CHAPTER XI. 

 FOREST CONDITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



If considered simultaneously from botanical, 

 geographical, and economic points of view, the 

 forests of North America are unique in the world. 



The forests -of the tropics are richer in species ; 

 there are contiguous forest areas of greater extent 

 in other parts of the world, and other countries 

 possess forests of as high economic value. But it 

 may be fairly truthfully claimed, that in no part of 

 the world is to be found in combination under the 

 ownership of one nation, a forest area of so large 

 extent, of so high economic value, furnishing such 

 a large number of species of such varied useful- 

 ness and in such accessible form and condition. 



Geographically and botanically we must differ- 

 entiate the country into two absolutely unlike 

 types, namely the Atlantic and the Pacific type. 



Practically the entire surface on the Atlantic side 



— west to a meandering line, which follows more 

 or less closely the Mississippi Valley and runs no- 

 where beyond the ninety-ninth degree of longitude 



— was originally a vast continuous forest compris- 

 ing somewhat over one million square miles, or 



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