CHANGES IN FOREST AREA IN NEW ENGLAND 451 



Department of Agriculture, on the substitution of other materials for 

 wood, by Rolf Thelen, published in September, 1917, the per capita 

 consumption of lumber in the United States reached its maximum 

 about 1906, and has since declined from 516 board feet per annum to 

 375 in 19 1 5, which more than balances the increase in population, and 

 thus makes a decrease in total consumption. The per capita consump- 

 tion will doubtless continue to decline from now on, for it is still much 

 higher with us than it is in most European countries. The use of 

 wood-pulp has indeed increased greatly, from an insignificant figure in 

 1880 and 755,000 cords in 1889 to 4,470,763 cords in 1914, according 

 to Thelen ; but that has been many times offset by the falling ofif in 

 firewood consumption, from about 146,000,000 cords in 1880 to 90,- 

 000,000 in 19 10. 



Efficient transportation has operated to preserve the forests of the 

 northeastern states in still another way than those previously men- 

 tioned, but at the expense of other parts of the country. The vast pine 

 forests of the South, and more recently the coniferous forests of the 

 Pacific slope, which are among the densest in the world, have been 

 made more accessible by numerous railroads, so that now lumber and 

 shingles from those regions can be brought into the northeastern mar- 

 kets in successful competition with local material. 



So, taking all things into consideration, the forests of New England 

 and neighboring territory, at least in some parts and until some new 

 factor enters into the situation, may be expected to increase still fur- 

 ther in area and also in density. In northern New Jersey, which is 

 much like some parts of New England, C. C. Vermeule came to the 

 conclusion, in 1899," that forest conditions had improved since the mid- 

 dle of the nineteenth century, and although he did not specially consider 

 the westward migration of farmers, that has doubtless been one of the 

 chief factors there, too. 



More information on all these points can be found in the papers al- 

 ready cited, in the files of the various American forestry magazines, 

 both technical and ])opular, and in the following works (which are ar- 

 ranged chronologically ) : 



J. C. G. Kennedy: .'\Kriculturc of the United States in i860 (EiRlitli Census) 

 Washington, 1864. (See particularly pages xxxii-xxxiii and cxxxv-clix. on 

 the grain trade.) 



F. R. Hough : Report upon forestry [\'ol. 1, for 1877]. 650 pp. Washington, 1878. 



Ann. Rep. State (^leologist X. I.. i8i)<) (I'orests), pp. 18-J3. i(j<^)0. 



