98 



TIMBER PINES OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. 



In Missouri the rugged hills and table-lands of the southern slope of tlie Ozark Monntaiiis, 

 rising to an elevation of from 800 to 1,000 feet, are covered with forests of Shortleaf Pine, which, 

 roughly estimated, extend over little more than 3,000,000 acres. In the counties bordering on the 

 Arkansas State line (Terry, Oxark, and Douglas counties) the pine is said to yield on the average 

 not over 2,000 feet of timber to the :u;re. Tiie forests in the basin of the Current and Black rivers 

 are heavily timbered, as observed at Grandin. The density of the timber growth varies, however, 

 on these broken lauds with the soil conditions, a fact demonstrated by actual measurements on 

 several plats, upon which the amount per acre varied from 3,000 to 15,000 feet of timber. After 

 years of experieuce, the average yield of the timber lands of the Grandin Lumber and Mining 

 Company is estimated at 6,000 feet of merchantable timber to the acre, including trees of 10 inches 

 in diameter. 



The trees felled to serve as material for the United States timber tests, and fairly representing 

 the average timber growtli, showed the following record : 



Measurements of Jive trees. 



The timber from these most northern of the forests of Shortleaf Pine is remarkably free from 

 resin, of a fine, close grain, almost white, and claimed to be lighter and softer than the timber grown 

 farther south, and like the timber occasionally found on the dry, rocky hills in Hot Spring County, 

 Ark., resemliling the wood of the White Pine. In these forests the fine tall pines tower high above 

 tlie stunted Scarlet, Black, and White Oaks and hickories, but the growth of these hard woods 

 almost completely overpowers the second growth of pine. 



In close connection with the great markets of the North, and nearest to the timberless region 

 of the Nortiiwest, the manufacture of lumber in this region is fully developed. According to 

 information received at Grandin, the output of the mills located along the Current Eiver Valley 

 Eailroad, the Iron Mountain Railway, the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis l;ailroa<l, and the 

 Cape Girardeau and Southwestern road amounted for the year 1891-92 to fully 300,000,000 feet, 

 board measure. At such rates the depletion of the timber wealth of this forest is to be expected 

 before another generation has passed away. 



Under the existing method of exploitation, which involves the almost total destruction of the 

 smaller timber growth, nothing remains to be depended upon for the future. Considering the 

 difficulties in the way of their natural renewal, there is no hope left for their restoration on these 

 knolls. The dense undergrowth and brush of deciduous trees and shrubs which completely shade 

 the soil, the rocky surface being hidden by an abundant and infiammable leaf covering, deprives 

 the i)ine of every possibility of reproduction by natural seeding, even if the seedlings could escape 

 destruction by fire. 



According to the census of 1880,' extensive bodies of Shortleaf Pine timber exisi in the 

 eastern part of the Indian Territory. It occurs mixed among the hard woods on the higher ridges 

 of the timber belt in the Choctaw Nation, GO miles in length, and considerable bodies of Shortleaf 

 Pine timber in belts of from 10 to 30 miles in length and 2 to 4 miles wide are found on the tributaries 

 of Grand Kivei' in the Cherokee Nation, and in a large body of timber extending for 25 miles west 

 of Beam this tree appears to reach it western limit. 



The great importance of the forests of Shortleaf Pine to the industrial and commercial interests 

 of the country west of the Mississippi River, and to the development of the adjacent timberless 

 States and Territories, is forcibly exhibited by the enormous production of lumber for the past ten 

 years. During the year 1891-92 at a low estimate not less than 1,270,000,000 feet, board measure, 



< Report of Teiitli 



lOl. 



