YELLOW POPLAR IN TENNESSEE. 



BY W. W. ASHE. 



COMMERCIAL OUTLOOK. 



On the basis of the present cut of lumber, yellow poplar* ranks as the 

 second tree in importance in Tennessee. In 1912 there were 378,747,000 

 board feet of oak sawed in Tennessee ; 107,265,000 board feet of yellow 

 poplar; and 69,612 board feet af^-ed or sweet gum. The total cut of lum- 

 ber in the state was 1,567,000 ooard feet. The total cut of yellow poplar 

 in the United States was 623,287,000 board feet. The value of the cut of 

 1912 is not yet available from the census returns. Oak leads, with a cut 

 during the year 1911 of 382,000,000 feet board measure, valued at $7,790,- 

 000, followed by yellow poplar with a cut of 119,000,000 feet board meas- 

 ure, valued at $3,360,000. Chestnut and red gum each had about one-half 

 the cut of yellow poplar, but the output of each was only about one-third 

 as valuable. The average value of oak lumber in 1911 at the mills in Ten- 

 nessee was $20.68 per 1,000 feet board measure; poplar $28.22; red gum 

 $12.33, and chestnut $16.91. 



In 1906 the cut of yellow poplar in Tennessee was 110,480,000 board 

 feet, the state contributing 19 per cent, of the total cut of yellow poplar 

 in the United States. 



In 1907 the cut was 137,900,000 feet board measure, being 16 per cent, 

 of the total cut of the United States, the average price of yellow poplar 

 lumber in Tennessee being $24 per 1,000 board feet. 



In 1910 the cut was 138,705,000 board feet, 19 per cent, of the total 

 cut of this species in the United States, the average price of its lumber in 

 Tennessee being $28.10 per 1,000 board feet. 



In 1911 it was 119,000,000 board feet, about 19 per cent, of the total 

 cut of the United States. In 1912 the cut declined to 107,265,000 board 

 feet, 17 per cent, of the total cut of the United States. 



Many lumber companies that were interviewed in Tennessee report 

 from 15 to 20 years supply of yellow poplar timber. On the basis of 20 

 years' supply the total stand of old yellow poplar timber in Tennessee is 

 about 2,500,000,000 board feet. 



The highest production of yellow poplar lumber in Tennessee was 

 doubtless obtained between 1907 and 1910. Since 1910 the output from 

 Tennessee has declined from 138,000,000 board feet to 107,000,000 board 



*Botanically, yellow poplar is known as Liriodendron tulij'f<r<i /,. The tree 

 is also known as tulip tree and whitewood. 



