92 



TIMBER PINKS OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



]u Missouri tlie rugged hills and tablelands of the southern sloj.e of the Ozark :\I(mntains, 

 rising to an elevation of ironi 800 to 1,000 feet, are covered with forests of Short leaf Pine, which, 

 lou-hly estimated, extend over little more than .3.000.000 acres. In the counties bordering ou the 

 \riraiisas State line (Terry. Ozark, and Douglas counties) the pine is said to yield on the average 

 not over l.',000 feet of timber to the acre. The forests in the basin of the Current and Black rivers 

 are heavily timbered, as observed at Grandiu. The density of the timber growth varies, however, 

 on these broken lands with the soil conditions, a fact demonstrated by actual measurements on 

 several plats, upon which the amount j.er acre varied fr.un .3,000 to l.-.,000 feet of timber. After 

 years of experience, the average yield of the timber lands ..f the Grandm Lumber and Mining 

 Company is estimated at G.OOO feet of merchantable timber to the acre, iucludnig trees ot K) inches 



in diameter. , ,. . , 



The trees felled to serve as material for the United States timber tests, and lairly representing 



the average timber growth, showed the following record : 



Measurements of fire trees. 



oSapwooil on radius of stump averaging 2J inches. 



The timber IVom these most northern of the forests of Shortleaf Pine is remarkably free from 

 resin, of a fine, .•los.- grain, almost white, and claimed to be lighter and softer than the timber grown 

 father south, and like the timber occasionally Ibund on the dry, rocky hills in Hot Spring County, 

 Ark resembling the wood of the White Pine. In these forests the flue tall pines tower high above 

 the .stunted Scarlet, Black, and White Oaks and hickories, but the growth of these hard woods 

 almost completely overi)()wers the second growth of pine. 



In close connection with the great markets of the North, and nearest to the timberless region 

 of the Northwest, th<i manufacture of lumber in this region is fully developed. According to 

 information received at Grandiu, the output of the mills located along the Current River Valley 

 Railroad, the Inm Mountain Railway, the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis b'ailroad. and the 

 Cane Girardeau and Southwestern road amounted for the year ISOl-t*!' to fully .3(10,000,000 teet, 

 boartl measure. At such rates the depletion of the timber wealth of this forest is to be expected 

 before another generation has passed away. 



Under the existing method of exploitation, which inxolves the almost total destruction of the 

 smaller timber growth, nothing remains to be depended upon for the future. Considering the 

 difficulties in the way of their natural renewal, tliere is no hope left for their n-storation on these 

 knolls. The dense undergrowth and brush of de<'iduous trees and shrubs whi.'li completely .shade 

 the soil, the rocky surface being hidden by an abundant and iutlammable leaf covering, deprives 

 the pine of every possibility of reproduction by natural seeding, even if the seedlings could escape 



destruction by lire. , , „. • , • ^ ■ *i 



According to the census of 1880,' extensive bodies of Shortleaf Pme timber exist in the 

 eastern part of the Indian Territory. It occurs mixed among the hard woods ou the higher ridges 

 of the timber belt in the Choctaw Nation, 00 miles in lengih, and considerable bodies of Shortleaf 

 Pine timber in belts of from 10 to 30 miles in length and L' to 4 miles wide are found on the tributaries 

 of Grand River in the Cherokee Nation, and in a large body of timber extending for 25 miles west 

 of Ream this tree appears to reach its western limit. 



The great importance of the forests of Shortleaf Pine to the industrial and .-ommercial interests 

 of the country west of the Mississippi River, and to the development of the adjacent tindierless 

 Slates and T.-rritories. is forcibly exhibited by the enormous production of lumber tor the past ten 

 years During the year 1801-92 at a low estimate not less than 1,270,000,000 feet, board measure, 



' lleport ui TculU Ccurtua, vol. 'J, 18b-l. 



