32 



TIMBER PINES OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



stores was first carried cm; rosin, tar, and pitch figured in early colonial times among the most 

 important articles of export. In consequence, the forests of the Longleaf Pine have been, with but 

 slight exceptions, invaded by turpentine orcharding, and at the present time by far the greater 

 part of the timber standing has been tapped for its resin. The forests of the Lougleaf Pine in this 

 State cover the largest area in the basin of Cape Fear River, with Wilmington the main port of 

 export for their products. The export from this port had increased from 21,000,000 feet of lumber 

 in 1880, to nearly 40,000,000 annually, on tlie average, for the years 1S87 to 1891. 



The forests of the Longleaf Pine on the banks of the Neuse River, in Johnston County and in 

 \Vayue County, are almost exhausted; less than 40 per cent of the timber sawn at (loldsboro 

 and Dover is Lougleaf Pine timber from that section, and is invariably bled. A considerable 

 number of the trees from the old turpentine orchards, with the excoriated surface of the trunk 

 ("chip"') over 25 feet in length and bled again after a lapse of years, show that they have been 

 worked for their resin for twenty to twenty-four years in succession, and after a longer or shorter 

 period of rest have been subjected to the same treatment continually for the same number of years. 

 Such old martyrs of the turpentine orchard are unfit for lumber, but, impregnated as they are with 

 resin, are used for piling and for posts of great durability. 



East of the Neuse River, from the upper part of Johnston County, in an almost southern 

 direction to Newbern, no Longleaf Pine has been observed. Single trees of the Shortleaf Pine 

 ( I'inm echinata) have been found scattered among the growth of deciduous trees which cover the 

 ridges between the Trent and Neuse rivers, and isolated tracts of a few acres of the Longleaf species 

 are met with in the low flats of the same section, which were in 1894 almost exclusively occupied 

 by the Loblolly Pine. 



As reported for the Tenth Census, the amount of Lougleaf Pine standing in North Carolina at 

 the beginning of the census year was estimated to be 5,220,000,000 feet, board measure. No reliable 

 information could be obtained as to the amount of timber cut since 1880, consequently no data are 

 at hand from which to compute the amount now standing. The cut for the year 1880 is given in 

 the census report at 108,400,000 feet, board measure. In 1890, eighteen mills were enumerated as 

 engaged in sawing exclusively Longleaf Pine timber, almost all situated in the basin of Cape Fear 

 River, with a daily aggregate capacity of 475,000 feet, board measure. Such capacity would point 

 to an annual cut of at least (55,000,000 feet, board measure. 



Statement of the shipments of naral stores from ll'ilmint/loii, X. C. 

 [From J. L. Cantwell, secretary Wilmington Produce Exchange.] 



Total value, $30.500,000. 



t of ttii/imenlH of lumber loforeign and domestic ports from II "ilinini/tou, \. C. 



