42 TIMBER PINES OF TUF. SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



The extinction of Longleaf Pine in tlie forests of north Ahihaina, as far as economic value is 

 concerDed, appears to be certain. The dense uudergrowtli of deciduous trees sui)presses completely 

 the second growtli of the Lougleaf Piue in the closed forest as well as iu tlie openings. On the 

 inoniitain slopes a young pine is rarely seen, no tree being left to serve for the future dissemination 

 of the spei-ics, and the few seedlings sporadically springing up are iuvariably destroyed by the 

 firing of the herbage one year after another. 



The output of t!i(^ mills at Gadsden and the mills iu Talladega County along the Birmingham 

 and Atlantic Railroad combined appears scarcely to exceed .5(),0(IO,(I()0 feet, board measure, on the 

 average per year. A line forest of Longleaf Piue is fouud iu Walker Gouuty, strictly confined 

 within an isolated i)atch of silicious pebbles and sands, said to cover about (l(),()(i(t acres. Distant 

 about 10 miles from the nearest railroad this forest has been but slightly invaded, and that to serve 

 a small local demand. 



Summaii/ slntitnint af xliipmtiils i>f hiiiiher mid sr/iidiy; timhcr from chief ccnier.i of jirodnrlioii in Ahibamii ihirinij Ike ijcar 



ISOJ. 



I'-oot.B.M. 



Mobilo exports to foreifiii porta, coastwise, and shipments l)y rail ' 11.% SOI), 000 



Estiiiiati'd cut in Alabama ami sawn in western Florida 8.5, 000. 000 



Transported by rail, mostly to northern markets- '.).'), 200, 000 



Central pine belt ' 51,000,000 



Coosa basin < 50, 000, 000 



Total 425, 000, 000 



MississijJpi. — ^^'hat has been said of the forests of the maritime piue belt iu Alabama applies in 

 general to the same region in Mississippi. The coastal plain above the extensive grassy marshes 

 lining the seashore and the wide estuaries of the streams covers a larger area, being from 10 to 20 

 miles in width and embracing, at a rough estimate, about 728,000 acres of the 10, 410 square miles 

 within the limits of the pine belt. The broad, scarcely perceptible swells, with a soil of sandy 

 loam and loamy sand, were originally well timbered, tlie widely spreading depressions with soil of 

 flue, compacted sand, poorly draiued, bearing a spar.se and inferior timber growth. The timber 

 produced on these Hat woods, or '"ijine meadows," as they are aj)!!}- called in the adjoining section 

 of Alabama, being of slow growth, is hard ami of tine grain, frequently with the tibers of the younger 

 wood contorted and of varied tints of color. This so-called curled pine is susceptible of high finish 

 and is much appreciated for fine cabinet work. There is comparatively little valuable timber Icit 

 in this coastal plain. The remainder servi^s largely for the makiug of charcoal and cord wood for 

 the New Orleans market. 



The rolling pine lands, rising sudileidy above the plain, almost exclusively covered by the Long- 

 leaf Pine, cover (roughly estimated) about 7,712,000 acres. The western limits of these forests are 

 difficult to define, numerous outlying tracts being found to extend into or even beyond the region 

 of the loamy hills. The region of mixed growth, characterizing tiic upper division of the maiitime 

 pine belt iu Alabama, enters the State in the shape of a triangle, with the i)ase along the Alabama 

 State line from J'.ucatunna to Lauderdale and its apex near Brandon, iu Bankiu County. The 

 generous soil of the arable laiuls in this region is mostly under cultivation. The forests of Longleaf 

 Pine covering the steej) hills, rather remote from the high roads of commerce, have been as yet but 

 little exploited. About 12,000,000 feet, board measure, of lumber are shipped annually by the 

 way of the Mobile and Oiiio liailroad, mostly to Mobile, from this region of mixed growth. 



From the information that could be obtained, it appears that the cut of Longleaf Pine timber 

 in this State on the average for the jiast three years reached between 122,000,000 and t2.'i,000.000 

 feet. The chief center of the lumbering industry is located above the Pascagoula liiver, at Scran 

 ton and Mossi)oint, where it has made great progress during the past thirteen or fourteen years. 

 In 1880, G0,000,()0() feet, board measure, were shipjxMl to fort'ign and domestic ports, which in the 



'Annual stati'nient of comnuree of Moliili'. Mobile Uegistei', September 1. 1S!I2. Compileil from returns inaile 

 to the Mobile Hoard of Trade. 



■-Production of mills south of Montgomery, etc. 



■'Production of mills on Louisville and Nashville i;ailroa<l, north of Muntnomery to t'alera, by Colonel Wads- 

 worth. 



■■ Production of mills ou .Southern Kaihvay, north of .Solma to .stautou, by M. Uausou. 



