replywas that they would all be left! I askedthe same question to another group.The answer was to cut all four stemssince possible rot from the stump willinvade one or all of the sprout growth!

"Have times changed? Do we knowbetter now? That same section wasweeded years ago and all but one ofmultiple stems, sprouting from anystump, was frilled and poisoned. Weare confused. Can you help?"

F .M. Johnson,Delmar, NY

Actually there is some merit to bothanswers, depending on whether this isa cordwood or chipwood sale. If this isa standard cordwood sale, themmimum merchantable stem(standing) is usually defined as an 8-foot length with a 4" top, which wouldmake the lower diameter (dbh) about6". Many foresters will not mark acordwood stem for cutting until it is 8"in diameter, feeling that this is thecommercial limit for the logger. Ofcourse, you can set your own limits inthe sale contract - if the logger wantsthe sale, he must abide by the con-,tract limits. So the forester givingyou the first answer feels your sproutstems should grow a little more tobecome commercial for a cordwoodsale.H is possible the second answer was

based on the assumption that allstems would be chipped, with evensmall 4" stems to be cut, but youwould have to stipulate this limit inthe contract. Again, 4" stems arebelow the commercial limit for mostloggers - they would lose moneycutting and skidding them out, evenfor chipwood sales.If you have mainly a coppice-stand,

that is reproduction (second growth)

"I am trying to regenerate blackcherry (Prunus serotina) by natural'seeding among my conifers, but Ihave a hard time trying to distinguishthem from the other wild cherries.There is a seed source for all and theseedlings are all mixed together. It isvery important to separate the blackcherry because a good deal of workgoes into these plantations. I haveheard that only P. serotina has thehairy midrib on the underside of theleaf, but almost all of these seem tohave it, and it seems unrealistic for allof them to be black cherry. Wouldgreatly appreciate any help you can

Bob Davidge,Oriole Hill Tree Farm,

Rhinebeck, NYThe leaf characteristics (especially

size and shape) of seedlings andsprouts for many tree species can behighly variable, and we may have toidentify them in the winter. For thisreason, it's best to know twigcharacteristics, and we shouldidentify on the basis of at least twofeatures to reduce error. I have foundthe following features to be the mostuseful (choke cherry, Prunusvirginiana; fire cherry, Prunuspensylvanica) :

For these twig characteristics,check the current year's as well aslast year's growth. Unless it's winter,twig color is most characteristic onlast year's growth on the "sunny"(up) side of the twig (in winter,current year color has matured and isok to use). Look at current yeargrowth for lenticel shape: circular forblack and fire, but elongated (with thedirection of twig growth) for chokecherry. You may need a lOX handlensto see this feature clearly onseedlings. Look at the terminal budsfor bud-tip shape; fire cherry will alsoset two or more buds at end of twig(clustered), where this is rare withthe other species.

As you have noted, there is usuallysome pubescence (short, fine hairs) atthe base of the midrib on theunderside of black cherry leaves;however, it is not always there. Thishair is white on young leaves andturns to a rusty-brown on older leaves.And, yes, you may occasionally find afew hairs in this area on choke andfire cherry, but it is uncommon, atleast to the extent where the lines ofhair can be readily observed without ahandlens.

SPECIES TWIG COLOR LENTICELS BUD TIPSBLACK Green-brown gray dots pointed

to brownCHOKE green-brown elongated, pointed

to gray-brown gray or lightFIRE red-brown red-yellow to rounded

yellow dots

mainly from stump sprouts, then therecommended thinning or cleaningoperation would begin when most ofthe sprouts are 4 to 6" in diameter. At4" and less, this would be considered aprecommercial operation; at-6"+, itcould be a local firewood sale. In anycase, you should leave one or twostems per stump: leave the largestand straightest stems that are loweston the stump (or closest to the

ground). Upper stems on the stumpwill have a greater chance o-fcontracting rot from the stump, ascompared to lower stems. Possiblythis is what they were trying to dowhen the " . . . section was weededyears ago and all but one of themultiple stems was frilled andpoisoned". But the poison couldspread to the entire root system,killing the one untreated stem as well i

FOREST OWNER 7

Christmas TreesACHRISTMAS CIRCULAR LETTER

ROBERT FROSTThe city had withdrawn into itselfAnd left at last the country to thecountry;

When between whirls of snow notcome to lie

And whirls of foliage not yet laid,there drove

A stranger to our yard, who looked thecity,

Yet did in country fashion in that thereHe sat and waited till he drew us out,A-buttoning coats, to ask him who hewas.

He proved to be the city come againTo look for something it had left behindAnd could not do without and keep itsChristmas.

He asked if I would sell my Christmastrees;

My woods - the young firm balsamslike a place

Where houses all are churches andhave spires.

I hadn't thought of them as Christmastrees.

I doubt if I was tempted for a momentTo sell them off their feet to go in carsAnd leave the slope behind the houseall bare,

Where the sun shines now no warmerthan the moon.

I'd hate to have them know it if I was.Yet more I'd hate to hold my trees,except

As others hold theirs or refuse forthem,

Beyond the time of profitable growth-The trial by market everything mustcome to.

I dallied so much with the thought ofselling.

Then whether from mistaken courtesyAnd fear of seeming short of speech,or whether

From hope of hearing good of whatwas mine,

I said, "There aren't enough to beworth while. "

"I could soon tell how many theywould cut,

You let me look them over. "

"You could look.

But don't expect I'm going to let youhave them."

Pasture they spring in, some inclumps too close

That lop each other of boughs, but nota few

Quite solitary and having equalboughs

All round and round. The latter henodded "Yes" to,

Or paused to say beneath some loveli-erone,

With a buyer's moderation, "Thatwould do."

I thought so too, but wasn't there tosay so.

We climbed the pasture on the south,crossed over,

And came down on the north.

He said, "A thousand. "

"A thousand Christmas trees! - atwhat apiece?"

He felt some need of softening that tome:

"A thousand trees would come tothirty dollars. ' ,

Then I was certain I had never meantTo let him have them. Never showsurprise!

But thirty dollars seemed so smallbeside

The extent of pasture I should strip,three cents

(For that was all they figured outapiece) -

Three cents so small beside the dollarfriends

I should be writing to within the hourWould pay in cities for good trees likethose,

Regular vestry-trees whole SundaySchools

Could hang enough on to pick offenough.

A thousand Christmas trees I didn'tknow Ihad!

Worth three cents more to give awaythan sell

As may be shown by a simple calcula-tion.

Too bad I couldn't lay one in a letter.I can't help wishing I could send youone,

In wishing you herewith a MerryChristmas.

REFLECTIONS BY HOWARD WARD

After reading Robert Frost's poem"Christmas Trees" I had thefollowing reaction.Yes, I grow Christmas trees with

the intention of making money fromthe operation. However, I get thebiggest kick out of having a class ofsecond graders come up to the farmjust before Christmas to go sledding,have cocoa and cookies in the cabinwarmed by a wood fire, and pick out atree for their school room.Getting a tree for the church is

another thrill. Our church ceiling isabout eighteen feet above the floor. Ihave some Douglas fir trees that are25 to 30 feet tall. I pick one that has agood shape and nice top, cut it, cut offsix to ten feet from the bottom andtake it to the church.When the volunteers erect the tree,

they usually have to cut more off thebottom and prune the top. Onceerected and the ornaments and lightsare hung, it's beautiful! A tree thatdidn't make it as a Christmas tree fora house has made it as a Christmastree for the House of the Lord!

FOREST OWNER8

SOUTHERN TIER PHOTO REPORT:Woodswalk at Frosty Mountain Tree Farm

Letter13349Allen Road

Chaffee, N.Y. 14030Sept. 8, 1987

Dear Editor:Am enclosing two slides you may

want to use in the "Forest Owner"sometime. I finally started using awood-splitter this year, but as thebeam of the splitter was only teninches off the ground, I knew it wouldbe a killer to use. For $500more, therewas a splitter available on which thebeam was eighteen inches off theground, but not high enough to suitme. In my opinion, it is stupid to stoopover if it isn't necessary.It is no problem for me to lift the

wood to a convenient height, becauseif the wood blocks are too heavy to lifteasily, I reduce them where the treefell with sledge and wedges so I canhaul them with tractor and trailer to awoody rd.Firs I tried auto ramps, but that

was not enough height, so I built tworamps about five feet long and also athree-legged bench two feet by threefeet to catch the wood as it fell fromthe beam so I would not have to pick itoff the ground, as I work alone.The splitter sure takes the hardest

work out of making firewood.By using a piece of inch pipe over a

long three-quarter inch bolt, almostany desired height can be acquired tolevel the beam, which stays attachedto the tractor drawbar.

Yours truly,Earl Pfarner

P .S. A chain or metal ground fromdrawbar can prevent static electricitybuild-up which could cause a sparkwhen adding gas to splitter motor.

FOREST OWNER 9

Wood Myths -(Continued from Page 6)

learned how to do this but admirethose who can.For many years, we followed the

advice of our first mentor who said"Split your wood from the top down".You set the log up the way the treegrew and split it from the top down.Sometimes it was hard to tell whichend was the top if you had left thework site for several days and thenreturned. We suspected it didn't makemuch if any difference. Then we readan article in American Forests byDavid Tresemer and that did it. Hehad timed 1000 splits, half from thebottom and half from the top. He wascareful to use the same species,diameter and knotty quality for eachgroup. He found that he saved 10seconds by splitting from the top.There went that old adage.We also were told that wood splits

better when it is frozen. All greenwood contains a lot of water and, whenit has turned to ice, the log is supposedto be more brittle and will split easier.Mr. Tresemer conducted anotherexperiment on this theory. He let 25logs freeze. He took another 25 logsinto his house to be sure they would bethawed. He does not say what his wifethought of all those logs in the house.Then he split them all and foundabsolutely no difference in the time orease of splitting between the twogroups. Rather surprising as we thinkit makes sense that the frozen logswould split easier.We have heard conflicting opinions

about which splits best, green wood ordry wood. It's true that you can get anail into green sugar maple and youcan't get one into dry maple. Butsplitting it makes no difference in ourexperience. We split a lot of wood justafter it comes in from the woods.Reason: the wife doesn't like the bigpile just off the driveway. On the otherhand, when we are bucking tops, theyhave often been there for a year ortwo. So, when we go to split these logs,they are quite well seasoned. Makesno difference in the splitting time orease.We tried a thing called a monster

maul. It weighed fifteen pounds orjust a pound less than our saw. Afterswinging this well named tooloverhead for a half hour, we werecompletely exhausted. We also tried agadget called a Chopper 1. It is an

oversize axe with little thingies in thehead which pop out when the bladeenters the log and thus, the splittingaction. This tool is not too bad as longas there are no knots in sight. But wecan do the same work with a go devilwhich we prefer.Two years ago, the physiotherapist

said: "If you don't buy a powersplitter right now, I'm not going to beable to fix that back muscle you pullseveral times each year." We wereunconvinced until she said: "Hey, youcan split the ash and cherry by handbut put the beech and maple on thepower splitter". We respected her forknowing the difference and did get apower splitter. It's a great tool butthere is still a lot of work in splittingwith one. One has to bend over to putthe log on the rail and then bend overfurther to pick up the split pieces.Ours does not have a lifter on the sideso we have to lift the log onto the rail. also.

We enjoy the whole process offelling, topping, limbing, bucking andsplitting so much that we do a lot of itand count ourselves fortunate to havethe health required.

President's Message(Continued from Page 2)

tell you that Sandy Vreeland hasaccepted this committeechairmanship.Saturday, Bamber Marshall, our

local host, had arranged four sight-seeing trips for us to choose from.Some of us went to nearby West Pointand had a tour and a movie. It wasstirring and interesting. At noon, wemet at Guy Cockburn's Christmastree plantation in Garrison, ate ourlunch and then learned from themaster how he grows thosemagnificent Douglas firs from seed.Bob was embarrassed about the

cabins most of us slept in and therather spartan bathrooms, everythingbeing unheated, but Bob did a greatjob for us and Betsey and I, to nametwo, are grateful to him. We were a bitunsettled at a sign on the bathroomdoor which stated that ticks may befound in this building. I really wantedto call my dog, Willie, and ask himhow one knows when one has a tick onhis body. But Willie was jailed in akennel at home and could not becalled to the phone.

IT IS NOTENOUGHTO OWNA FOREST

The challenge is to nurture it, to ful-fill a destiny of beauty, productivity,and family pride ... while turningenough dollars over to hang on to it.But how?

There are ho easy answers, onlyideas to ponder by the woodstove.That's what NYFOA is all about:ideas, family pride in forest manage-ment, and sharing of dreams.

Through regular issues of ForestOwner magazine, frequent seminarsand woodswalks in one another'swoodlots, and extended tours to ex-tend the fellowship and learning inforeign lands, members of the NewYork Forest Owners Association aregrowing as surely as the trees in theirwoodlots.

J · ,010. _Check your preferredmembership option:o Regular - $10 0 Family - $15o Contributing - $16-$99o Supporting - over $100Send checks payable to:New York Forest Owners AssociationP.O. Box 123Boonville, NY 13309Yes, I'd like to join the New York

Forest Owners Association and getmore out of my woodlands.

Name

Address

. City

State/Zip

10 FOREST OWNER

ChristmasWreaths -(Continued from Page 3)

exclusively because it is so durable itis guaranteed for life and has manyfeatures other machines are lacking.Wreath rings are available in a

variety of sizes from 6" to 48",depending on the supplier, and usuallycome in cartons ranging from 50 to 100rings. Regardless of where youpurchase your supplies, look forquality, guarantees and service justas you would when making any otherinvestment. Some suppliers may do aswe do and invite customers to pick uptheir first order so we can show themthe different methods of making awreath, go over setting up themachine and answer those manyquestions that are so important whenstarting a new business.Obtaining your greens can be a

money making operation. Those ofyou who have access to overgrownstands of evergreens, land to becleared, cull trees or basel pruning tobe done - this is a way to obtain yourgreens and make money from whatwas to be thrown away. If you do nothave these available yourself, firstcheck with local growers and farmersin your area for all these things. Youcan always purchase greens fromsuppliers like ourselves or thewholesale florist supplier in yourarea.What greens are best? Whatever is

the least expensive! Almost anyevergreen will make a beautifulwreath but you will find localpreferences. Balsam Fir, DouglasFir, White Pine, Scotch Pine andPrincess Pine are some of the mostpopular. Blue Spruce makes abeautiful wreath along with Concolor,Nobel and Frasher and command apremium price, if you can obtain thegreens. Almost all evergreens willhave a good needle retention if theboughs are cut properly and thatmeans two good hard frosts to set theneedles. The one exception is NorwaySpruce and we do not recommendusing Norway until after Dec. 1st andnot at all for indoor use.The large branches of trees can be

cut and tied into bundles or bales aswe call them. Most suppliers havebales that average 50 lbs. each andboughs can be purchased by the pound

or (usually cheaper) by the ton.Further trimming of these longbranches will be necessary to preparethem to put into a wreath. All thetrimming should be done at one timeand then use that amount for wreathmaking. It is not time efficient to goback and forth.Now, who is going to do all this? One

of the nicest things about gettingstarted in the wreath business is thatyou can go slow, at your own pace andfamily is usually all you need to getstarted. Where? Wherever a littlespace is available - the garage, barn,or basement.Practice is how you learn to make a

full, beautiful wreath and you will beamazed how quickly you will learn theknack. Our new people train for justthree hours and by the end of that timeare producing salable wreaths.Quality is very important! Weguarantee every wreath we make andteach our wreath-makers to makeeach wreath as if it were going ontheir own front door.Once you have that beautiful wreath

- add a bow and it is ready to go!However, remember that the bowshould be of the same high quality asyour wreath. There are dozens oftypes of ribbon on the market butmany are not waterproof or onlywater resistant. We only use andrecommend Veltex ribbon which is100% waterproof and will hold itsshape under the harshest conditions.Where do you sell your wreaths?

You may have a ready outlet at yourown home or farm but, if not, manymarkets are available. Werecommend you practice until you aremaking the type of wreath you wishand then take that wreath toprospective buyers in your area suchas farm stands, nurseries, florists,Christmas tree outlets and even thecorner grocery store. Let the potentialbuyer see exactly what your productis like and do not be disappointed ifyou receive some small orders at thebeginning. Remember, you and yourproduct are not a proven moneymaking commodity to them yet.Weekly deliveries insure a freshsupply for your customer, enablesthem to reorder and helps spread outyour wreath making. Several of ourcustomers started with only a fewdozen the first year and are nowselling hundreds.What do I sell my wreath for? Check

the prices in your area and be

competitive. If you are producingquality - your wreaths will be indemand! Do not undersell yourproduct! Labor will be your biggestcost and if it is you or family and freeright now, it should still be added intothe costs. Oh, do I remember makingall the wreaths myself! Now weemploy a large team to produce thethousands of wreaths.Decorations add profits! One way to

start is by collecting your own pinecones. Three clusters of three pinecones and some holly berries is aninexpensive way to start decorating.We wire all the decorations on thewreaths rather than using picks.Remember to keep the decorations atthe same high quality as your wreathand make sure they are waterproof.Imagination is the only limit so don'tbe afraid to be creative.Wreath making can be very

profitable, but must be treated as abusiness, not a hobby. It is a funbusiness, but also requires hard work.It is short season, so you can hang inthere for six weeks. It is a growingbusiness, demand exceedsavailability. It is a fulfilling business!You never lose the wonderful glowingfeeling of pride as you drive down thestreets of your town and see yourwreaths decorating the houses ...bringing families the "Blessing of theChristmas Wreath!"

Woodlots and Wildlife -(Continued From Page 4)

greater numbers of Ruffed Grouse(Bonasa unbellus). If your goal ismore wildlife in general then you neednot increase any single species ofplant. To increase the numbers of allwildlife in a woodlot you need only tocut (harvest) so as to provide manysmall blocks of trees having a mix ofage classes represented in thoseblocks. Disturb the woods by,harvesting and you will diversify yourinvestment and the wildlife habitat,thus providing wildlife to enjoy as yougain revenue from your tree harvest.If you would like to have

information about how to manageyour woodlot so as to increase thepopulations of wildlife it supports,contact the Central New York Chapterof the Ruffed Grouse Society viaRobert Hazelton Jr., Evergreen, RD3, Box 219,Moravia, NY 13118.

FOREST OWNER 11

P. O. Box 123BOONVILLE, N. Y. 13309

I-I

L

Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PA IDBoonville, N. Y.

13309

Permit No. 57

--I·

_I

Economics of Wood Heat -(Continued from Page 6)

Analysis of this economic datashows that red maple has 75.6 percentas much heat value as shagbarkhickory - 18.6million BTUs comparedto 24.6 million BTUs. And the energycost of No.2 fuel oil at 85 cents pergallon for the heat equivalent of astandard cord of red maple would cost61.5 percent more than the wood; inother words, $61.50 more than thestandard cord selling for $100. If thestandard cord were of shagbarkhickory, with its high amount of BTUsrelative to other species, the cost of anequivalent amount of heat from No.2fuel oil would be more than twice asmuch at $213.35, and for natural gasthe cost would be $181.72.Another way of looking at this data

is that one could pay 32.10 percentmore for a standard cord of shagbarkhickory than for red maple ($132.10incontrast to $100) and be paying thesame amount $5.37) per million BTUsof heat. Based on the same procedure,in comparison to red maple, white oakwould be worth 21.10 percent more,

American beech 17.07 percent more,and white ash 7.40percent more.Of course, "woods run" firewood

(mixed as it comes from the woods) inany particular area may consist of avariety of species from timber standimprovement, salvage of low-gradedead and dying trees, or commonlyabundant commercially harvestedspecies.

By David W. Taber, Department ofNatural Resources, New York StateCollege of Agricultural and Life Sci-ences, Cornell.

Ask a Forester -(Continued from Page 7)

therefore, I would recommend cuttingalone if you want to stimulate theremaining one or two best stems. Iwould not cut all the sprouts on everystump - on moderate - to high-quaIitysites where the former trees werevigorous (healthy root systems) -the best stems should continuegrowing to become merchantabletimber, if they are thinned properlywhen young.

Well, I guess this is a third answer,but I hope you are not as confused. Tobe more specific, I would really haveto see your stand.

MAGAZINEDEADLINEMaterials sub-

mitted for the Jan-uary IFebruary issueshould be sent to:The Forest Owner

Box 103Lisle, N.Y. 13797

NO LATER THANDECEMBER 6.

12 FOREST OWNER