THE FORESTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 497 



Partial returns of the hoop-pole industry give a production during the census year of 4,225,000, valued at 

 $29,280. New Hampshire is fourth among the states in the importance of its maple-sugar product. During the 

 year 1879 it produced 2,731,9J5 pounds. 



BELKNAI* COUNTY. From one-third to three-eighths of this county is reported covered with woods. 



CAEEOLL COUNTY. Five-eighths of this county is reported covered with woods. In the northern portion 

 there are .still large areas covered with an original growth of spruce. Large quantities of charcoal are manufactured 

 in this county, and the usual -method of lumbering adopted here and very generally in northern New 

 Hampshire is first to cut the spruce large enough for saw-logs, taking all trees G inches in diameter 25 feet from 

 the ground, and then cut for charcoal all the remaining growth, hard wood and soft, even the young spruce. As 

 the land cleared is of little, value for agricultural purposes, it is allowed to grow up again with wood. Deciduous 

 trees come up at lirst, and these are sometimes, but not always, followed by spruce 1 . It is necessary to exercise 

 great care, in order to prevent the newly-cleared tracts from suffering from fire, as the material for charcoal, cut 

 into cord-wood, is often left on the ground until the second season. Mr. C. G. Pringle, who studied the forests of 

 this region, furnishes the following notes upon the forests of Carroll county : 



*'The forests on the mountain sides between Crawford's and Bartlett are composed principally of the yellow 

 and paper birch, the sugar maple, the red maple, poplars, the black spruce, and the balsam fir. About Bartlett 

 scattering specimens of white pine make their appearance. In the more level part of North Couway the red and 

 the pitch pine and the hemlock become common, while on the more sterile, sandy plains farther down the Saco 

 these pines with the white birch constitute the principal arborescent growth. 



" The tract known as Hart's location, lying partly in the White Mountain notch, includes 10,000 acres, 2,000 of 

 which bear 15,000 feet per acre of spruce and hemlock rather more of hemlock than of spruce; 10,000 acres in this 

 tract will cut 25 cords of hard wood per acre. The town of Bartlett, partly cleared, still has 40,000 acres of 

 woodland, which will yield an average of 5,000 feet per acre of spruce and hemlock and 15 cords of hard wood. 

 Sargent's grant covers mount Crawford, Stair mountain, and a part of mount "Washington. On this tract are 15,000 

 acres of timber-land, carrying 20,000 feet per acre, chiefly spruce. The Thompson and Meserve purchase comprises 

 portions of mounts Washington, Jefferson, and Madison, and covers 12,000 acres. Two thousand acres of this will 

 yield 30,000 feet of spruce and hemlock per acre in nearly equal proportions. The remaining 10,000 acres will cut 25 

 cords of hard wood per acre. The Bean purchase lies north of the town of Jackson, and covers 40,000 acres. It is 

 occupied by a dense forest, amounting to 20,000 feet of spruce and hemlock and 20 cords of hard wood per acre. 

 Originally there was considerable pine on the streams and sides of the mountains in this vicinity, particularly on 

 mount Kearsarge, but now there is little left. Twelve and twenty-five years ago much of the town of Bartlett was 

 burned over, and a different growth has come up white birch, poplar, bird cherry, etc." 



A large amount of cooperage stock, excelsior, and an average of 1,000 cords of shoe pegs (from birch and 

 maple) are annually made in this county. Considerable damage to oak and poplar caused by the ravages of the 

 army-worm [!] are reported. The natural increase of timber is said, however, nearly to equal the present consumption 

 by local industries, and scarcity is not apprehended. 



CHESHIEE COUNTY. About one-half of this county is reported covered with woods. 



Coos COUNTY. Nine-tenths of this county is reported covered with forests. The following is extracted from 

 Mr. Pringle's notes upon the forests of this county : 



" Everything east of the Connecticut lakes and about the upper portions of Indian and Perry streams is 

 original forest. Such also is the condition of the Gilmantou, Atkinson, and Dartmouth College grants and the 

 towns of Dixville, Odell, and Kilkenny. All the eastern portions of Clarksville, Stewartstown, Colebrook, 

 Columbia, and Stratford are forest, and nearly all of Wentworth's location, Millsfield, Errol, Dummer, Cambridge, 

 and Success. In these forests the spruce will cut 5,000 feet and the hard wood about 50 cords per acre. There 

 is considerable hemlock, but even less pine than in Essex county, Vermont. Not much of the region has been 

 burned over, and spruce comes into the soil again but slowly after clearings and fires. 



"In the township of Kilkenny, in the mountains east of Lancaster, there are 16,000 acres of forest still untouched, 

 though a branch railroad from Lancaster into this forest has been surveyed, and may be constructed in a few years, 

 for the purpose of bringing the lumber down to the mills at Lancaster. Lowe and Burbank's grant is a wilderness, 

 three-fourths well timbered and the remainder a mountain ridge of nearly bare rock. Bean's purchase is nearly 

 inaccessible and but little lumbered. Stark, on the upper Ammonoosuc, is badly cut over, only about one-quarter 

 remaining in virgin forest. About one-half of Berlin is uncut; also the northern half of Eandolph, the south half 

 of Gorham, and the south quarter of Shelburne. Considerable land in Success was burned over some years ago, as 

 well as some in Stark and in the eastern part of Berlin, but fires have not lately been very destructive in the New 

 Hampshire forests." 



A large amount of cooperage stock, handles, wood pulp, shoe pegs, etc., is manufactured in this county. 

 Abundant material, with the exception of ash, is reported. 



GBAFION COUNTY. One-half of this county is reported covered with woods, mostly confined to the northern 

 and central portions. Shoe pegs, cooperage stock, wood pulp, and excelsior are largely manufactured. The amount 

 of material is considered abundant for the present consumption. 

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