FOREST POLICY. 



Some tribes of Aborigines have irrigated their farms long 

 before the advent of the whites. 



Irrigation in the Salt River Valley, near Phoenix, shows 

 results similar to those obtained in southern California. Fruits 

 put on the market slightly earlier and freight rates to the east 

 slightly better, give Arizona a certain advantage over California. 



The value of the irrigation works constructed is $4,400,000; 

 the value of the irrigated products $2.200,000 (anno 1899). 



FORESTRY CONDITIONS OF ARKANSAS: 



1. Area of woodlands 45,000 square miles, equal to 84% of 

 the State. Probably maximum percentage amongst the States. 



2. Physiography: Undulating plains. Ozark Mountains 

 traverse northwest corner of the State in a belt 80 miles wide 

 and from 1,000 to 2,000 feet high. Arkansas River traverses State 

 from west to east, joined by the White River close to its junction 

 with the Mississippi. Red River in the southwestern part of the 

 State. 



3. Distribution: Forest everywhere. A small tract of 

 prairie in east central part of State. South of the Arkansas River 

 and west of the Mississippi bottom lands gigantic virgin forests 

 of pine occur (echinata and taeda mixed, the former prevailing 

 on pine ridges, the latter prevailing on pine flats). Both pine 

 species sold under the name of "short leaf pine." Stumpage of 

 both species very heavy, say 6,000 feet b. m. per acre. Sargent 

 estimated, in 1880, the stumpage of short leaf pine at 41,315,000.- 

 ooo feet b. m. per acre. Bald cypress found in vast swamps in the 

 bottom lands of the rivers. Stumpage about 5,000 feet to the acre. 



The hardwoods prevail north of the Arkansas River and 

 all along the Mississippi; further, in the bottoms of the Red 

 River. Here the trees are said to be unsurpassed in size. Black 

 walnut is said to be particularly abundant in the valley of the 

 Red River. The leading hardwoods are white and red oaks, cot- 

 tonwoods, sweet gum, black gum, yellow poplar, beech, ash, hick- 

 ories, cow and texan oak. Pinus echinata shows some important 

 bodies north of the Arkansas River as well, whilst taeda is here 

 lacking. 



The composition of the forest at Pine Bluff, after. F. E. 



