FOREST BESOURCES OF EASTERN TEXAS. 57 



south and east into the Sabine River. The larger streams are subject to 

 overflow. Soils vary from light sand to dark, heavy loams underlaid by 

 a red clay subsoil. Practically all the public roads are graded. More 

 than >!) miles of mainline but only five miles of logging railroad are 

 operated in the county. 



The land area may be divided as follows : 



Approximate total area 440,320 acres. 



Virgin timber lands 20,000 acres. 



Second growth lands Negligible. 



Culled and cut-over lands 227,000 acres. 



All other lands 193,320 acres. 



Not more than one-fourth of the virgin timber lands are pine, the re- 

 mainder supporting a growth of mixed hardwoods. The best bodies are lo- 

 cated in the southern and eastern portions of the county. Land and timber 

 are owned jointly in large tracts by the lumber companies. 



Although their future value is fast becoming recognized the present 

 area of second growth timber lands is negligible. There are a few such 

 areas of pine and hardwoods, both pure and in mixture, the latter type pre- 

 dominating. 



Culled and cut-over lands date from 35 years ago to the present time 

 and comprise a large acreage. Areas logged under early methods now sup- 

 port a growth of good timber, pine being found in the east and mixed 

 hardwoods in the west. Much of the land in this class suitable for farm- 

 ing has been placed on the market. 



Fruit growing and diversified farming are the principal agricultural 

 pursuits and the county is settling up rapidly. No old lands are being 

 abandoned and a comparatively large acreage of new land is put under 

 cultivation annually. Farms range in size from 40 to 300 acres, the 

 tendency being toward the larger acreage. One-third of the county is 

 under hog law and about one-fifth under general stock law. 



The lumber industry has been in operation for more than 35 years. 

 At the present time, however, the industry is comparatively small. 

 Twenty-five small mills of the portable type, four of which are cutting 

 hardwoods and one of which is operated in connection with a cotton 

 gin, run very irregularly and produce not more than 10,000,000 feet 

 annually. In view of their irregular output most of these mills will cut 

 indefinitely. 



Not more than 20,000 hewn ties, mostly oak, are cut yearly. At this 

 rate the industry cannot last many years. Tie operators are cutting their 

 waste into cordwood. Approximately 7,000 cords of fuelwood and from 

 10,000 to 12,000 mine props are shipped out of the county each year. 

 Fence posts are cut only for home consumption. One other industry, a 

 box and crate factory, consumes not more than 1,000,000 feet of gum 

 yearly. 



Close and long continued cutting may be assigned as the primary 

 reason for lack of reproduction and the absence of second growth in Wood 

 County. Grass and woodland fires are an important secondary reason. 

 The present supply of timber is poor both in quality and size and there is 

 not much prospect of a future supply. Local demand for forest products 

 warrants a general development and improvement of farm woodlots as 

 a solution of the problem. 



