Cape May County Explorations

Teegate

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The Cypress in Wharton was report to have been planted by one of the Richards. Can't remember where I read that though.

The knees.

IMG_3151a.jpg
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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millville nj
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I have been told the one on Sluice Creek is native. I guess it is up for debate.
Now I never heard that.I assumed it was planted or you'd think there would be more of them.It is in a wild location but how would it get there with no cypress within many miles? I don't know if the nuts are eaten by birds? I doubt those nuts could survive a salt water journey up from Delmarva.
 

manumuskin

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Jul 20, 2003
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millville nj
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There are half a dozen cypress in Greenwich Cumberland County.One is in a private yard visible from rd and several other quite large cypress are on the historical Society property next to the old swedish cabin
 

c1nj

Explorer
Nov 19, 2008
289
187
FWIW.... Found this on Wikipedia.

Habitat and distribution

"The native range extends from southeastern New Jersey south to Florida and west to Central Texas and southeastern Oklahoma, and also inland up the Mississippi River. Ancient bald cypress forests, with some trees more than 1,700 years old, once dominated swamps in the Southeast. The original range had been thought to only reach as far north as Delaware, but researchers have now found a natural forest on the Cape May Peninsula in southern New Jersey. The species can also be found growing outside its natural native range, in New York and Pennsylvania."
 
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Teegate

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but researchers have now found a natural forest on the Cape May Peninsula in southern New Jersey.
Most likely someone like Bob or a private citizen who told where it was and doesn't get any credit.
 
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bobpbx

Piney
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Oct 25, 2002
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Pines; Bamber area
When I did the Lakehurst survey, I found about a dozen growing along a linear-shaped pond. Most were about 7 feet or so, but one was larger. I showed David, he thinks they were likely planted for some reason. I agree, because they were kind of lined up close to the shore.
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
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millville nj
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FWIW.... Found this on Wikipedia.

Habitat and distribution

"The native range extends from southeastern New Jersey south to Florida and west to Central Texas and southeastern Oklahoma, and also inland up the Mississippi River. Ancient bald cypress forests, with some trees more than 1,700 years old, once dominated swamps in the Southeast. The original range had been thought to only reach as far north as Delaware, but researchers have now found a natural forest on the Cape May Peninsula in southern New Jersey. The species can also be found growing outside its natural native range, in New York and Pennsylvania."
I have never heard that.I had always read southern Delaware was their northern limit.I"d like to know where this native forest is in cape may County.This is the first I"ve heard of it.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
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Pines; Bamber area
By the way, I contacted Dave Snyder (author) about his find of 50 or so Bald Cypress in Wharton. This is from the article in the Annual Report:

"On 14 November 2018, while taking a short cut through Wharton State Forest, I whizzed through an Atlantic white cedar swamp and caught a flash of what struck me as the autumn orange-yellow color of bald cypress foliage. I had driven past this stretch of cedar swamp countless times before but never in this late season. Bald cypress? Probably not. I’ve run through similar scenarios many times before— you think you’ve found something good but upon inspection you find out that you were mistaken. Nonetheless, I turned around and headed back to where I saw the flash of color, parked the car, and entered the swamp. I was amazed by what I found. Everywhere I searched there were bald cypress trees. In places they were co-dominant with the cedars. In a quick and far from thorough search, I counted 70 trees along a distance of 0.15 miles."

I asked him about that. He said:

"After researching J. Wharton last winter I'm thinking the bald cypress might have originated with him. He was planting stuff all over his lands and the cypress was a valuable lumber tree. Apparently the state forest office has his ledgers and if someone wants to spent a few weeks reading them, there might be a mention in there if it was something his forester introduced. Bottom line is cypress in NJ may be native or not."
 
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Teegate

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I have Budd Wilson's dad's complete review of the items in the Wharton Ledgers. Budd's dad and wife took the ledgers to their home near Batsto and spent quite a bit of time cataloging what was in it. I have to look for them in my large plastic container with all my stuff.
 

Teegate

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BTW, I am not certain the state forest office has them. I saw them in Trenton unless there are others. I could be wrong.
 

Teegate

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I have Budd Wilson's dad's complete review of the items in the Wharton Ledgers. Budd's dad and wife took the ledgers to their home near Batsto and spent quite a bit of time cataloging what was in it. I have to look for them in my large plastic container with all my stuff.
Here they are. The ledgers start at 9 and I have a synopsis of all of them. At least what Budd's dad felt was important.

IMG_9685.jpg


IMG_9686.jpg
 

Teegate

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Mine are just a synopsis. The actual Ledgers are much more involved. They are large books. I looked at them and there really was not much that interested me in stone searching.
 

Wick

Explorer
Mar 6, 2016
445
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Forked River
#36 in the ledger
Hog Island is on the Mullica, Down Hay Rd near Clarks Landing. Was this part of the Wharton Estate?
 

Teegate

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One thing we have to remember is that Joseph Wharton sold quite a bit of his property to others as well. So he may have had property down there at one time. But that area is not part of Wharton now.
 
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