TIMBKR KEGIONS SUl'PI.V AND PKODUGTION. 



37 



at ;i little, oviT -t(),00() s(iu;ue miles. It presents no materiiil difterences from the Atlantic, re-jioii, 

 i)f wbicli it is a direct continuation, bein;;- similar to it in both soil and climate. 



This eastern Gulf region is unsiiri)asse(l in the advantages it ofters for the development of 

 the industries based on the products of the pine forests. Its fieiiial climate tlironj;li(mt the year 

 l)ermits the uninterrupted exploitation of its abundant re.sources of resinous ])roduct,s and of timber 

 of the best quality. The fine harbors and saffe road.steads on the Gulf Coast are reached by navi- 

 gable rivers, wliicli, with their tributaries, cross the lower division in every direction, and give 

 r,-ady and cheap tran.sportatioii to its ports, while great railway lines atl'ord ea.sy communication 

 with inland markets. This region thus presents inducements scarcely found elsewhere for the 

 investment of capital and lalior in the develojunent of the resources of its forests. 



It is impossible to arrive at anything like an accurate estimate of the amount of timber 

 standing at itresent, or of the rate of its consumption, sinct^ in the returns of the annual lumber 

 [iroduct that needed for home consumption has not been included. 



WcNfcni Florida. — Placing the eastern limit of that part of Florida to be considered as 

 belonging to the Gulf pine region at the lower course of the Suwanee River, the area included 

 comprises about 7,200 sijuare miles, exclusive of the swamjis and marshes of the coaf.t. The 

 forests of Longleaf Pine form a narrow strip along the course of the Suwanee Kiver and along 

 the coast to the Apjialachicola Kiver, covering about 1,280,0(10 acres. At their northern limit 

 they merge into the oak and hickory uplands of middle Florida. Along the coast they are sur- 

 rounded by marshes and swamps, rendering them difticult of access, consequently they have 

 remained untouched. The same may be said of tiie pine forests between the Appalacliicola and 

 the Choctawhatchee rivers. These have been in\aded to some extent along the banks of the 

 latter river to supply the small mills situated on the bay of the same name. 



Th(> pine lands of western Florida rise slowly above the coastal plain and form avast expanse 

 of slightly undulating surface. Those surrounding Perdido, Pensacola, lUackwater, and Mary 

 St. Galves Bay, the oldest sites of active lumber industry in the Gu-lf region, were stripped of 

 their valuable timber more than thirty years ago, and since that time have been cut over again. 



The largest tracts of finely timbered virgin forests of Longleaf Pine are found in the undulating 

 uplands from the Perdido and Escambia rivers along the Alabama State line to the banks of the 

 Choctawhatchee Eiver. East of this river, in the same direction, where the younger Tertiarj- 

 strata make their appearance, Longleaf Pine becomes associated with hard woods, with southi-rn 

 Spruce Pine added in the valleys. Since the opening of the Pensacola and Atlantic liailroad 

 considerable (luantities of sawn square timber find their way to Pensacola from these remoter 

 forests. 



A large portion of the timber supplied to the mills along the coast having been derived from 

 Alabama, it is impossible to arrive at an exact estimate of the products of the forest of western 

 Florida. 



Stalement of exjwrl of hewn Kiiiiarc limher, suirn square timher, and himlier to foreiipi and domexllr ports from Penaarola 



Flu., from 1S79-SO to 1S93-0S. ' ' ' 



[From Hyer \. liro.'s aunual circulars.] 



In the shipment of these products in 18S.5, valued at $2,305,500, there were 471 vessels engaged, 

 of 294,595 tons, of which 370 of 95,922 tons cleared for foreign ports. 



