FOREST POLICY. 



The last census credits the lumbermen with a total forest 

 property of 1,920,000 acres. 



5- Use of timber: The growing stock of white pine was 

 estimated in 1880 (by Sargent) at 41 billion feet b. m., and in 

 1897 (by Roth) at 17 billion feet. Both estimates were found 

 too small. 4.7 billion feet white pine are still owned by lumber- 

 men alone, whilst the annual cut has been from 2 to 3 billion 

 feet since the estimates were made. 



The cut of the census year was: 



Hemlock 402,000,000 feet b. m. 



Norway pine 94,000,000 feet b. m. 



White pine 2,479,000,000 feet b. m. 



Other conifers 66,000,000 feet b. m. 



White oak 127,000,000 feet b. m. 



Other hardwoods 392,000,000 feet b. m. 



The cutting of pines is very close, logs of 4 inches diam- 

 eter at small end being used. Log drives are said to average 

 frequently only 100 feet b. m. per log. The average investment, 

 in 1,033 *>aw mills, is $35,959, a figure exceeded only by the Min- 

 nesota mills. 



Value of products of lumber industry was: 



In 1860 $ 4,400,000 



In 1870 15,100,000 



In 1880 17,900,000 



In 1890 61,000,000 



In 1900 57,600,000 



which latter figure places Wisconsin in the lead of all States. 



The leather industry is important, the value of its products 

 being $20,000,000 per annum. 35 plants use, in the census year, 

 177.628 cords of hemlock barky worth $1,070,000; 770 cords of oak 

 bark, worth $8,000; 56 barrels of hemlock bark extract and 1,692 

 barrels of quebracho extract; 41,726 bales of gambier and 247 tons 

 of sumac. 



The paper and pulp industry produces in 47 mills products 

 worth $10,895,000 and consumes 66,300 cords of native spruce for 

 pulp, worth $398,000; 58,659 cords of native spruce for fibre, worth 

 $350,000; 24,754 cords of Canadian spruce, worth $164,000; 1,400 

 cords of native poplar, worth $12,000, and 60,000 cords of miscel- 

 laneous wood (the majority of which is hemlock), worth $210,000. 



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