TIMBER REGIONS — SUPPLY AND PRODUCTION. 



39 



Upon a third plat exceptionally lieavily timbered, 45 trees were counted, of whicli ."> trees 

 were 2o inches in diameter at breast lii<;li, the clear timber averaging 50 feet in length; 12 trees 

 22 inches in diameter at breast high, length of timber 50 feet, and 28 trees 16 to 18 inches in 

 diameter, average length of timber estimated at 30 feet. Such a stand would indicate a yield of 

 merchantable timber of at least 15,000 feet, board measure, to the acre. All over this lower 

 division boggy tracts are frequently met with, in which the sour, black soil is covered with 

 spliiignum, or bog moss; these support only a few scattered pines. On many of the steeper ridges 

 the soil is pure sand and the pine growth is small and inferior, being largely replaced by Barron 

 Oak, Sparkleberry, and the evergreen heather like shrub Ceratiola ericoides. 



Ill this lower division of the maritime pine belt the manufacture ot' lmnl)er and rhe i)rodnc- 

 tion of naval stores is carried on most actively. These products find tlieir outlet cliietiy at Mobile, 

 while more than one-third of the lumber exported from I'ensacola (to the amount of at least 100,- 

 000,000 feet annually for the past few years) is also derived from this division. In the upper half 

 of the maritime i^iiie belt, with the ai)pearaiice of the outcrops of limestones and limy marls of tlie 

 Lower Tertiary (Eocene) formation, the country becomes more broken, with steeper hills and wider 

 valleys, and a change in the character of the flora takes place, particularly manifest in the nature 

 and distribution of the tree growth. In the fertile valleys and on the lower flanks of the hills 

 broad-leaved trees, mostly Post Oak, Black Oak, Mockernut, Bitternnt, Pignut, and Magnolia 

 prevail, interspersed with Shortleaf Pine, Loblolly Pine, and Red Cedar — the Longleaf Pine 

 occupying sporadic patches of drifted sands and pebbles. On the steep and frequently wide 

 ridges capped by these deposits, and on the rugged hills of the buhrstone and flinty cherts tliis 

 tree forms the principal growth, and is in the openings more or less associated with broad-leaved 

 trees. From this commingling of cone-bearing and deciduous trees and the alternations of pine 

 forest and oak woods, this ui)pcr division has been designated as the region of mixed growth, 

 which at a rough estimate can be said to cover about 5,000 square miles. 



In the deep soil of light loam and strong loamy sands the Longleaf Pine attains a splendid 

 growth and the number of large trees on a given area is greater than found in the lower division. 

 The following measurements of 5 trees felled for test logs fairly represent the average dimensions 

 of the timber from these hills in the vicinity of Thomasville, Clarke County : 



Measurements of five trees. 



Many of the trees of larger size were found affected by wind-shake in the direction of the 

 rings of growth (ring-shake), in many instances impairing greatly the tpiality of the timber. The 

 forests on these hills are open, with a comparatively small number of young trees. Upon 1 acre 

 selected at random 40 trees were counted; of this number were found 4 trees of a diameter of 25 

 inches breast hi,gh, and the length of timber about 40 feet; 10 trees of a diameter of 22 inches 

 breast high, and the length of timber about 3(! feet; 2G trees of a diameter of 18 inches breast 

 high, and the length of timber about 30 feet; 6 trees of a diameter of 15 inches breast high, and 

 the length of timber about 25 feet. 



On the average each one of these trees would yield about 400 to 450 feet, board measure. On 

 another acre 44 trees were found differing in their average dimension bat slightly from the above, 

 and indicating a yield between 18,000 and 19,000 feet of lumber to the acre. In this up])er part of 

 the coast pine belt lumbering and turpentine orcharding have not developed to any great extent, 

 owing to its inaccessibility. LLowever, where railroads traverse the section, the manufacture of- 



