262 Forestry Quarterly. 



In production of lumber, Mississippi ranks third, being sur- 

 passed by Washington and Louisiana. The total stand of timber 

 in the state has been estimated by the Commissioner of the Bureau 

 of Corporations to be more than 95 billion board feet. At the 

 present rate of cutting this will last about thirty years. The total 

 area under forest is about 32,000 square miles, or 70 per cent, of 

 the whole state. 



Upwards of ninety commercial woods grow in the forests of 

 Mississippi, though only about half that number are now used to 

 any considerable extent, while the principal production is limited 

 to comparatively few species. Of the coniferous woods, Longleaf, 

 Shortleaf, Loblolly, and Cuban Pine, and Cypress in the order 

 named are the important species. In fact, Longleaf and Shortleaf 

 Pine furnish over 85 per cent, of the material for the state's wood- 

 using industries. The principal species of broadleaf woods are: 

 Cottonwood, Red Gum, Hickory, White Oak, Yellow Poplar, Red 

 Oak, White Ash, Tupelo, Water Oak, Evergreen Magnolia, Pin 

 Oak, Sycamore, Black Gum, Post Oak, Yellow Oak and Black 

 W^alnut, in the order named. The last eight species, however, 

 contribute less than a quarter-million feet to the wood-using in- 

 dustries of the state. 



For the most part the Shortleaf Pine is in the north, the Long- 

 leaf and Cuban Pine in the south, and Loblolly in nearly all parts 

 of the state, except in the swamps, and the minor species of pines 

 in a few restricted localities. The broadleaf species are scattered 

 in nearly all regions. Red Gum and Cypress are most abundant 

 in the delta region. In the southern part, particularly in the 

 vicinity of the Gulf coast much of the pine has been cut. From 

 that region, however, considerable amounts of cordwood and 

 charcoal are shipped to New Orleans. 



Alanufacturers in Mississippi consume yearly about 618 million 

 feet of wood, which is less than 30 per cent, of the total cut. 

 Twenty-five different species are reported as being used, having 

 an average value of $12.22. Less than one per cent, of the wood 

 is brought in from other states while no foreign woods whatever 

 are reported. 



Outside of planing mill products, the manufacture of boxes and 

 crates is the largest industry. The principal wood used for this 

 purpose is cottonwood which supplies about 16 million feet or 



