ASPECTS OF THE PRESENT FORESTRY AGITATION. 147 



front, and as time rolled on Indianapolis, Tnd., and Nashville and 

 Memphis. Tenn., became prominent markets for Inmber. There 

 never was a time when the beautiful woods of our land were in 

 greater demand than now, nor a time when they commanded 

 higher prices. They are largelj'^ used in the finer finishing of 

 house interiors, and in furniture. They include chiefly black 

 walnut, oak, ash, butternut, cherrj-, sycamore, etc. Certain 

 kinds, particularly curly grained woods, are in special demand, 

 and to meet these calls the oldest and largest trees, which were 

 considered best, were cut first and put into market. All parts of 

 the country have been thus denuded of the best. The white- 

 wood comes from the vSouth. The Cumberland and Smoky 

 Mountain ranges, and the elevated lands of Arkansas are rich in 

 choice varieties of woods. They have been scoured for their best, 

 to meet the demands of our markets. There was a time when the 

 best black walnut boards, two feet wide, went begging at forty- 

 five dollars per thousand feet. Now, the price of such lumber is 

 one hundred and fifty dollars per thousand, and it is almost unpro- 

 curable at that. Others of these choice varieties are also chiefly 

 found only in narrow widths. Probabl)' the appreciation of these 

 woods in European markets helped to increase the demand for 

 them here. The destruction of forests began with the settlement 

 of this country, therefore our own State was an early sufferer. 

 Mr, "Wood stated that within a radius of eighteen miles from our 

 State House, there is not now standing, a tree which would make 

 a saw-log, except some growing on private grounds as ornaments. 

 The destruction has been extended bj' saw-mill men all over the 

 country. Lumbermen, i. e dealers in lumber, are becoming 

 anxious to have measures adopted to check the wanton waste of 

 our forest wealth. Arbor Day was suggested as a method of 

 cultivating the public taste for tree culture, and the speaker 

 urged that every one should make it an act of dut}', if not of 

 pleasure, to plant one valuable tree, — a black walnut, cherry, ash, 

 white oak, or any that is used in manufactures. It will constantly 

 be a thing of beauty and pleasure, and eventually of profit if need 

 be. Although he has only a small city lot, he set out a black 

 walnut tree a few years ago. It makes an annual growth of four 

 feet and has become the admiration of the whole neighborhood. 

 In Somerville, where he resides, many streets pass over hills. 

 Where there are no trees, the rains wash the streets badly, and 



