83 



WESTMINSTER. 



The woodlands of the town are largely in a state of neglect. 

 The major growth is chestnut and hardwoods, with scattered 

 stands of pine. There is considerable growth of pine in the 

 north and east parts of the town. There is much swamp 

 covered with maple, birch, spruce and alder. Many areas are 

 found where cutting has been done, removing everything 

 merchantable, leaving the land butchered, with slash and debris 

 scattered about, forming veritable tinder piles. These areas 

 occur throughout the township. This land is now growing up 

 to gray birch, sprout chestnut or brush, and is well-nigh in a 

 useless condition. Thinnings are needed everywhere and re- 

 forestation in many places. This last operation has been done 

 to considerable extent. Careful forest management is needed 

 in this town as in other towns examined. Fires have run 

 through the cut-over lands and left them in a very poor con- 

 dition. Practically all merchantable stuff has been cut. 



In Westminster village is a box mill, belonging to Mr. Good- 

 ridge, which uses per year 1,500,000 feet of pine, spruce and 

 hemlock. Most of the stock is obtained from outside the State 

 because Westminster's supply and the stock near by is de- 

 pleted. Last year 200 M board feet were cut here, the re- 

 mainder coming from New Hampshire. E. H. Merriam runs a 

 sawmill near Westminster depot in connection with his grain 

 business. Sawing is done irregularly, and is largely custom 

 work. This mill saws perhaps 500 M board feet to 1,000 M 

 board feet per year. Pierce's chair mill at Whitmanville in the 

 northerly part of the township uses 1,500,000 feet of chestnut 

 per year. This comes from Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and 

 New York. Two million feet of turned stock per year are used. 



