16 AGRICULTUKAL AXD MECHANICAL COLLEGE OF TEXAS. 



Culled and cut-over lands comprise practically all of the timbered areas 

 in the county. Probably the greater percentage of these lands, however, 

 still supports a very light growth of merchantable timber. Practically 

 all lands in this class are suitable for farming and the best of them will 

 eventually be so used. 



Diversified farming is practiced on improved lands. Farms are well 

 kept and agricultural conditions are improving. Farms average 50 acres 

 in size. In some sections lands are subject to severe washing. About 

 half the county is under general stock law and about three-fourths under 

 hog law. 



Grass prairie lands, with practically no tree growth, cover an area of 

 approximately 15,000 acres. Overflow lands total about 8,000 acres, 

 but the larger part of this acreage can be drained and made suitable for 

 agriculture. 



Lumbering operations have been conducted in the county for more than 

 30 years, but never on a large scale. At the present time only one mill 

 is cutting and produces approximately 3,000,000 feet annually. Prac- 

 tically the only other wood-using industry is one small shingle mill which 

 operates very irregularly. The large area of the county under either 

 general stock or hog law limits even the consumption of fence posts. 



The practice of clear cutting timber lands prevents natural reforesta- 

 tion. On account of the well settled conditions, forest fires are infre- 

 quent. Franklin County should be a woodlot county with a small per cent 

 of the area in well managed and productive farm forests. There is a 

 good local market for fuel, posts, lumber and other products which should 

 be grown at home. 



GREGG COUNTY. 



Gregg County lies entirely within the shortleaf pine region and is 

 located approximately at the center of distribution of that species in East 

 Texas. The greater portion of the rolling land surface drains to the 

 southeast into the Sabine Eiver which divides the county. Soils vary from 

 light, loose, sandy loams to those of the compact, limy type. There is a 

 small area of red soil in the southwest. Several small, irregular areas of 

 sandstone are found in the northern portion of the county. Practically 

 all the public roads have been graded and surfaced. More than 45 miles 

 of mainline railroad traverse the county. 



The land area may be divided as follows : 



Approximate total area 183,680 acres. 



Virgin timber lands Negligible. 



Second growth lands 50,000 acres. 



Culled and cut-over lands 60,000 acres. 



All other lands 73,680 acres. 



With the exception of very small scattered stands of mixed hardwoods 

 practically all of the virgin timber in Gregg County has been cut out. 



Second growth lands support a stand of shortleaf pine and mixed 

 hardwoods. The greater proportion of lands in this type consist of scat- 

 tered tracts located for the most part in the southeastern portion of the 

 county. Only a small acreage is from old fields. On practically all of 



