42 TIMBER PINES OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



The extinction of Longleaf Pine in the forests of north Alabama, as far as economic value is 

 concerned, appears to be certain. The dense undergrowth of deciduous trees suppresses completely 

 the second growth of the Longleaf Pine in the closed forest as well as in the openings. On the 

 mountain slopes a young pine is rarely seen, no tree being left to serve for the future dissemination 

 of the species, and this few seedlings sporadically springing up are invariably destroyed by the 

 firing of the herbage one year after another. 



The output of the mills at Gadsden and the mills in Talladega County along the Birmingham 

 and Atlantic Railroad combined appears scarcely to exceed 50,000,000 feet, board measure, on the 

 average per year. A fine forest of Longleaf Pine is found in Walker County, strictly confined 

 within an isolated patch of silicious pebbles and sands, said to cover about 00,000 acres. Distant 

 about 10 miles from the nearest railroad this forest has been but slightly invaded, only to supply 

 a small local demand. 



Summary xlatement of shipments of lumber and square timber from chief centers of production in Alabama iliiriny Hie year 



1892. 



Feet.l!. il. 



Mobile exports to foreign ports, coastwise, ami shipments by rail 1 143,800,000 



Estimated cut in Alabama ami sawii in western Florida 85, 000, 000 



Transported by rail, mostly to northern markets * 95, 200, 000 



Central pine belt 3 51,000,000 



Coosa basin 50,000,000 



Total 425,000,000 



Mississippi. What has been said of the forests of the maritime pine belt in Alabama applies in 

 general to the same region in Mississippi. The coastal plain above the extensive grassy marshes 

 lining the seashore and the wide estuaries of the streams covers a larger area, being from 10 to 20 

 miles in width and embracing, at a rough estimate, about 728,000 acres of the 10,410 square miles 

 within the limits of the pine belt. The broad, scarcely perceptible swells, with a soil of sandy 

 loam and loamy sand, were originally well timbered, the widely spreading depressions with soil of 

 fine, compacted sand, poorly drained, bearing a sparse and interior timber growth. The timber 

 produced on these flat woods, or "pine meadows," as they are aptly called in the adjoining section 

 of Alabama, being of slow growth, is hard and of fine grain, frequently with the fibers of the younger 

 wood contorted and of varied tints of color. This so-called curled pine is susceptible of high finish 

 and is much appreciated for fine cabinet work. There is comparatively little valuable timber left 

 in this coastal plain. The remainder serves largely for the making of charcoal and cord wood for 

 the New Orleans market. 



The rolling pine lands, rising suddenly above the plain, almost exclusively covered by the Long- 

 leaf Pine, cover (roughly estimated) about 7,712,000 acres. The western limits of these forests are 

 difficult to define, numerous outlying tracts being found to extend into or even beyond the region 

 of the loamy hills. The region of mixed growth, characterizing the upper division of t he maritime 

 pine belt in Alabama, enters the State in the shape of a triangle, with the base along the Alabama 

 State line from Bucatunna to Lauderdale and its apex near Brandon, in Bankin County. The 

 generous soil of the arable lands in this region is mostly under cultivation. The forests of Lougleaf 

 Pine covering the steep hills, rather remote from the high roads of commerce, have been as yet but 

 little exploited. About 12,000,000 feet, board measure, of lumber are shipped annually by tin- 

 way of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, mostly to Mobile, from this region of mixed growth. 



From the information that could be obtained, it appears that the cut of Longleaf Pine timber 

 in this State on the average for the past three years reached between 422,000,000 and 425,000,000 

 feet. The chief center of the lumbering industry is located above the Pascagoula River, at Scran 

 ton and Mosspoint, where it has made great progress during the past thirteen or fourteen years. 

 In 1880,00,000,000 feet, board measure, were shipped to foreign and domestic ports, which in the 



'Annual statement of commerce of Mobile. Mobile Register, September 1,1892. Compiled from returns made 

 to the Mobile Board of Trade. 



s Production of mills south of Montgomery, etc. 



3 Production of mills on Louisville and Nashville Railroad, north of Montgomery to Calera. by Colonel \Vads- 

 wortb. 



'Production of mills on Southern Railway, north of Selina to Stan ton, by M. Hanson. 



