92 Journal of the Mitchell Society ^January 



A few isolated patches are found also in the other northern 

 townships. 



The stumpage value of timber varies according to the dis- 

 tance from the railroad. Pine is worth from $2 to $2.50 per 

 'thousand, while cedar brings about $5. Oak stumpage varies 

 from $2 to $3.50 per thousand. Some sales of mixed pine and 

 hardwood have been made at as low a price as $1 per thousand 

 for both pine and oak. 



Lumbering on a large scale has ceased in Orange County. 

 Though the total cut last year exceeded eight and three-quarter 

 million feet, not more than one-half dozen, mills exceeded a cut 

 of 500,000, and no mill cu't as much as a million feet. Fifty- 

 four sawmills, of which thirty are small stationary mills cutting 

 chiefly for local customers, operated last year. These cut ap- 

 proximately 4,000,000 feet of oak over one-half of which went 

 into ties, 3,300,000 feet of old field pine, 1,000,000 feet of 

 cedar, and 350,000 feet of " forest " pine. This makes an 

 average annual cut of about 160,000 feet per mill. 



For the past two years, and especially since the fall of 1912, 

 when the failure of the crops made it necessary for the farmers 

 to earn some extra money, the production of cross-ties has been 

 an important industry. During 1913 it is estimated that at 

 least 200,000 ties were cut and marketed, probably 75 per cent 

 of them being hewn. This means a cut of about three ties 

 per acre from all the hardwood land in the county and a money 

 yield to the farmers exceeding their receipts for the cotton crop. 

 'Cross-ties delivered at the railroad have been selling at from 

 50 to 55 cents each for first class ties and 35 to 40 cents for 

 second class ties. 



It costs 10 cents per tie to have them sawn by a local mill, or 

 12^ cents each to get them hewed, while 2 cents per tie per 

 mile will cover the cost of hauling. Stumpage prices range from 

 73^ cents to 10 cents per tie. It can be seen then that where the 

 roads are good and the distances not too great, owners of tie 

 timber can market it profitably at present prices. And they are 

 certainly doing it. 



Though landowners oppose burning the woods, yet through 

 carelessnes or indifference a good many fires of greater or less 



