THE FORESTS OF THE UNITED STATES IN THEIR ECONOMIC ASPECTS. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



The maps of relative average forest density joined to this report are intended to illustrate the present productive 

 capacity of the forest covering of the country (map No. 16, portfolio). They are based, except in the case of the 

 extreme western states and territories, upon the returns of enumerators. In states originally wooded all land not 

 accounted for in the returns as cleared or treeless, or otherwise known to be destitute of tree covering, is treated 

 as forest. The county is taken as the unit, and is seldom divided, unless varied topography or different natural 

 features in different parts makes further subdivision desirable. In the western states and territories, where 

 topography determines forest distribution, county lines are disregarded, and the estimates are based upon special 

 reports of census experts, or upon the published reports of the various government surveys, maps, etc. The 

 condition and productive capacity of the forest covering have been carefully investigated at many points in each 

 county or unit region, and the area covered with forest, obtained in the manner described above, is multiplied by 

 the average stand of timber or other useful wood. The results thus obtained are necessarily greatly generalized to 

 conform to the scale of the maps used. 



The following statement represents the value of the forest crop of the United States for the census year, so far 

 as it has been possible to obtain it: 



Saw logs $139, 



Wood used for domestic purposes as fuel 



(estimated) 306, 950, MO 



Wood used by railroads as fuel 5, 126, 714 



AVood used by steamboats as fuel 1, 812, 083 



Charcoal used as fuel 



In manufacture of iron $4,726,114 



In manufacture of precious metals . . 29, 306 



In the twenty largest cities 521, 316 



Xiival stores 5,000,000 



Wood used as fuel Southern moss 500, 000 



In the manufacture of brick and tile 3, 978, 331 



In the manufacture of wool 425, 239 



In the manufacture of salt 121, 681 



In the production of precious metals 2, 874, 593 



In other mining operations 673,692 



! Railroad ties (29,554,694) 9,806,247 



Fence posts (for fencing railroads) 180, 000 



Uncultivated vegetable substances used 



in the manufacture of medicines 587, 000 



Uncultivated nnts 78,540 



Hoop-poles 1,947,316 



Wood used in the manufacture of 



Handles $897,170 



Wheel stock 1,360,892 



Wood pulp 1,974,074 



Baskets 314,125 



Excelsior 150,800 



Oars 81,000 



Shoe pegs 72,000 



Hand-made shingles 47, 952 



Total 490,073,094 



These returns are incomplete and often unsatisfactory. Many important items are omitted entirely. It was 

 found impossible to obtain statistics of the amount and value of the wood (posts, split rails, etc.) used in fencing, 

 with the exception of posts used by railroads. The amount of material thus consumed annually must be very large, 

 probably exceeding $100,000,000 in value. No returns of the amount and value of the bark of different trees used in 

 tanning leather have been received, and there are no statistics of the amount and value of the uusawed timber 

 produced spars, piles, telegraph and other poles, hewed timber, hard wood exported in the log, ships' knees, etc. 

 that is, all timber not manufactured in saw-mills into lumber. The value of the timber of this sort cut in the United 

 States every year must be very large. The returns include the railway ties laid down by completed roads, and do not 

 embrace those used in the construction of some 10,000 miles of new road built during the census year. It was 

 found impossible to obtain even an estimate of the amount and value of the cooperage stock produced outside of 

 regular saw- mills, and the returns of hand-made shingles only include those made from cypress at a few points 

 in the south Atlantic region. Maple sugar to the amount of 36,576,061 pounds and 1,796,048 gallons of molasses 

 were produced in the forests of the United States during the year 1879. No statistics of the value of these products 

 have, however, been received. Statistics of the value of material consumed in the manufacture of excelsior, wood 

 pulp, wheel stock, handles, shoe pegs, baskets, oars, and hoop-poles are incomplete, and do not fully represent the 

 value of the wood used. The statistics of .the value of wild nuts and wild vegetable substances collected are 

 very incomplete, and it has been found impossible to separate the value of the imported from that of the native 

 wood used in the manufacture of veneers, an industry consuming a large amount of high-priced hard wood. Could 

 complete returns of the forest crop of the census year have been obtained it is not improbable that it would be 

 found to exceed $700,000,000 in value. 



THE LUMBER INDUSTRY. 



The following table represents the volume, by states and territories, of the lumber industry of the United States 

 for the census year, as derived from the returns of the enumerators on the schedule of manufactures, and from the 

 reports of special agents for manufactures in cities having at the time of the Ninth Census 8,000 or more inhabitants. 

 No distinction between the different kinds of wood sawed was attempted in the enumeration: 



485 



