HABDWOOD SUPPLIES. 29 



counties are known to kave cut over 100 million feet per town 

 or nearly 5 M. per acre for the total area, swamp and all. 

 Smaller districts, as some forests in Shawano and Langlade 

 counties, cut from 10 to 15 M. feet per acre, but these must be 

 regarded as exceptions. 



The standing hai'dwood and hemlock was determined by as- 

 certaining the area of fairly stocked woodland, excluding swamp 

 lands, then settling on the yield per acre, or 40, and finally 

 estimating their relative proportions. The determination of 

 the area is the weakest point in the estimates. The yields for 

 all principal localities are based on wholesale estimates and re- 

 sults of actual operations. Thus the cut per township, or the 

 cut for a number of sections, was considered, as also the esti- 

 mates of lumbering and railway companies, besides the detailed 

 experience of several hundred men, and the results weighed by 

 comparing the growth in different localities. , 



The proportions of hemlock and hardwood and the different 

 kinds of hardwoods among themselves, is also ascertained in 

 the same manner. There exist for dl principal localities, ex- 

 tensive detailed estimates; those of the Chicago & Northwestern 

 Railway, • and also those made for several years by Mr. 

 Ben. Hall of Marinette, are models of this kind. Of these, 

 a number were examined, and in addition the views of different 

 operators compared. To most men the figures of yield will 

 probably seem high, and in truth 6 M. feet per acre, or 240 M. 

 per 40, does appear like a large amount even for the best 

 counties. But it must not be forgotten that here all kinds 

 of timber, birch, maple, elm, etc., are considered merchantable, 

 and also that all sizes above 12 inches diameter, and for oak 

 and hemlock even tie sizes are included. Waste and swamp 

 areas are excluded and thus only the acres of well stocked land 

 enter into consideration. Those who consider the yield as 

 taken too low (and there wiU be many of these) will bear in mind 

 that merchantable saw timber in hardwoods and hemlock, is at 

 present quite a different thing from pine, and also that both 

 hardwoods and hemlocks are short-bodied, have been injured by 



