DISTRIBUTION OF LONGLEAF PINE IN LOUISIANA. 



45 



these abandoned timber lands a young pine is rarely seen, the seeds shed in the fall being apt 

 to rot in the water-soaked soil, or, if they happen to germinate, the seedlings are drowned during 

 the winter rains. On the lands rising gently above the flat woods, with the ridges still low and 

 wide and often more or less imperfectly drained, Longleaf Pine is found of an exceedingly fine 

 growth. The trees in the dense forest are tall and slender, and their timber is equaled only by 

 the timber of the same class growing in the valley of the Neches River, in Texas. 



The folloWhig measurements of five trees felled for test logs in the forests in the upper part 

 of Calcasieu Parish, between Hickory and Beckwith creeks, will servo as a fair representation of 

 the timber growth on these low, broad ridges: 



Measurements of fire trees. 



Upon 1 acre, selected on the back of a low swell which might be said to represent the average 

 of the timber standing, 44 trees in all were counted. Of these, .'> trees measured 25 inches 

 diameter at breast high, with a length of clear timber estimated at 50 feet; 6 trees measured 23 

 inches diameter at breast high, with a length of clear timber estimated at 50 feet; 19 trees 

 measured 18 inches diameter at breast high, with a length of clear timber estimated at 40 feet; 

 14 trees measured 14 inches diameter at breast high, with a length of clear timber estimated at 

 36 feet, corresponding in the aggregate to somewhat over 15,000 feet, board measure. 



On another acre considered first class, rather level laud, the soil fresh to wet throughout the 

 year, 72 trees were counted. Of this number, 14 were found 27 inches diameter at breast high, 

 with an estimated length of timber of 50 feet; 5 were found 24 inches diameter at breast high, with 

 an estimated length of timber of 50 feet; 13 were found 23 inches diameter at breast high, with an 

 estimated length of timber of 50 feet; 8 were found 21 inches diameter at breast. high, with 

 an estimated length of timber of 40 feet; 10 were found 20 inches diameter at breast high, with an 

 estimated length of timber of 40 feet; 11 were found 18 inches diameter at breast high, with 

 an estimated length of timber of 40 feet; 11 were found 18 inches diameter at breast high, with an 

 estimated length of timber of 30 feet. 



According to these figures the timber standing on this acre would amount to not less than 

 35,000 feet, board measure. 



The chief site of the lumber industry of western Louisiana is at Lake Charles. According 

 to the information furnished by Mr. George Lock, of Lockport, La., the annual output of the 

 sawmills in the vicinity of Lake Charles for the years 1892 and 1893 averaged about 154,000,000 

 feet, board measure, all shipped West and Northwest. It can be assumed that over one-half of 

 the lumber sawn at Orange, in Texas, is cut on the eastern banks of the Sabine River, which 

 amount has to be credited to the cut of Louisiana. 



Summary of the production of Longleaf Pine li-mber in the State of Louisiana in 1892. 



Feet, B. M. 



Parishes east of the Mississippi, about 25,000,000 



Parishes north of the Red River 56,000,000 



To the Sabine River, sawn at Lake Charles 154,000,000 



Sawn at Orange, Tex., estimated 40,000,000 



Total cut in Louisiana 275,000,000 



Texas. The forests of Longleaf Pine extend from the Sabine west to the Trinity River and 

 from the grassy savannas of the coast region north to the center of Sabine, San Augustine, and 



