112 A STUDY OF FOREST CONDITIONS 



Hardwood Logs for Export. — The export of hardwood 

 logs is quite extensive in the Mississippi River counties, 

 where old growth yeUow poplar, hickory, ash and white 

 oak are within hauling distance of the railroads. The 

 best of this material goes to New Orleans, and is there 

 shipped to Europe for veneer and other purposes. Most 

 of the merchantable hardwoods now left in this region are 

 in the steeper, more inaccessible places. The usual method 

 is to pull the logs to the tops of the small ridges by means 

 of a portable steam skidder or by block and tackle with 

 teams. Wagons then haul the logs directly to the point 

 of railroad shipment. They are now hauled with profit 

 as far as eight or ten miles. At the station the ends of the 

 logs are painted to prevent checking, and the bark peeled 

 from all species but hickory to prevent mildew or other 

 injury to the sapwood. ■ Yellow poplar, ash, hickory and 

 white oak are the chief species exported, though much of 

 the white oak of export quality has been, and still is, taken 

 out for staves. Usually the soil in which the hardwoods 

 grow is suited to agriculture, but the rough character of 

 the ground makes its use for this purpose difficult. When 

 cleared, this land usually washes away rapidly, so that in 

 spite of the good quality of the soil it will in many cases 

 pay better to keep the areas permanently in forest. This 

 should be profitable, because only the larger timber is 

 taken, and fire may easily be prevented. Owners of this 

 land, in selling timber, should stipulate that no young 

 trees of valuable species should be cut, that all unnecessary 

 injury to young timber shall be prevented, and that fires 

 shall be kept out. 



Besides large logs, other wood materials for various 

 uses are exported. Dogwood and holly for bobbins, turnery 

 and inlaid work are exported where a sufficient number of 

 cords can be collected in one place to fill a car, for which 

 from $6.00 to $8.00 a cord is obtained at the railroad. Per- 

 simmon for reels, bobbins and golf sticks is shipped in 

 small amounts at $5.50 to $6.00 per cord along the Mis- 

 sissippi River, and sassafras for boat construction is fre- 

 quently shipped to Michigan. 



