252 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



The apparent irregularity in the increase or decrease as shown in certain years 

 is due in some instances to dry seasons which prevented the year's stock of logs 

 from reaching the Glens Falls boom, part of the drives having been " hung up." 

 For this reason the figures for some years are smaller than they otherwise would 

 be, with a corresponding increase the next season. 



The output of hardwood lumber has increased from 5,835,844 ft. in 1890, to 

 24,296.554 ft. in 1899. There will be a still greater increase in the hardwood cutting 

 owing to the erection this year of a large cooperage plant and also a factory 

 for making " wood acid," as it is called. The owners of these factories have 

 purchased large tracts of Adirondack timber land in the vicinity of Tupper 

 lake, and other tracts near St. Regis Falls, from which they intend in the 

 course of their business to remove all the trees, both evergreens and hardwoods, 

 large and small. Other firms engaged in this industry will be sure to follow. 

 This kind of cutting results in stump fields ; or, if fire breaks out in the dry 

 brush heaps, in complete denudation and ruin. While the establishment of new 

 industries should always be welcomed, it is a matter of regret that the timber 

 cutting done by these companies cannot be regulated so that their supply of raw 

 material may be obtained without entirely destroying its source. 



The decrease in the consumption of pulp timber is due, as already stated, to large 

 shipments from the Canadian forests. The production of the pulpmills in New 

 York is greater than ever, our State still leading all others in this vast industry. 



Of the 1,087 paper and pulpmills in the United States, New York has 267 as 

 against the next highest number, 123, in Massachusetts. Then come Pennsylvania 

 with 97, Wisconsin with 86, Ohio with 64, Maine with 61, Connecticut with 59, and 

 Michigan with 46. 



If the pulpmills only, chemical and mechanical, are considered by themselves, we 

 find that the States rank in the following order: New York, 95; Wisconsin, 33; 

 Maine, 31; Pennsylvania, 16; Vermont, New Hampshire, and Michigan, each 11 ; 

 and Indiana, 10. In all, there are 268 pulpmills in the United States, and 40 in the 

 Canadian provinces. Of the latter Quebec has 18 and Ontario 11 ; the other prov- 

 inces have, in all, 1 1. 



But the number of pulpmills in each State does not always indicate the compara- 

 tive production. The combined daily capacity of the pulpmills in each State, 

 expressed in tons of dry pulp is : New York, 1,893 ; Maine, 1,357; Wisconsin, 883 ; 

 New Hampshire, 463 ; Pennsylvania, 414; Vermont, 368; and Michigan, 189. 



Of the 1,893 tons, daily capacity of the mills in New York, 1,070 represent chemi- 

 cal fibre and 823 ground pulp. 



