18 FOREST CONDITIONS IN LOUISIANA. 



sides of the river, especially on the west, it has eroded down almost 

 to the level of the surrounding country. The largest area extends 

 from the Arkansas line to the edge of La Salle Parish. South of this 

 small detached areas appear at intervals. 



The soil is ver}- fertile, but easily eroded. The original forests 

 were composed chiefly of hardwoods, in which oak, hickory, beech, 

 gum, and yellow poplar predominated, with some shortleaf pine, and 

 a heavy undergrowth of cane, dogwood, and briers. On the bluff 

 lands in West Carroll and Franklin Parishes were once found the 

 best white oak and hickory in the State. The level bluff lands have 

 been almost entirely cleared of timber and put under cultivation. 

 The narrow strip of bluff land in the southern parishes is now almost 

 entirely in cultivation or in pasture. 



Stave and tie cutting have been carried on in the bluff-land parishes 

 for many years, and small hardwood mills are still scattered through 

 them. Pipe and claret staves are cut extensively in Richland and 

 Franklin Parishes along the line of the Iron Mountain Railroad. 

 The best white oak has been taken and much of it wasted in these 

 operations. Pipe staves sell for from 4 to 5 cents each, and oak and 

 ash logs for from $10 to $12 and more per thousand feet at the rail- 

 roads. The best white-oak trees have brought a maximum of about 

 $2.50 to their owners. The largest tracts of hardwood land, ranging 

 in area from 20,000 to 40,000 acres, are in the hands of northern 

 companies. Stumpage values are somewhat higher than in the allu- 

 vial bottoms. 



PRAIRIE REGION. 



The prairie region occupies about one-eighth of the State. It is 

 bounded on the north by the longleaf flats and hills, on the east by 

 the bluff and alluvial regions, on the south by the sea marsh along 

 the Gulf of Mexico, and on the west by the Sabine River. For the 

 most part it is sea marsh reclaimed by the erosion of the western 

 the bluff and alluvial regions, on the south by the sea marsh along 

 the streams, largely without trees. Toward its northern limit, how- 

 ever, there is an irregular hardwood growth mixed in places with 

 pine. The greater part of the region is either in cultivation or in 

 pasture. 



SEA MARSH. 



Bordering the Gulf of Mexico, from Texas to Mississippi, is a 

 strip of sea marsh from 10 to 40 miles wide, the greater part of 

 which is submerged by every high tide. Some of the region, how- 

 ever, is sufficiently elevated to make excellent grazing land. Tree 

 growth is confined entirely to the slightly elevated portions, where 



