EXHAUSTION OF THE FOREST. 



267 



creasing. The hardwood cut of 1900 of 8,634,000 M feet diminished 

 in 1904 to 6,781,000 M feet. 



A still further evidence of the decreasing supply, is the rising 

 scale of prices. White pine, which sold for $45.00 per M during 

 1887-1892, sold for $100.00 f.o.b. N". Y., Jan. 1, 1911. Yellow 

 poplar went up in the same period, 1887-1911, from $29.00 to $63.00. 

 Yellow pine rose from $18.00 in 1896 to $47.00 in 1911, and hem- 



Fig. 117. 



lock, the meanest of all woods, from $11.50 in 1889 to $21.00 in 

 1911, Fig. 118. 



It is to be remembered, moreover, that as the timber in any re- 

 gion becomes scarcer, the minimum cutting limit is constantly low- 

 ered, and the standard of quality constantly depreciated. Poorer 



