it mining old-growth stands will mark the end, among 

 other valuable species, of the highly prized " Lower 

 Michigan hard maple," long reputed to be the best 

 in the Lake States. Prom then on whatever lumber 

 is cut will come mainly from farm woodlots, in small 

 amounts and sizes, and of poorer grade. 



Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. 

 In the adjacent forest areas of Wisconsin and the 

 Upper Peninsula of Michigan the case is better. In 

 1908 the Bureau of Corporations estimated the timber- 

 land at about 10,329,000 acres, with a stand of 65 

 billion feet. During the last 12 years probably 30 bil- 

 lion board feet in lumber has been removed. This 

 would leave only 35 billion, enough at the present 

 rate of cutting to last 15 years. There can be no 

 doubt, however, that there is much more timber than 

 this. The 1908 estimates were too conservative. There 

 is reason to believe that the timberland still amounts 

 to 4 million acres in upper Michigan and 2 million 

 in Wisconsn, and that the total merchantable stand 

 is at least 48 billion feet. This would insure a con- 

 tinued supply, at the present rate of cut, for about 

 20 years. This rate will not, of course, continue, but 

 will decrease as successive mills saw out. The rate of 

 cut is considerably heavier in Wisconsin than in the 

 upper peninsula. The larger number of Wisconsin 

 mills and the considerably smaller stand of timber in- 

 dicate a much quicker falling off in the cut and an 

 earlier termination of the supply there than in upper 

 Michigan. 



In Wisconsin, assuming a diminishing rate of deple- 

 tion, the annual lumber cut will be likely to fall off 



13 



