The Timber Supply of North America. 155 



into the depths of the woody wilderness. Besides, the lumber mer- 

 chants construct roads, put up mills, make canals, and deepen the 

 beds of streams, no doubt for their own benefit actually and im- 

 mediately ; but such works being permanent improvements, are 

 and ultimately of paramount utility to the squatter. 



Among the forest trees indigenous to North America are found : — 

 Tinus strolus, P. resinosa, P. mitis, P. Banksiana, Abies nigra, A. alba, 



A. Canadensis, Picea halsamea, Larix J^mericana, Quercus alba, Q. rubra, 

 QMcolor, Q. ilicifolia, Fraxnus Americana, F. puhesce7is, F. samhucifolia^ 

 Fagus ferruginea, Carinmis Americana, T ilia Americana, Ulmusfulva, 

 U. racemosa, U. Americana, U. alata, Platanus occicUntalis, Acer, 

 ricbrum, A. saccharimmi, Betula excelsa, B. alba,B. 'jjumela, B. ixqiyracea, 



B. lutea, Alnus viridis, A. serridata, A. incana, Popidus iremida, P. 

 balsamifera, P. grandidentata, Salix nigra, S. discolor, S. Candida, S. 

 longifolia, S. livida, &c. &c. not forgetting the mammoth WcUingtonia 

 gigantca found growing in sheltered valleys on the solitary slopes 

 of the Sierra Nevada, California, near the head waters of the Stanislua 

 and San Antonia rivers, and at an elevation of about 5,000 feet 

 above the level of the sea. 



Of the pine tribe — there are the white pine, Pinv.s mitis, and 

 the red pine Pinus resinosa ; but the white pine is called yellow 

 pine, and is by far the most useful and the most valuable of all 

 the trees in the American forests. In the early ages this tree had 

 a very wide location. In the prairies of the Far West, when trees- 

 are found, they are only growing on bluffs contiguous to streams, the 

 huge pine logs found below the surface of the ground, afford strong 

 evidence that the tree reigned supreme at one time over the whole 

 of the Northern States. The only feasible surmise which can now be 

 adduced for its disappearance in those regions is that the red Indian 

 having no occasion to build houses or railroads, being satisfied with 

 " wigwams " of skins, and being entirely ignorant of the commercial 

 value of timber would, to satisfy his own gratification, or to illumi- 

 nate one of their carnival festivals, set fire to, and burn tracks of 

 pine forest as large as Britain, the resinous nature of the timber 

 facilitating; its destruction. 



This pine is called in the vernacular of the country " monarch,"' 

 and being found growing in clumps surrounded with trees of inferior 

 quality, the appellative "aristocracy" and "democracy" majestically 

 and commercially are most appropriately applied. These clusters of 

 pine are usually found growing on the banks of rivers and streams 

 everywhere intersecting the country. 



In finding out and cutting the timber, the operations are carried) 

 out in a thoroughly methodical manner. The great lumber merchants- 

 in the country — the word "lumber" is applied to the trade gene- 



