236 THE FORESTS OF PRIXCE GEOEGe's COUNTY 



on land that iiiigiit otlierAvise be unproductive. The tree does not 

 ordinarily attain the size of saw timber, but it has a wide use for 

 cordwood, and mueli of it now goes into wood pulp. 



Tlic Bed Gum. — This species is found in the swampy locations, 

 particularly along the Patuxent River, -where it often occurs in pure 

 stands. Until recent years red gum had little value, but now it is 

 used largely for veneer in the manufacture of berry and peach 

 baskets, and is also used for wood pulp. For veneer trees over ten 

 inches in diameter are required, while for pulpwood, smaller mate- 

 rial is merchantable. 



The, Hiclxonj. — Hickory is abundant in the upland forests, but 

 it has a limited commercial use. The best butt cuts are used for 

 wheelwright stock, but there is not much shipped out of the county. 

 It is a slow growing tree and under prevailing forest conditions is 

 not likely to increase in importance in the future stands of timber. 



The Bed Cedar. — The red cedar seldom attains normal develop- 

 ment in the forest in competition with other trees because of its slow 

 growth and intolerance of shade. It is, however, an important tree 

 in old fields, and along fence rows, where it finds ideal conditions of 

 growth. The wood of the red cedar exceeds all other native woods 

 of the county in durability and is hence extensively used for fence 

 posts. Its greatest competitors for such use are locust and chestnut, 

 which are much more rapid growers, but owing to their liability to 

 insect attacks and fungus diseases from wdiieh the cedar is apparently 

 immune, it easily maintains its supremacy. 



The Presext Use of the Forests. 



lumber. 



The lumber production of the county for 1907 was about 4,000,000 

 feet, board measure. About 75 per cent, of the output was used 

 locally, j^early all of the original stands have been lumbered, and 

 what is left is being cut by small mills, of which there are about 

 fifteen now in operation. The present annual cut is about equal to 

 the yearly growth of the forest, and can be maintained for an indef- 



