87 



been a constant cuttin.u off of the reniaiuinu tinil)erhuul. The following 

 tigures from the statistician's report shows this condition: 



1881 07,574 acres timl)erlaud. 



1882 (i2,9S3 acres timberland. 



1883 G0,31K) acres timberland. 



1884 a0,451 acres timberland. 



1885. 4(i,508 acres timljerland. 



1880 44,183 acres timberland. 



liXlO 7,184 acres timberland. 



Tlio discrepancies in the early returns are due to inaccurate data; the 

 later reports are more reliable. They are sntficient to shoAV the vast 

 decrease in oiir forest ai-ea. In fifteen years 30,324 acres of timber Avas 

 removed at the rate of 2,(;21 acres per year. If this rate were kept np all 

 the remaining- timl)erland would be deforested in 2.7 years, but, of course, 

 the decrease in the amount and value of the timlter would tend to lessen 

 the annual rate of removal. 



The census report for 10(10 states that the numl)er of acres in timber 

 l>ut not in pasture land in Union Townslnp is 2,240. Much of this, how- 

 ever, is in small lots or groves and has had most of its best timber re- 

 moved. This 2,240 acres is but 3.1 per cent, of total area of the township 

 and is divided into IWj tracts or lots, only thirty-seven of which contain 

 twenty acres or more. Of this latter number only eighteen contain as 

 much as forty acres, and only one of 100 acres. 



Ripley Township is rugged and brolcen toward the south and has re- 

 maining a larger proportionate acreage of forest. There are twenty-six 

 tracts of twenty or more acres reported, mailing a total of 1.273 acres, 

 comprising 59 per cent, of the total area. Much of this land is covered 

 with beech, which, however, is not a very profitable timber. The soil, 

 especially toward the southern part, is generally poor clay, and if stocked 

 with young trees would soon l)ring much more than can l)e realized from 

 the same ground at present. 



Brown Township is also much broken along the course of Sugar Creek. 

 Only fifteen tracts of over twenty acres were reported, but most of these 

 areas are large, giving a total of 950 acres or 2.7 per cent. Much of this 

 timber is beech, though white oak is also abundant. The region near 

 the mouth of Indian Creek, known as Pine Hills, is covered with pine and 

 hemlock. JSome of these trees are very large with straight, towering 



