FOREST POLICY. 



4. Forest ownership: The State owns large swamp tracts. 

 The farmers own 35% of all the woodlands. 170 lumber firms 

 own 1,500,000 acres of 6,700 feet average stumpage. 



5. Use of timber: The use of cypress for cooperage was 

 large as early as 1880, when the pine woods were still untouched. 

 The main center of long leaf pine mills is now at Lake Charles 

 (Calcasieu River). Main center of short leaf pine mills is at 

 Shreveport (Red River). 



In 1900, 40s mills existed, of $25,800 average investment. 

 Logs were worth, in 1900, on stump, $1.22, and at mill, $5.59. 



New Orleans is not a mill center, but is the largest south- 

 ern shipping point of the lumber and cooperage industry. 



Moss ginning is an industry turning out, in 1880, $550,000 

 worth of material. There are no later statistics. Turpentining 

 is only recently introduced, tending to ruin the prospects for con- 

 servative lumbering, owing to the danger of fire connected with 

 it. In 1880, Sargent's fire statistics show a loss of $6,000 worth 

 of timber only, virgin pine being fireproof and the other species 

 protected by swamps. Sargent, in 1880, estimates the stand of 

 pine at 48,200,000,000 feet b. m. The products of the lumber in- 

 dustry are valued, in 1880, at $1,700,000; in i8go, at $5,700,000, and, 

 in 1900, at $17,400,000; a very rapid increase. 



The cut in 1900 consisted of 1,200,000,000 feet b. m. (800,- 

 000,000 yellow pine, 340,000,000 cypress,- 50,000,000 cottonwoods, 

 5,000,000 white oak). The average stand of white oak is said to 

 be 7,800 feet b. m. per acre (?). Swamps cleared of cypress are 

 doomed to lie barren. 



No pulp industry. 



Three small leather concerns use a few cords of oak bark, 

 sumac and a few barrels of extract. 



6. Forestry movement: None. 



7. Laws : Unknown. 



8. Reservations: None. 



9. Irrigation: Louisiana, leading the States of the Union 

 in rice production, irrigates from water-courses and from wells 

 202,000 acres of rice fields. 



The cost of the irrigation system averages only $12.54 Per 

 acre. 



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