FORESTS OF THE UNITED STATES 65 



The forests of east and west have been further subdivided 

 into five regions three in the east and two in the west. 



Eastern Forests Western Forests 



Northeast Rocky Mountain 



Central Pacific Coast 

 South 



The Northeastern Forest: 



This region once held the most important forests in the 

 United States and for many years more timber was cut from it 

 than from all the rest of the country. Today as a timber pro- 

 ducing region, it is negligible it is like a mine that has been 

 worked out. 



The original forest contained more softwoods than hard- 

 woods, the most important species being white pine and red 

 spruce. These two valuable species have been cut until very 

 little remains. On the more fertile and moister sites the hard- 

 woods beech, birch and maple predominate. As a result of 

 lumbering much of the original pine has been replaced by pure 

 second growth stands of poplar, birch and aspen. 



It is this region that within the next decade will probably 

 see a great deal of intensive forestry to bring back by means of 

 man-made plantations the valuable tree species that once grew 

 there. 



Central Forest: 



Unlike the region of the northeast this central forest is a 

 forest of hardwoods. It contains some very valuable species. 

 The oaks are the most abundant and 'the most valuable, but, in 

 addition to these are hickory, yellow poplar, ash, elm, and 



