FOREST STATISTICS: RHODE ISLAND. 



433 



eitnations where the elm is planted, and where it generally suffers from insufficiency 

 of root moisture, the European elm is immeasurably its superior in rapidity of growth, 

 length of life, and general thriftiness. The fact that the European is fully a month 

 longer in leaf than the ^ merican elm, that its tougher leaves would seem to offer a less 

 appetizing food to the canker-worm, the greatest enemy of the American elm in New 

 England, and its adaptability to all situations, are strong arguments in favor of giving 

 the preference to the former for general cultivation. 



Its thriftiness in smoky situations makes the European elm the most valuable tree 

 our climate will allow for city street and square planting, and as a shade-tree by road- 

 sides, no American tree is its equal. 



The economic value of the wood of the European, which is hard and fine, has always 

 been generally acknowledged to be superior to that of the American elm, and in Europe 

 it is devoted to many important uses. For the hubs of carriage-wheels it is used 

 almost to the exclusion of all other wood. If employed in situations where it is con- 

 stantly under water, or kept perfectly dry, it excels almost every other wood in dura- 

 bility. It is considered the best timber for ships' keels. It is largely used for ships' 

 blocks, and for pumps, piles, and water-pipes, and by the turner iind cabinet-maker ; 

 and by the coffin-maker it is preferred to all other woods. The general cultivation of 

 the European elm would add a valuable timber-tree to the products of Massachusetts.^ 



RHODE ISLAND. 



Some statistics of timber and wood were reported from several of the 

 towns in the State census of 1865; but they were not onl}- incomplete, 

 but incomparable, the amount of timber being in some cases expressed 

 in feet and in others in value. The wood was in some towns also re- 

 lK)rted by quantity and in others by value. The census of 1875 shows 

 a great improvement at many points, and among others in its classifi- 

 cation of the laud and its products. The following statement preseuts 

 the totals by counties, of total areas, and of woodlands and lands not 

 improved, from which we have deduced the percentages which these 

 data afford : 



Actual and relative amount of icoodlancls and value of forest products in 1875. 



' The valae of farm products for the same year amounted to-$4,781,263. 



The State had 81 lumber-mills, the real estate of which was valued 

 at 890,450, and the machinery, «S:c., at $37,h55. They emploj'ed 123 

 men, whose wages amounted to 827,886, and from $71,430 woith of 

 raw materials produced lumber valued at 8163,710. It will be inferred 

 from these returns that this industry is comparatively unimportant, and 

 that the mills are mostly of small extent. Of the whole number 63 

 were driven by water-power, and probably were run but a part of the 

 year. 



28 F 



^Agriculture of Massachusetts, 1875-'76, p. 272, 



