124 OF WOOD IN GENERAL. 



continued indefinitely to yield a handsome return. The turpen- 

 tine farmers, however, aim only at obtaining the maximum 

 amount of crde-resin with the smallest expenditure of labour, 

 caring nothing for the fate of the trees they attack. 



If, however, 500 million acres of true timber-forest were main- 

 tained in the United States, an annual cut of 20,000 million 

 cubic feet, or 40 cubic feet per acre, would not at first sight 

 appear excessive. It is, however, important to bear in mind 

 that the White Pine (Pinus Strobu*) requires 90 years to reach 

 the dimensions attained by the Northern Pine of Europe (Pinus 

 sylvfatris) in 70, whilst the Long-leafed Pine (P. palustris) re- 

 quires 200 years for the same growth. 



The White Pine has for half a century been the most impor- 

 tant timber of the United States, furnishing, as it does, the best 

 quality of soft Pine. Of the home consumption of this wood 

 some idea may be formed from the fact that the city of Chicago 

 alone received in one year over 2000 million feet, principally of 

 this species, or an amount equal to the entire produce of Canada 

 during that year. Speaking of this species, in 1882 Professor 

 C. S. Sargent of Harvard wrote, "It has been wantonly and 

 stupidly cut, as if its resources were endless : what has not 

 been sacrificed to the axe has been allowed to perish by fire. 

 The Pine of New England and New York has already dis- 

 appeared. Pennsylvania is nearly stripped of her Pine, which 

 only a few years ago appeared inexhaustible." ... "In 

 Michigan there remained of standing White Pine timber, suitable 

 for market, but 35,000 million feet, board measure," whilst in 

 1880 there had been cut in the State over 4000 million feet, 

 " requiring only eight years at this rate to exhaust the supply." 

 In Wisconsin there were standing 41,000 million feet, with a cut 

 of over 2000 million for that year, "leaving a supply that would 

 last but fourteen years." In Minnesota there were remaining 

 8170 million fe*et, and 541 million were cut in 1880, leaving a 

 supply for fifteen years ; so that the supply in the three States 

 would be exhausted in twelve years. There was in fact little 

 more than 80,000 million feet in the United States, whilst con- 



