‘= REPORT ON THE TIMBERS 
be succeeded by one differing from itself, but not necessarily 
black oak; or is black oak taking the place of all timbers 
alike? In other words, will the future forests of Kentucky 
consist of about the same timbers as the present forests, ex- 
cept that each timber will appear in the place of some other, 
and in a different locality, or will some one timber supplant 
all alike, and be the leading forest tree of Kentucky in the 
future? 2. In case it should be found that no regular rotation 
of forests is taking place, but that some one timber is sup- 
planting all others, in what way can the present distribution of 
timbers be best secured ? 
In reference to the first question, I noticed that in all those 
localities along the Tradewater, if the immediate borders of 
the streams be excepted, where the white oak forests are now 
finest, but where the present timbers are fast disappearing on 
account of the drain constantly made upon them, that the 
undergrowth has about the same per centage of black oak 
that the present forest has of white oak—on an average about 
40 per cent. Very little white oak, indeed, will appear in the 
future forest, even in regions where now it most appears. I then 
noticed carefully localities where the present predominant timber 
is black oak, red oak, post oak, or hickory, and in each case I 
found that the undergrowth contained from 25 to 40 per cent. 
of black oak, while no white oak at all appeared. It seems to 
be an inevitable conclusion, therefore, that the present valu- 
able timbers of Kentucky are disappearing, and that the 
comparatively worthless black oak is to be the universally pre- 
dominant tree of the future. This is not true of the hickory, 
of which there will be as large per centage in the future as 
there is in the present forests; while of white elm and white 
ash, on account of the comparatively small proportion of these 
timbers, except in somewhat low lands, I found it impossible 
to obtain data enough to warrant a conclusion. My opinion 
is, that they, too, will almost disappear when those in the 
present forest are removed or die down. Of the swamp tim- 
bers proper, such as sweet gum, sycamore, red elm, maple, 
etc., | see no reason to expect a change; but of the white oak 
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