FOREST RESOUECES OF MICHIGAN. 



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Distrihuiion of forests in lUinots, hascd vpon the census returns of 1870, dividing the State 

 into the same districts as those adopted by the State Horticultural Society. 



Although these statistics bear suflBcient evidence of erroneous esti- 

 mates, they at least prove a scarcity of timber, especially in the prairie 

 region, far below the proper wants of the State, and show the need of 

 tree culture on a much larger scale.^ 



MICHIGAN. 



The lower peninsula of this State was originally, for the most part, 

 heavily timbered, excepting a few small prairies and oak openings in the 

 southern part. The clearing of the forests has been progressing quite 

 rapidly within the last forty years, and already the effects are being 

 noticed, as elsewhere more fully mentioned in connection with climate. 



The State of Michigan owns, according to the report of 1876, 3,073,240 

 acres, of which 2,455,599 are swamp lands, and the remainder belong to 

 certain funds, chiefly those of the agricultural college and the primary 

 schools. The State appoints a trespass agent, and the net collections for 

 1875-'76 amounted to $19,186.91, being much more than in any previous 

 year ; — but, besides this, no measures have been taken to economize the 

 timber resources owned by the State. 



A State law has been in force about ten years, giving some encourage- 

 ment to tree-planting upon the borders of highways, and more effectual 



1 The subject of timber supply and the distribution and want of woodlands in 

 Illinois are considered in detail in a report made by Mr. W. C. Flagg, from a commit- 

 tee of the Illinois State Horticultural Society in 1872. He gives in this paper an 

 alphabetical table of counties, showing area in square miles, acres of woodland, and 

 number of acres of woodland per square mile. From this we arrange the counties in 

 the order of greatest woodland, viz: Randolph, 281 ; Williamson, 269; Hardin, 2.j4 ; 

 Calhoun, 248; Edwards, 247; Pope, 242; Monroe, 219; Hamilton, 218; Gallatin, 211 ; 

 Union, 210; Wayne, 204; Clark, 201; Lawrence, 199; Saline, 186; Crawford, 180; 

 Scott, 178; Clay and Wabash, 172; Greene, 171 ; Jefferson, 165; Pike, 162; White, 156 ; 

 Perry, 154; Jackson, 151; Schuyler, 147; Fulton and Jersey, 141; Richland, 140; 

 Massac, 138; Adam=, 136; Jasper, 132; Fayette, 130; Madison, 120; Brown, 119; 

 Effingham, 116; Cumberland and Saint Clair, 115; Bond, 113; Menard, 111; Marion 

 and Morgan, 107 ; Edgar, 106; Boone, 104; Jo Daviess and Putnam, 102; Clinton and 

 Washington, 100 ; Shelby, 96; Macoupin, 94; McDonough, 91 ; Henderson, 90 ; Sanga- 

 mon, 89; Cass, 88; Coles, 86; McHenry, 85; Mercer, 84; Peoria, 79; Alexander, 78 ; 

 Stephenson, 76; Moultrie, 75 ; DoWirt and Marshall, 73 ; Tazewell, 72; Rock Island, 

 71; Winnebago, 69; Montgomery, 68; Carroll, 67; Kane, 64 ; Pnlaski, 61 ; Kane and 

 Ogle, 58; Mason, 57 ; Hancock, 56; Vermillion, 53; DuPage and Warren, 51 ; Bureau 

 and Woodward, 48; Kendall and Lake, 44; Stark, 43; LaSalle, 42; McLean, 35; 

 Macon and Whitesides, 31 ; Douglas, 29 ; Christian, Will, and Logan, 28; DeKalb, 26 ; 

 Iroquoii and Cook, 20; Lee, 17; Champngne, 16; Kankakee, 16; Henry, 15; Grundy 

 and Piatt, 14 ; Livingston, 12; Ford, 6; Franklin and Johnson (?). 



