^8 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



un wooded farm land in the Eastern States, according to the census of 

 1910, is 40,429,951 acres, or about 8 per cent of the farm land. Table 

 5 shows the acreage of improved land and unimproved land, its pro- 

 portion to the total area of farm land and the proportional increase 

 or decrease since 1880. 



■ The average size of farm woodlots varies from 5 acres in the older 

 farming sections to 150 or 180 acres in the newer ones, such as northern 

 Minnesota. For the Eastern States, as a whole, the thirteenth census 

 shows the average size to be a little less than 30 acres. Table 6 shows 

 the average woodlot acreage per farm in different States and divisions 

 for 1880 and 1910, and Table 7 the average proportion of farm land 

 wooded for the same years. 



The value of woodlot products cut each year in the Eastern States 

 has increased rapidly. Between 1880 and 1910 the increase was over 

 90 per cent, due partly to the rapid rate of clearing and partly to the 

 increase in the intrinsic value of the products. The rate of increase 

 naturally varies with the region. Table 8 shows that the total value 

 of woodlot products in 1909 for the Eastern States amounted to $169,- 

 948,468. It also shows the value for each region, with the percentage 

 of increase since 1899 ^"^ 1879. 



The total stand of timber in farm woodlots is estimated at 174,000,- 

 000,000 board feet of log timber and 1,100,000,000 cords of other 

 wood, or nearly one-sixth of all standing timber in the Eastern States. 

 The author states that it is not true that the producing value of wood- 

 lots is restricted to the rough product, such as rough lumber for build- 

 ing, cordwood for fuel, posts, ties, poles, etc. Many woodlots con- 

 tain timber every bit as good as that in larger tracts and fully as capable 

 of yielding high-grade lumber if properly sawed and seasoned. There 

 is hardly a use to which wood is put that cannot be contributed to 

 liberally from the woodlot supply. 



As agricultural development proceeds, the decrease in the aggregate 

 area of farm woodlots is bound to continue, but a reduction in the rate 

 of decrease can be expected as the farmers come to realize more fully 

 the advantage of owning thrifty woodlands. Eventually a relatively 

 stable condition of woodlot area will probably be reached, which may 

 vary locally, according to local demand and supply, but for the country 

 as a whole will tend to remain fairly constant. With proper treatment 

 it is not unlikely that the woodlots now existing could be made to yield 

 perpetually an average of half a standard cord of wood per acre per 

 yeis.r: At that rate an aggregate annual yield of 71,500,000 cords could 



