FOREST EESOUECES OF EASTERN TEXAS. 9 



The land area may be divided as follows : 



Approximate total area 563,200 acres. 



Virgin timber lands 60,000 acres. 



Second growth lands 60,000 acres. 



( 'Tilled and cut-over lands 300,000 acres. 



All other lands 143,200 acres. 



Virgin timber stands are composed mainly of longleaf pine with some 

 mixed*" hardwoods along the streams and in the bottom lands. Timber 

 and land are usually under the same ownership and for the most part are 

 held in large tracts by the lumber companies. 



Second growth stands are mainly in small tracts scattered over the 

 county. A small acreage is from abandoned old fields. Judged by the 

 nearby counties there is a decided tendency to recognize the future value 

 of this class of timber. 



The culled and cut-over woodland areas show an almost total lack of 

 longleaf pine reproduction although some shortleaf pine and abundant 

 young growth of the various hardwoods, particularly red oak, is found. 

 This condition is doubtless due to the frequent occurrence of grass and 

 woodland fires. Soils over much of this type are suitable for agricul- 

 ture and will be so used in time. 



Agricultural operations are rapidly extending. Within the past two 

 years the average of improved farm lands has increased at least 25 per 

 cent. There are no abandoned farm lands. Farms range in size from 

 20 to 200 acres although one farm in the county embraces 400 acres. Farm 

 lands are in an excellent state of cultivation and show but little serious 

 erosion. No part of the county is under stock law, except the city limits 

 of Lufkin. 



The lumber industry has been an important one in Angelina County 

 for the past 25 or 30 years. Eleven mills, one 300 thousand, one 200 

 thousand, two 100 thousand, one 65 thousand, two 35 thousand and one 30 

 thousand feet daily capacity, the remainder comparatively small, produce 

 approximately 65,000,000 board feet annually. One of the 100 thousand- 

 foot mills trams its raw material from Nacogdoches County. Two mills in 

 the county are cutting hardwoods exclusively, but it is estimated their total 

 cut will not exceed 100,000 feet annually. In view of the fact that large 

 timber holdings are as yet untouched the lumber industry may be expected 

 to continue indefinitely. The large mills now in operation will continue 

 for five or six years at their present rate of production. 



At the present time there are no turpentine operators in the county. 

 Tie operators produce 40,000 pine, 15,000 red oak and 10,000 white 

 oak ties annually, the greater proportion of which are hewn. This in- 

 dustry may last indefinitely. Owing to the scarcity of suitable raw 

 material the stave production amounts to only 5,000 staves per year and 

 is about finished. The consumption of fuelwood approximates 10,000 

 cords yearly and will continue indefinitely. Perhaps 2,500 telegraph and 

 telephone poles are cut each year. One factory at Lufkin is engaged in the 

 manufacture of excelsior mattresses and consumes about 100 cords of 

 pine cordwood annually. One veneer plant, capacity 12 thousand feet per 

 day, has recently started operations at Lufkin. 



