FOREST RESOURCES OF EASTERN TEXAS. 47 



Approximate total area 407,040 acres. 



Virgin timber lands 7,000 acres. 



Second growth lands 40,000 acres. 



Culled and cut-over lands 300,000 acres. 



All other lands 60,040 acres. 



The virgin timber is nearly exhausted. Those areas remaining support 

 a growth of loblolly pice and are located mainly in the north-central 

 portion of. the county. Timber and land are usually held under the same 

 ownership by the mill companies. 



Second growth lands are reproducing to pine for the most part, although 

 gum and oak are found in the mixture. The best areas in this type, al- 

 though the timber is not yet of merchantable size, are located in the south- 

 ern and central sections. A small acreage is from old fields. 



Culled and cut-over lands date back 15 to 30 years. The timber re- 

 maining is pine and mixed hardwoods. The greater percentage of these 

 lands is less suited to farming than to grazing or timber growing. 



The lumber industry has little, if any, effect upon agricultural opera- 

 tions. Some new land is cleared annually; several farms abandoned 

 within the past decade have been put back under cultivation. Farms 

 average 25 acres in size. Improved lands are subject to erosion unless 

 preventive measures are taken. Xo part of the county is under stock law 

 or is likely to be in the near future. 



Sawmill operations were begun in 1882. At the present time three 

 mills, ore with 80,000 feet daily capacity, the other two of the small local 

 type, produce not more than 24^,000,000 feet annually. At this rate mill- 

 ing operations may continue for not longer than five years. 



About 7,000 -pine and 1,000 hewn hardwood ties are cut annually. The 

 industry may be expected to continue indefinitely. One stave operator 

 produces 25,000 white oak staves yearly. Fuelwood production totals 

 approximately 900 cords yearly and should last indefinitely. About 10 

 cars of charcoal and 400 pieces of piling and hardwood ship timbers are 

 produced annually. 



Public sentiment is not in favor of burning the grass and woodlands. 

 As a consequence pine reproduction is thrifty over the greater portion 

 of the county. The stockmen are decidedly opposed to burning the range. 

 Conditions for a second crop of pine are exceedingly favorable in San 

 Jar-into County. 



SHELBY COUNTY. 



Shelby County lies entirely within the ehortleaf pine region. The 

 land surface is rolling, with a few high hills in the western section, 

 and two-thirds of the drainage is into the Sabine Eiver. Upland soils 

 are sandy loams with a red clay subsoil. Public roads are undergoing 

 gradual improvement. Approximately 96 miles of mainline and 20 miles 

 of logging railroad are operated in the county. 



The land area may be divided as follows : 



Approximate total area 520.960 acres. 



Virgin timber lands 150,000 acres. 



Second growth lands 25,000 acres. 



Culled and cut-over lands 176,000 acres. 



All other lands . 169.960 acres. 



