14 FORESTS OF WISCONSIN. 



(+) being used where it still exists in considerable quantities, 

 the minus sign ( — ) where it has been cut out. 



Where pine predominates, the signs of the red circle with 

 and without a cross, denoting present and former conditions are 

 employed. 



Where the hardwoods are largely cut, culled, or destroyed by 

 fire, the minus sign in black is used, while jack pine and jack 

 oak are in all cases indicated, the one by red and the other by 

 green V sign. 



CONIFEROUS SUPPLIES. 



The conifers, particularly the pines, formed solid, almost pure, 

 forests over more than 30 per cent, of the area under considera- 

 tion besides hundreds of groves of smaller extent scattered 

 throughout the entire area of mixed forest. In addition, they 

 formed the most conspicuous part of these mixed forests them- 

 selves so that the name of "pinery" was applied to the entire 

 forest once covering this area. The conifers covered especially 

 the poorest land, stocked the barrens, the light sands, the 

 roughest gravel lands, and clothed the swamps wherever these 

 permitted of any tree growth. Besides forming the bulk of the 

 forest growth, the chief conifers, white and red (ISTorway) pine 

 and hemlock grew to larger size and better shape than the hard- 

 woods; they yielded more material and were easier logged, 

 transported, and sawed, and their product found a much more 

 extensive market. In total amount of saw timber the conifers 

 originally excelled the hardwoods about as five to one, but at 

 present all the conifers combined furnish only about twice as, 

 much material as the hardwoods. 



WHITE PINE. 



Past. — The white pine occurred in nearly all parts of this 

 area; in most counties it was found in every township, oni almost 

 every section, and though checked at the "openings," apparently 

 by a lack of moisture, it followed all the streams (the Wisconsin, 

 Black, Chippewa, St. Croix, etc.), for a considerable distance be- 



