OF SOUTHWESTERN MISSISSIPPI. 107 



TIMBER INDUSTRIES. 



Lumbering. — The lumbering of yellow pine is the most 

 extensive forest industry in the State. As carried on by 

 large concerns, it involves tremendous outlays for mills, 

 machinery, railroad lines, locomotives and other miscel- 

 laneous equipment, besides an army of men. In 1906 the 

 production of yellow pine lumber in Mississippi was 1,- 

 509,554,000 feet, the total value of which was $24,387,901. 

 Unfortunately this enormous industry is rapidly consum- 

 ing its capital, the standing timber, without taking any 

 steps to insure the production of a second crop. With 

 the decline of the industr}- the southern part of Mississippi 

 will gradually lose the most important of its present sources 

 of wealth. Agriculture will develop as the country becomes 

 more settled, but much of the land which will eventually 

 be used for farming and which is now yielding nothing, 

 can profitably be kept in forest growth for many years to 

 come. Simple, conservative methods of forest manage- 

 ment, such as leaving of seed trees and protection from 

 fire, would undoubtedly pay the owners of yellow pine 

 lands. The large operations are confined almost entirely 

 to the pure longleaf type. Large mills are located only 

 on important lines of railroad, from which the logging 

 railroads or tram lines are constructed into timber. These 

 often extend 25 miles or more from the mills. 



Choppers are paid by the log or by the thousand feet. 

 The logs are hauled to the spurs by steam skidders, or, if 

 in inaccessible places, by team. They are left anywhere 

 within 150 feet of the railroad, where the steam loaders 

 pick them up. One steam skidder and one loader will 

 usually handle about forty cars of logs a day. The cost 

 to put logs at the mill varies from' $2 to $4 per 1,000 B. F., 

 exclusive of stumpage, divided about as foUows: 



Cutting $ 50 $ 80 



Hauling 60 1 30 



Loading... 20 40 



Railroad haul 70 1 50 



$2 00 $4 00 



