THE FORESTS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



551 



pine trees left by the logger ; tliey have robbed the soil of its fertility, and made it unfit to produce another 

 crop of pine until the growth and decay of generations of other plants shall have restored its lost constituents. 

 In the dense, unculled forest, on the other hand, fires, although often destructive, are less dangerous in the absfence 

 of dead material to feed the flames than when the ground is strewn with dead branches, tops, and resinous chips. 



During the census year only 238,271 acres of woodland were reported destroyed by fire, with an estimated loss 

 of $985,985. Of the 267 fires reported, 161 were traced to fires set in clearing laud for agricultural purposes, and 

 which escaped to the forests; 59 to hunters, 43 to sparks from locomotives, 3 to smokers, while only 1 was reported 

 set by Indians. 



The hard--*'ood forests of Michigan have long afforded abundant material for large and important industries 

 engaged in the production of cooperage stock, handles, oars, agricultural implements, excelsior, wood pulp, etc. 

 Manufacturers, especially in the southern part of the state, now report, however, a scarcity and general deterioration 

 of stock. The best oak timber has been everywhere culled to supply the wants of railroads or the demands of the 

 Canadian market. Elm, bass, and other soft woods, which a few years ago were considered of little value, are now 

 in great demand and are fast disappearing, except from regions remote from railroads. Much hard wood, especially 

 in the southern peninsula, has been destroyed by fire, or, if not destroyed, rendered almost worthless for 

 manufacturing purposes by partial burning. 



I^ext to Vermont and New York, Michigan produces a larger amount of maple sugar than any other state. 

 During the year 1879 3,423,149 pounds were manufactured in the state. 



STATISTICS OF GEOWING TIMBEE. 



The following estimates of the merchantable timber standing in Michigan May 31, 1880, were prepared by 

 Mr. H. C. Putnam, of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, with the assistance, in the lower jjeninsula especially, of Mr. G. W. 

 Hotchkiss. These, as well as the estimates of the timber resources of Wisconsin and Minnesota, were obtained 

 by compiling the results of actual surveys, and have been further verified by a large number of persons familiar 

 with the forests in the different regions of these states. It must not, however, be forgotten that the figures given 

 represent estimates, and not facts. Statistics of the volume of any growing crop are difficult to obtain and 

 always liable to considerable error, and the forest, from its very nature and the extent over which it is spread, 

 presents greater difiBculties to the collector of statistics of productive capacity than the more compact and more 

 easily studied crops of the field. The estimates of pine include all trees 12 inches in diameter 24 feet from the 

 ground. Since they were prepared the scarcity of white pine has changed the methods of the lumberman, and 

 trees are now generally estimated and cut as small as 8 inches in diameter 24 feet from the ground. If the amount 

 of standing pine had been estimated upon the 8-inch basis it would have added (roughly) 10 per cent, to Mr. Putnam's 

 figures. Small bodies of pine remote from streams no doubt exist in difierent parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, and 

 Minnesota, in the aggregate of some commercial importance, which are not included in these estimates. The 

 following figures, however, are believed to represent with as great accuracy as is attainable the productive capacity 

 of the northwestern pineries. They cover the entire region, and these pine forests now contain no great body of 

 unexplored timber, an unknown factor in the coiintry's lumber supply: 



WHITE PINE (Piniw Strobus). 



Begions. 



Feet, board 

 measare. 



LOWKR PENIK8ULA. 



Basins of Htreams flowing into Saginaw bay, inclading Saginaw river 

 and tributaries. 



Basins of streams flowing into lalso Huron 



Basins of streams flowing into lake ^licbigan 



Total 



Cnt for the census year ending May 31, 1880 (including 2,998,600,000 

 shingles and 428,44.'),00O laths, but eiclnsive of 36,000,000 staves 

 and 3,330,000 sets lieadings). 



UPI'EB PEKINSULA. 



Basin of Menominee river and tributaries (Marquette and Menomi- 

 nee counties). 



Ontonagon, Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, Marquette (west and 

 nortli of Menominee basin), and Menominee (east of Menominee 

 basin) counties. 



Schoolcraft, Chippewa, Mackinac, and Delta counties 



Total 



Cnt for the census year endingMay 31, 1880 (including 106,482,000 shin- 

 gles and 34, 26C. OUO lath s) . 



7, 000, 000, 000 



8, 000, 000, 000 

 14, 000, 000, 000 



29, 000, 000, 000 



4, 068, 773, 000 



1, 600, 000, 000 

 2, 400, 000, 000 



2, 000, 000, 000 



6, OOO, 000, 000 



328, 438, 000 



