'2? AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE or TEXAS. 



timber is cut out. In addition to the local consumption of fueiwood about 

 5,000 cords are annually shipped to El Paso. This industry may continue 

 indefinitely. At the present time mine timbers to the number of 10,000 

 props are cut each year, but the industry is not so large as the supply of 

 suitable timber warrants. Wliat is probably one of the largest veneer 

 cutting plants in the South is located at Marshall and at least 1,500,000 

 feet of slack cooperage veneer timber, mostly sweet gum, are consumed 

 annually in this plant. The local timber supply for this industry, however, 

 is limited and prices are consequently high. From $11 to $13.50 per 

 thousand is obtained for gum at the mill. 



Xoi withstanding the fact that grass and woodland fires are not a serious 

 problem in Harrison County there is yet a lack of pine reproduction 

 on the cut-over lands and hardwoods seem to return. Stripping timbered 

 areas under modern logging methods is perhaps the prime factor in lim- 

 iting more desirable reproduction. Such lands as were cut under early 

 methods now support good stands of pine, which should be merchantable 

 in a few years and constitute the main dependence for a future local supply. 



irKXDi-;i;sox COUNTY, 



Henderson County is situated largely within the post oak region, a little 

 more than 10 per cent in the extreme eastern portion being in the shortleaf 

 region. The land surface is generally level and drained by the Trinity 

 River on the west and the Xeches River on the east. Soils vary from light 

 loams to heavy, black waxy. Streams for the most part are sluggish and 

 stagnant through parts of the year. Public roads show great improvement. 

 More than 80 miles of mainline railroad serve the county. 



The land area may be divided as follows: 



Approximate total area 601,600 acres. 



Virgin timber lands 2,000 acres. 



Second growth lards Negligible. 



Culled and cut-over lands 360,000 acres. 



All other lands 239,600 acres. 



Virgin timber areas though small are valuable. Ash of excellent quality 

 is found in the western portion of the county and there are numerous 

 small, scattered areas of cotton wood. The pine timber has practically all 

 been cut out. 



Second growth la,nds occupy so small an acreage as to be negligible. 

 Heavy cuttings have operated to keep down reproduction. 



Culled and cut-over areas have been increasing since 1891 and many 

 old abandoned mill sites are to be found in different sections of the county. 

 Although cutting has been heavy within recent years a small percentage 

 of these lands is still capable of furnishing another cut of timber. 



Farms in the main are well worked under a system of diversification. 

 A small acreage of new land is cleared annually. Xo old lands are aban- 

 doned. Where markets are not available the timber is still burned in 

 clearing land. Farms average 100 acres in size. There is little erosion 

 on improved lands. Three-fourths of the county is under general stock law. 



As contrasted to conditions several decades ago the lumber industry 

 is insignificant. Six small mills combined with cotton gins, five of which 



