CHAPTEE III 

 OTHER RESOURCES OF MICHIGAN 



The possessors of the land came into a rich in- 

 heritance of natural wealth^ — of forest life, of edible 

 and medicinal plants, of aquatic animal and vegetable 

 organisms, of valuable rocks, minerals, metals and 

 fuels. The varied conditions of climate, topography, 

 soil and geological structure favored a great variety 

 of natural resources. This in turn has affected the 

 distribution of population and of industries. The 

 limitation of agriculture to restricted areas has per- 

 petuated undeveloped regions still open to explora- 

 tion and exploitation by the industrial pioneer. 



THE FORESTS 



To the first white settlers, the timber resources 

 of Michigan appeared inexhaustible, and they 

 fiercely assailed the forest as the chief hindrance to 

 a livelihood from the soil it encumbered. Yet the 

 ))ioneer was peculiarly dependent on the forest for 

 the means of existence. It yielded building material 

 of every sort and of a quality that today is scarcely 

 to be obtained. It afforded shapes of every form 

 and quality for implements and tools, furniture and 



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