LUMBER CUT OF UNITED STATES, 1870-1920. 29 



LUMBER PRODUCTION BY STATES AND GROUPS. 



Table 4 shows the total quantity of lumber cut in each State for 

 every year in which an enumeration was made, from 1870 to 1920, 

 inclusive. The rank of the leading 25 States in each year is indicated. 



The figures accurately portray the fluctuations in the lumber indus- 

 try for the period of 50 years covered. In 1920, with the single ex- 

 ception of New York, all of the 12 States showing an increase of pro- 

 duction were west of the Great Plains. Even in the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming are well past the peak 

 of their production. 



By groups of States the relative increases and decreases as com- 

 pared with 1919 were as follows: 



Increase Decrease 

 Group. percent, percent. 



Rocky Mountain 31 



Pacific 17 



Northeastern 15 



North Carolina pine 15 



Lake 11 



Southern pine 10 



Central 9 



The most remarkable increases took place in the Pacific group and 

 the Inland Empire, which, together, cut 1,630,000,000 feet more than 

 in 1919. Washington increased 11 per cent, Oregon 29 per cent, Cali- 

 fornia (and Nevada) 18 per cent, Idaho 27 per cent, and Montana 43 

 per cent. Arizona shows 64 per cent increase and New Mexico 29 

 per cent. 



In the Lake States Minnesota showed the gi'eatest proportional 

 decrease, with 18 per cent. In the North Carolina pine group North 

 Carolina's output diminished 25 per cent. In the southern pine 

 group the heaviest decreases were: In Alabama, 20 per cent; Arkan- 

 sas, 18 per cent; Georgia, 15 per cent; and Florida, 12 per cent. 

 Lousiana lost but 1 per cent. The heavy decrease in the South is 

 attributed, in part at least, to the extremely unfavorable weather 

 conditions, but taken in connection with the apparent decrease in 

 the number of large mills it is at least a strong indication of a con- 

 tinuous decline. 



