PART II.— TIMBER RESOURCES OF THE NATIONAL FORESTS 



IN ARKANSAS. 



OZARK AND ARKANSAS NATIONAL FORESTS. 



Two National Forests lie in Arkansas, the Ozark and the Arkansas. 

 The first was created by proclamation in 1907 and the other the fol- 

 lowing year. Each has large quantities and several kinds of mature 

 timber, which the Government offers for sale. This portion of the 

 bulletin deals with the kinds, quantity, and accessibility of the timber 

 on the two Forests, and the regulations under which it is sold and cut, 

 as well as the prospective markets for it. 



The Arkansas National Forest lies in Montgomery, Polk, Scott, 

 Yell, Perry, Garland, Sebastian, Logan, Howard, Saline, and Pike 

 Counties. The total area within its borders is about 1,250,000 acres, 

 but 500,000 acres of this are privately owned. 



Much of the Forest area is made up of ridges running east and west, 

 giving a north and south exposure. The elevation varies from 600 

 to 3,000 feet. The region is drained by several rivers; the Ouachita 

 heads in the northwest central portion and runs east, the South Fork 

 of the Fourche traverses the northern part of the Forest, and the 

 Poteau runs in a southwesterly direction across a portion of the 

 northwestern part. These streams and many of their tributaries 

 can be made drivable at little expense. Most of the timber on the 

 Forest is accessible to roads, which are numerous and thread the 

 Forest in all directions. These are generally in good condition. The 

 Forest Service has cooperated with citizens in making some roads, 

 which have added to the Forest's accessibility. About 70 per cent of 

 the timber on the Forest is at present accessible to railroads, and it is 

 probable that nearly all soon will be. The Fort Smith & Gurdon 

 Railroad, which at Gurdon connects with the St. Louis, Iron Mountain 

 & Southern Railroad, serves the south central portion of the Forest. 

 The western part is accessible to the Kansas City Southern Railroad 

 and the Arkansas Western combined. The Rock Island taps the 

 northern part, and a proposed line to cross the region from north to 

 south will open some interior portions. Other proposed railroads will 

 further contribute to the development of the timber resources. 



The Ozark National Forest lies in the Boston Mountains of the 

 Ozark Range, in Marion, Baxter, Stone, Cleburne, Van Buren, Con- 

 way, Searcy, Newton, Pope, Johnson, Franklin, Washington, and 

 Crawford Counties. The land was surveyed by the Government many 



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