12 LOGGING 



The average stands range from 5000 to 8000 feet per acre, 

 the better ones containing from 15,000 to 20,000 feet while an 

 occasional acre in Louisiana reaches a maximum of 100,000 

 feet. 



It has been stated that at least one-third of the standing 

 express is affected with a fungous disease, which causes holes 

 in the wood from one-quarter inch to an inch wide and often 

 several inches long. Timber so affected is called "pecky" or 

 "peggy " cypress. The disease is caused by a species of Daedalia 

 which also affects the incense cedar of the Pacific Coast. Decay 

 stops as soon as the tree is cut and manufactured into lumber. 

 C>press timber on knolls just above the level of the water is 

 usually unsound and the trees are fewer in number than on the 

 wet lands. Sound timber occurs in patches in the forest with- 

 out apparent regularity. It is difficult to distinguish pecky trees 

 before they are cut. The trees in the Atchafalaya River basin 

 are of larger size and less defective than those in the Mississippi 

 bottoms. 



Cypress is a highly durable wood and is especially esteemed 

 for greenhouse construction, certain forms of cooperage, silos, 

 tanks, shingles, interior and exterior finish for buildings, and all 

 purposes where resistance to decay is important. 



The lumber cut in 1910 was approximately 935,659,000 feet. 



It is a swamp species wherever it occurs in commercial quan- 

 tities and its exploitation presents numerous problems not found 

 in dr>'-land logging; therefore, cypress logging for many years 

 was difficult, and in some locahties was regarded as impossible; 

 consequently the stumpage was not valuable. It is said that 

 timber could be bought as late as 1876 for 25 cents per thousand 

 feet. A sale of a tract averaging 10,000 feet per acre was made 

 in 1880 at 75 cents per acre. In 1890, stumpage could be pur- 

 chased for 40 cents per thousand feet and a sale was made in 

 1894 for $5.25 per acre. There is very little cypress stumpage 

 on the market to-day, because it is largely in the hands of opera- 

 tors. The present prices range from $5 to $5.50 per thousand 

 feet. The increase in value is due to improved methods of 

 power logging. 



