OF SOUTHWESTERN MISSISSIPPI. 113 



Stave Production. — Stave production has been a large 

 though scattered, industry for many years. Large quan- 

 tities of split pipe staves, 5 feet long and over, have been 

 taken out in the past, but the supply of timber suitable 

 for this material is now practically exhausted. At present 

 only the short staves are made, the longest being about 

 36 inches, and the production of these is constantly di- 

 minishing. 



White oak is used principally for staves, but red oak 

 is cut out to some extent, especially into oil staves. Willow 

 and Cottonwood are occasionally used, although the\" are 

 too valuable for lumber to warrant their extensive use for 

 this purpose at the present prices. Oak trees fit for staves 

 are very scattered, there being rarely more than one or 

 two per acre, even in good hardwood stands. Much of 

 the timber is defective, and among the trees that are cut 

 only a small part can be actually used, because of knots 

 and blemishes. Most of the staves are produced in Wil- 

 kinson and Claiborne Counties; the former furnishes beer 

 staves mainly, which go to New Orleans ; the latter whiskey, 

 oil and tur]3entine staves, which go to Louisville and other 

 Northern and Eastern markets. 



Stave mills are portable or semi-portable. In some 

 cases they are set up in the center of a good supply, where 

 they depend largely on farmers to bring them timber in 

 the form of bolts. In other cases, a tract is bought and 

 exploited by the millmen themselves. Stumpage prices 

 vary from $2.00 per cord upward, according to the size 

 and quality of the timber. These prices are equivalent 

 in board measure to from $2.00 to $2.50 per M. For the 

 quality of the timber demanded, this price seems low, 

 although it is doubtful whether the owners at the present 

 time would realize any more for their timber if the logs 

 were sold for export. As timber suitable for staves is 

 nearly always mature or overmature, its removal should 

 benefit the forest, and this will certainly be the case where 

 the young growth of the valuable species is protected and 

 encouraged. The mature trees of the other species should 

 be disposed of as soon as there is a market for them, other- 



