THE FORESTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 495 



Quantities of logs cut in Aroostook county are driven down the Saint John river and manufactured in New 

 Brunswick. Diu'ing the season of 1879-'80 there were handled in this way 70,000,000 feet of spruce, 4,500,000 feet-of 

 piae, 2,800,000 feet of cedar, 1,500,000 feet of squared pine timber, 1,000,000 feet of squared birch timber, 110,000 

 feet of squared larch timber. Of this 70 per cent, of the spruce and 80 per cent, of the pine were returned to the 

 United States manufactured into lumber, and the whole of the cedar in the form of shingles. 



Important industries dependent for material upon a supply of hard wood have long flourished in the state. 

 Large quantities of cooperage stock, woodenware, handles, spools, bobbins, etc., are manufactured, and more 

 recently the production of wood pulp and excelsior, principally from poplar and other soft woods, has assumed 

 important proportions. Manufacturers from nearly every part of the state report a deterioration and scarcity of 

 the best timber, especially oak, which is now largely imported from Canada or replaced by southern hard pine. 

 Birch, however, is still abundant, and is largely exported in the form of spool and bobbin stock. The manufacture 

 of potash, once an important industry of the state, has been abandoned as unprofitable. Several establishments 

 engaged in the manufacture of tanning extracts from hemlock bark are located in the state, and the numerous 

 tanneries upon the Penobscot river consume large quantities of the same material. The demand for hemlock 

 lumber is now good, and the logs, after being stripped of their bark, are manufactured into lumber and not allowed, 

 as in other parts of the country, to rot upon the ground. A recently-established industry is the manufacture of 

 kegs, barrels, and woodenware from pulp made from chiiJS, brush, and other waste material of the forest. Partial 

 estimates of the hoop-pole industry give a product of 5,'149,200, valued at $75,612. Daring the year 1879 153,334 

 pounds of maple sugar were produced in the state. 



Androscoggin county. One-half of this county is reported covered with woods, largely second growth; it 

 contains, however, considerable bodies of fine first-growth white pine. Manufacturers of cooperage stock report 

 oak exhausted, other hard woods scarce and of inferior quality, and that no second-growth timber is of sufiScient 

 size for use. A large amount of excelsior is manufactured, principally from poplar. 



Akoostook county. Nine-tenths of this county is reported covered with forests, the clearings being confined 

 to the neighborhoods of the rare settlements along the river bottoms. Logs cut in this county are largely raftd 

 down the Saint John river, and little lumber in proportion to the cut is manufactured within its limits. The 

 production of cooperage stock and other articles requiring hard wood in their manufacture is rapidly increasing, 

 and with abundant material such industries seem destined to great development. 



Cumberland county. One-half of this county is reported covered with woods, principally of second growth. 

 Manufacturers of cooperage stock report a general deterioration and scarcity of material, especially hard woods, 

 now nearly exhausted. Spruce and poplar in large quantities are manufactured into wood pulp. 



Franklin county. Three-fourths of this county is reported covered with woods, principally confined to 

 the northern portion. Staves, hoop-poles, handles, and excelsior are manufactured in large quantities. 



Hancock county. Seven-eighths of this county is reported covered with woods, largely composed, toward 

 the coast, of second growth white pine. The northern portions contain fine bodies of large hemlock. Manufacturers 

 of cooperage stock report deterioration of material; ash especially has become scarce. 



Kennebec county. Four-tenths of this county is reported covered with woods, largely second growth. 

 Merchantable spruce and pine have been everywhere removed. Considerable areas are again covered with pine, and 

 the wooded area is increasing. Next to Penobscot this is the most important lumber manufacturing county in the 

 state. Numerous mills located on the Kennebec river saw logs driven from its uiiper waters and from beyond the 

 limits of the county. Large quantities of poplar and spruce are consumed annually in the manufacture of wood 

 pulp, excelsior, handles, etc. The supply of hard wood is small and of infM-ior quality. The poplar now used is 

 nearly all second growth. 



Knox county. One-half of this county is reported covered with woods, generally of second growth. Heavy 

 timber, however, still exists in the towns of Washington, Appleton, and Union. White pine is scarce, and great 

 deterioration in timber of all kinds is reported. Scarcity in the near future is apprehended by manufacturers. A 

 large amount of cord- wood is consumed annually in burning lime. 



Lincoln county. About one-half of this county is reported covered with woods, nearly all second growth. 



Oxford county. From one-half to two-thirds of this county is reported covered with woods. The northern 

 portion still contains large areas of original forest, although pine and spruce have been culled everywhere. In the 

 southern part of the county there are considerable bodies of second-growth white pine, and the wooded area is 

 increasing. Cooperage stock, handles, and wood pulp are largely manufactured. Manufacturers report that 

 timber of all kinds has deteriorated in quality and become scarce, with the exception of oak, which is still abuHdant 

 and of good quality. 



Penobscot county. Nine-tenths of this county is reported covered with woods. Tho merchantable pine 

 and spruce have been removed from the southern portion and everywhere culled. In the northern townships 

 hemlock is still abundant and of fine quality. Ponol)scot is the great lumber manufacturing county of the state, 

 Bangor, once the principal market in the United States for pine lumber, being still the most important sawmill 

 center. S{)ruce and not pine, however, except in insignificant quantities, is now manufactui'ed upon the Penobscot. 

 Manufacturers using hard woods report an abundant supply of excellent material. 



