SECRETARY'S REPORT. 225 



vincingly so, at least that wood and timber are being used rather 

 faster than those vahied articles spring from the soil. We learn, 

 through Edward Tufts, Esq., who has been paymaster at the 

 Merrimac Print Works for a third of a century, that six hundred 

 cords of wood are annually used for the purpose of extracting 

 the acid for the use of that company alone. 



F. H. Nourse, Esq., local agent for the following named rail- 

 roads, making all contracts for wood used on the several lines, 

 kindly furnished these facts : Boston and Lowell ; Lowell and 

 Nashua, including the Wilton, 55 miles, Woburn, 10 miles, 

 Stoneham, 10 miles ; Lowell and Salem, 25 miles ; Lowell and 

 Lawrence, 18 miles ; Stony Brook, 17 miles. In the aggregate, 

 one hundred and thirty miles of railroad, consumed, from 

 Oct. 1st, 1864, to Oct 1st, 18G5, ten thousand nine hundred and 

 fifty-two cords of wood. During the same period, five thousand 

 seven hundred and forty-one tons of coal were consumed by said 

 corporations. 



A. L, Brooks, Esq., who has been a resident of Lowell more 

 than a third of a century, who has been for many years, and is now, 

 largely engaged in the lumber business, furnishes the following 

 facts : I cut, says Mr. Brooks, from three to four millions of 

 lumber yearly, about one-half pine, the balance spruce and hem- 

 lock; The two last named come from the head waters of the 

 Merrimac. I also use one million of lumber annually in the 

 manufacture of boxes. (Such boxes as the manufactories of 

 Lowell use for transporting goods.) 



Norcross & Saunders, also of Lowell, cut about five millions a 

 year, the larger share of which is spruce and hemlock, and like 

 that of Mr. Brooks, is floated down the Merrimac. Mr. Brooks 

 adds this : " Our pine lands are amongst our most profitable 

 when allowed to grow pine, and my idea is, that edge tools 

 should not be used in a young pine growth."' 



Messrs. Whitney, another lumber firm in Lowell, whose busi- 

 ness operations are not limited to the length and width of the 

 nation, have a trade of about seventy millions per year. Their 

 lumber is mainly from Canada and Michigan. 



In the preceding pages we have attempted to show that there 



exists a necessity for husbanding and caring for our woodlands; 



have also suggested some modes of treatment for young forests, 



. and how to acquire others. One other point, which is in rela- 



29* 



